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"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever."

— Isaiah 40:8
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Ruth 4

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1
Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.
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2
And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.
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3
And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's:
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4
And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.
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5
Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.
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6
And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it.
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7
Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbor: and this was a testimony in Israel.
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8
Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe.
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9
And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi.
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10
Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.
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11
And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem:
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12
And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman.
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13
So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son.
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14
And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel.
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15
And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.
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16
And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.
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17
And the women her neighbors gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
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18
Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron,
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19
And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab,
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20
And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon,
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21
And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,
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22
And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.
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Ruth 4 Study & Commentary

Ruth 4 recounts the legal transaction at the gate of Bethlehem. Boaz redeems Elimelech’s land and marries Ruth after a closer relative declines. The book concludes with the birth of Obed and a genealogy linking Ruth to King David.

CONTEMPORARY APPLICATIONS

1. The Cost of Redemption: The closer relative refused to redeem because it might "mar his own inheritance" (v. 6). Redemption often requires self-sacrifice. We praise Christ, our True Redeemer, who gave everything to buy us back.
2. Redemption from Ruin: God took a grieving widow and a Moabite stranger and made them the ancestors of the King (v. 13-17). No life is too broken or "foreign" for God to redeem and use for His global purposes.
3. The Power of Legacy: The genealogy (v. 18-22) shows that our private acts of faithfulness have eternal ripples. We may not see the full "harvest" of our lives until generations later.

FORMAL PRAYER

We thank Thee, O Lord, for our Great Kinsman-Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Thank Thee for redeeming our lost inheritance and bringing us into Thy family. Grant that our lives may leave a legacy of faith for generations to come. Amen.
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