⁵ If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother shall take her and marry her and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her.^(A)

⁶ The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.^(A)

¹⁰ “The Lord bless you,^(A) my daughter,” he replied. “This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier:^(B) You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. ¹¹ And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character.^{(C) 12} Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family,^(D) there is another who is more closely related than^(E) I. ¹³ Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer,^(F) good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the Lord lives^(G) I will do it.^(H) Lie here until morning.”

⁴ I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you^[a] will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you,^(A) and I am next in line.”

“I will redeem it,” he said.

⁵ Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite,^(A) the^[a] dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.”^(B)

²⁴ “Teacher,” they said, “Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for him.^{(A) 25} Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. ²⁶ The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh.