1Boaz went up to the gate and sat there. Behold, the redeemer of whom Boaz had spoken was passing by, and he said, "Turn aside; sit here, you, so-and-so." So he turned aside and sat down.2Then Boaz took ten men from the elders of the city and said, "Sit here." And they sat down.3He said to the redeemer, "Naomi, who has returned from the land of Moab, is selling the portion of the field that belonged to our brother Elimelech."4"So I thought I should inform you, saying, 'Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if you will not redeem it, tell me, so that I may know, for there is no one besides you to redeem it, and I am after you.'" He said, "I will redeem it."5Boaz said, "On the day you buy the field from Naomi's hand, you are also acquiring Ruth the Moabite, the wife of the deceased, to raise up the name of the deceased upon his inheritance."6The redeemer answered, "I cannot redeem it for myself without ruining my own inheritance. Redeem my right of redemption for yourself, for I am unable to redeem it."7Now this was formerly the custom in Israel concerning redemption and exchange, to confirm every matter: a man would draw off his sandal and give it to his neighbor; this was the testimony in Israel.8The redeemer said to Boaz, "Acquire it for yourself." And he removed his sandal.9Boaz then said to the elders and to all the people, "You are witnesses today that I have bought from Naomi everything that belonged to Elimelech and everything that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon."10"Moreover, I have acquired Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, to be my wife, so that the name of the deceased may be raised up upon his inheritance and so that his name may not be cut off from his brothers or from the gate of his place. You are witnesses today."11All the people who were in the gate and the elders said, "We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, who together built the house of Israel. May you act worthily in Ephrathah and make a name in Bethlehem."12"May your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, through the offspring that the LORD will give you by this young woman."