So Booz went up to the city gate, and sat waiting there. When the man he was looking for passed by, the kinsman of whom he had spoken, he called him by name, bidding him stay his journey and sit there for a little; and so he did.

Then Booz chose out ten of the city elders, and would have these, too, sit beside him.

When they were seated, he told the rival claimant, Here is Noemi, that lately came back out of Moab, offering to sell part of the land which belonged to our kinsman Elimelech.

Of this, I thought it well to give thee notice, and challenge thee before the neighbours who are sitting by, and these, the elders of my people. Hast thou a mind to play a kinsman’s part, and claim it for thy own? Then thou must buy it, and so enter into possession. If not, tell me, so that I may know what to do; thy right comes first, and mine second; there is no other kinsman. Yes, said he, I will buy it.

Why then, said Booz, if thou dost buy the land from Noemi, thou must needs take with it a dead man’s widow, Ruth the Moabitess, to perpetuate the name of the kinsman whose lands thou dost enjoy.

Nay, then, said the other, I forgo my right of kinship; I would not disinherit the heirs of my own body. I yield thee my rights, willing enough to forgo them.

It was the custom of Israel in old times that if one kinsman yielded his right to another, he must untie his shoe and hand it over to this kinsman of his, or else the gift was not valid; thus did the Israelites put the grant on record.✻

So now Booz said to the rival claimant, Untie thy shoe; and as soon as he had done so,

made appeal to the elders and to all that were present. You are witnesses, he said, this day, that I have reclaimed all the possessions of Elimelech, Chelion and Mahalon by purchase from Noemi:

and moreover, that I have taken Mahalon’s widow, Ruth the Moabitess, to wife. I mean to hand on the dead man’s property to heirs of his own, so that his name may never be lost to his family, his kindred and his people. Of all this, you are witnesses.

So the elders made answer, and all that were present made answer, We bear witness of it. Take thy bride home, and may the Lord make her as fruitful as Rachel and Lia, that gave a posterity to Israel. May Ephrata know her worth, and Bethlehem tell her praises;

may thy house be famous as the house of Phares, that Thamar bore to Juda, through the sons the Lord will give thee by this wife of thine.

So Booz claimed Ruth, and wedded and bedded her, and the Lord made her conceive and give birth to a son.

Blessed be the Lord, all the women said to Noemi, for not leaving thy family without an heir, to perpetuate its name in Israel.

Here is one that shall bring comfort to thy heart, and support to thy old age; such a mother is his, such a daughter-in-law is thine, whose love is worth more to thee than seven sons of thy own.

And so Noemi took the child to her bosom, and still it must be she that nursed him, she that carried him,

till the neighbours, congratulating her, said It is Noemi that has a son. And they called him Obed.

This Obed had a son called Jesse, that was father to David.

Thus, then, runs the pedigree of Phares; Phares was the father of Esron,

Esron of Aram, Aram of Aminadab,

Aminadab of Nahasson, Nahasson of Salmon,

Salmon of Booz, Booz of Obed,

Obed of Jesse, and Jesse of David.