Lùdéjì 4

1 Bōesī dào le chéng mén , zuò zaì nàli , qià qiǎo Bōesī suǒ shuō de nà zhì jìn de qīnshǔ jīngguò . Bōesī shuō , mǒu rén nǎ , nǐ lái zuò zaì zhèlǐ . tā jiù lái zuò xià .

2 Bōesī yòu cóng bĕn chéng de zhǎnglǎo zhōng jiǎnxuǎn le shí rén , duì tāmen shuō , qǐng nǐmen zuò zaì zhèlǐ . tāmen jiù dōu zuò xià .

3 Bōesī duì nà zhì jìn de qīnshǔ shuō , cóng Móyē dì huí lái de ná é mǐ , xiànzaì yào maì wǒmen zú xiōng Yǐlì mǐ lè de nà kuaì dì .

4 Wǒ xiǎng dāng shú nà kuaì dì de shì nǐ , qí cì shì wǒ , yǐwaì zaì méiyǒu biérén le . nǐ kĕyǐ zaì zhèlǐ de rén miànqián , hé wǒ bĕn guó de zhǎnglǎo miànqián shuō míng , nǐ ruò kĕn shú jiù shú , ruò bù kĕn shú jiù gàosu wǒ . nà rén huídá shuō , wǒ kĕn shú .

5 Bōesī shuō , nǐ cóng ná é mǐ shǒu zhōng mǎi zhè dì de shíhou , yĕ dāng qǔ ( yuánwén zuò mǎi shí jié tóng ) sǐ rén de qī Móyē nǚzi Lùdé , shǐ sǐ rén zaì chǎnyè shàng cún liú tāde míng .

6 Nà rén shuō , zhèyàng wǒ jiù bùnéng shú le , kǒngpà yú wǒde chǎnyè yǒu aì . nǐ kĕyǐ shú wǒ suǒ dāng shú de , wǒ bùnéng shú le .

7 Cóng qián , zaì Yǐsèliè zhōng yào déng duó shénme shì , huò shú huí , huò jiāo yì , zhè rén jiù tuō xié gĕi nà rén . Yǐsèliè rén dōu yǐ cǐ wèi zhèngjù .

8 Nà rén duì Bōesī shuō , nǐ zìjǐ mǎi ba . yúshì jiāng xié tuō xià lái le .

9 Bōesī duì zhǎnglǎo hé zhòng mín shuō , nǐmen jīnrì zuò jiànzhèng , fán shǔ Yǐlì mǐ lè hé jī lián , mǎ lún de , wǒ dōu cóng ná é mǐ shǒu zhōng zhì mǎi le .

10 Yòu qǔ le mǎ lún de qī Móyē nǚzi Lùdé wèi qī , hǎo zaì sǐ rén de chǎnyè shàng cún liú tāde míng , miǎndé tāde míng zaì bĕn zú bĕn xiāng miè mò . nǐmen jīnrì kĕyǐ zuò jiànzhèng .

11 Zaì chéng mén zuò zhe de zhòng mín hé zhǎnglǎo dōu shuō , wǒmen zuò jiànzhèng . yuàn Yēhéhuá shǐ jìn nǐ jiā de zhè nǚzi , xiàng jiànlì Yǐsèliè jiā de Lājié , Lìyà èr rén yíyàng . yòu yuàn nǐ zaì Yǐfǎtā dé hēng tōng , zaì Bólìhéng dé míngsheng .

12 Yuàn Yēhéhuá cóng zhè shàonián nǚzi cì nǐ hòuyì , shǐ nǐde jiā xiàng Tāmǎ , cóng Yóudà suǒ shēng Fǎlēisī de jiā yìbān .

13 Yúshì , Bōesī qǔ le Lùdé wèi qī , yǔ tā tóngfáng . Yēhéhuá shǐ tā huáiyùn shēng le yī gè érzi .

14 Fùrén men duì ná é mǐ shuō , Yēhéhuá shì yīngdāng chēngsòng de . yīnwei jīnrì méiyǒu piĕ xià nǐ shǐ nǐ wú zhì jìn de qīnshǔ . yuàn zhè háizi zaì Yǐsèliè zhōng dé míngsheng .

15 Tā bì tí qǐ nǐde jīng shén , fèng yǎng nǐde lǎo , yīnwei shì aì mù nǐde nàr fù suǒ shēng de . yǒu zhèr fù bǐ yǒu qī gè érzi hái hǎo .

16 Ná é mǐ jiù bǎ háizi bào zaì huái zhōng , zuò tāde yǎng mǔ .

17 Línshè de fùrén shuō , ná é mǐ dé háizi le . jiù gĕi háizi qǐmíng jiào Ébeìdé . zhè Ébeìdé shì Yēxī de fù , Yēxī shì Dàwèi de fù .

18 Fǎlēisī de hòudaì , jì zaì xiàmiàn . lè sī shēng Xīsīlún .

19 Xīsīlún shēng lán , lán shēng Yàmǐnádá .

20 Yàmǐnádá shēng Náshùn , Náshùn shēng Sāmén .

21 Sāmén shēng Bōesī , Bōesī shēng Ébeìdé .

22 Ébeìdé shēng Yēxī , Yēxī shēng Dàwèi .

Lùdéjì 4 Commentary

Chapter 4

The kinsman refuses to redeem Ruth's inheritance. (1-8) Boaz marries Ruth. (9-12) Birth of Obed. (13-22)

Verses 1-8 This matter depended on the laws given by Moses about inheritances, and doubtless the whole was settled in the regular and legal manner. This kinsman, when he heard the conditions of the bargain, refused it. In like manner many are shy of the great redemption; they are not willing to espouse religion; they have heard well of it, and have nothing to say against it; they will give it their good word, but they are willing to part with it, and cannot be bound to it, for fear of marring their own inheritance in this world. The right was resigned to Boaz. Fair and open dealing in all matters of contract and trade, is what all must make conscience of, who would approve themselves true Israelites, without guile. Honesty will be found the best policy.

Verses 9-12 Men are ready to seize opportunities for increasing their estates, but few know the value of godliness. Such are the wise men of this world, whom the Lord charges with folly. They attend not to the concerns of their souls, but reject the salvation of Christ, for fear of marring their inheritance. But God did Boaz the honour to bring him into the line of the Messiah, while the kinsman, who was afraid of lessening himself, and marring his inheritance, has his name, family, and inheritance forgotten.

Verses 13-22 Ruth bore a son, through whom thousands and myriads were born to God; and in being the lineal ancestor of Christ, she was instrumental in the happiness of all that shall be saved by him; even of us Gentiles, as well as those of Jewish descent. She was a witness for God to the Gentile world, that he had not utterly forsaken them, but that in due time they should become one with his chosen people, and partake of his salvation. Prayer to God attended the marriage, and praise to him attended the birth of the child. What a pity it is that pious language should not be more used among Christians, or that it should be let fall into formality! Here is the descent of David from Ruth. And the period came when Bethlehem-Judah displayed greater wonders than those in the history of Ruth, when the outcast babe of another forlorn female of the same race appeared, controlling the counsels of the Roman master of the world, and drawing princes and wise men from the east, with treasures of gold, and frankincense, and myrrh to his feet. His name shall endure for ever, and all nations shall call Him blessed. In that Seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO RUTH 4

This chapter relates how an offer was made to the nearest kinsman of Ruth to redeem her, and the field her husband left, which he refused to do, Ru 4:1-8, upon which Boaz redeemed both, and married Ruth before the elders of the city as witnesses, and who congratulated him and her on that occasion, Ru 4:9-12, to whom a son was born, called Obed by the neighbours, Ru 4:13-17 and the chapter is concluded with the genealogy of David, who sprung from him, Ru 4:18-22.