Page 435 - The MacArthur Daily Bible

TN_04_MacArthur_Bible_April.qxd 8/8/03 15:05 Page 416

APRIL 29
16 When she came to her mother-in-law,
April 29 she said, “Is that you, my daughter?”
Then she told her all that the man had done
for her. And she said, “These six ephahs of bar-
17
ley he gave me; for he said to me, ‘Do not go
Ruth 3:1–4:22
empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’ ”
Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, 18 Then she said, “Sit still, my daughter, until
3 “My daughter, shall I not seek security for you know how the matter will turn out; for the
2
you, that it may be well with you? Now Boaz, man will not rest until he has concluded the
whose young women you were with, is he not matter this day.”
our relative? In fact, he is winnowing barley Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat
3
tonight at the threshing floor. Therefore wash 4 down there; and behold, the close relative
yourself and anoint yourself, put on your best of whom Boaz had spoken came by. So Boaz
garment and go down to the threshing floor; said, “Come aside, friend, sit down here.” So
2
but do not make yourself known to the man he came aside and sat down. And he took ten
until he has finished eating and drinking. men of the elders of the city, and said, “Sit
Then it shall be, when he lies down, that you down here.” So they sat down. Then he said
4 3
shall notice the place where he lies; and you to the close relative, “Naomi, who has come
shall go in, uncover his feet, and lie down; and back from the country of Moab, sold the piece
he will tell you what you should do.” of land which belonged to our brother
And she said to her, “All that you say to me Elimelech. And I thought to inform you, say-
5 4
I will do.” ing, ‘Buy it back in the presence of the inhab-
So she went down to the threshing floor itants and the elders of my people. If you will
6
and did according to all that her mother-in-law redeem it, redeem it; but if you will not
instructed her. And after Boaz had eaten and redeem it, then tell me, that I may know; for
7
drunk, and his heart was cheerful, he went to there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am
lie down at the end of the heap of grain; and she next after you.’ ”
came softly, uncovered his feet, and lay down. And he said, “I will redeem it.”
8 5
Now it happened at midnight that the man Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the
was startled, and turned himself; and there, a field from the hand of Naomi, you must also
9
woman was lying at his feet. And he said, buy it from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the
“Who are you?” dead, to perpetuate the name of the dead
So she answered, “I am Ruth, your maidser- through his inheritance.”
vant. Take your maidservant under your wing, 6 And the close relative said, “I cannot
for you are a close relative.” redeem it for myself, lest I ruin my own inher-
Then he said, “Blessed are you of the LORD, itance. You redeem my right of redemption for
10
my daughter! For you have shown more kind- yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”
ness at the end than at the beginning, in that 7 Now this was the custom in former times in
you did not go after young men, whether poor Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging,
11
or rich. And now, my daughter, do not fear. I to confirm anything: one man took off his san-
will do for you all that you request, for all the dal and gave it to the other, and this was a con-
people of my town know that you are a virtu- firmation in Israel.
12
ous woman. Now it is true that I am a close 8 Therefore the close relative said to Boaz,
relative; however, there is a relative closer than “Buy it for yourself.” So he took off his sandal.
13
I. Stay this night, and in the morning it shall 9 And Boaz said to the elders and all the people,
be that if he will perform the duty of a close rel-
ative for you—good; let him do it. But if he
does not want to perform the duty for you,
then I will perform the duty for you, as the 4:7 took off his sandal. The scripture writer
LORD lives! Lie down until morning.” explained to his own generation what had
So she lay at his feet until morning, and she been a custom in former generations. This
14
arose before one could recognize another. kind of tradition appears in Deuteronomy
Then he said, “Do not let it be known that the 25:5–10 and apparently continued at least to
woman came to the threshing floor.” Also he the time of Amos (see 2:6; 8:6).The closer rela-
15
said, “Bring the shawl that is on you and hold tive legally transferred his right to the property
it.” And when she held it, he measured six as symbolized by the sandal, most likely that
ephahs of barley, and laid it on her. Then she of the nearer relative.
went into the city.
416