Discovery BoxRuth 2:11 
Context2:11 Boaz replied to her, 1 “I have been given a full report of 2 all that you have done for your mother-in-law following the death of your husband – how you left 3 your father and your mother, as well as your homeland, and came to live among people you did not know previously. 4
Ruth 3:13
Context3:13 Remain here tonight. Then in the morning, if he agrees to marry you, 5 fine, 6 let him do so. 7 But if he does not want to do so, I promise, as surely as the Lord lives, to marry you. 8 Sleep here until morning.” 9
Ruth 4:4
Context4:4 So I am legally informing you: 10 Acquire it before those sitting here and before the leaders of my people! 11 If you want to exercise your right to redeem it, then do so. 12 But if not, then tell me 13 so I will know. 14 For you possess the first option to redeem it; I am next in line after you.” 15 He replied, “I will redeem it.”
Ruth 4:10
Context4:10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, as my wife to raise up a descendant who will inherit his property 16 so the name of the deceased might not disappear 17 from among his relatives and from his village. 18 You are witnesses today.”
1 tn Heb “answered and said to her” (so NASB). For stylistic reasons this has been translated as “replied to her.”
2 tn Heb “it has been fully reported to me.” The infinitive absolute here emphasizes the following finite verb from the same root. Here it emphasizes either the clarity of the report or its completeness. See R. L. Hubbard, Jr., Ruth (NICOT), 153, n. 6. Most English versions tend toward the nuance of completeness (e.g., KJV “fully been shewed”; NAB “a complete account”; NASB, NRSV “All that you have done”).
3 tn The vav (ו) consecutive construction here has a specifying function. This and the following clause elaborate on the preceding general statement and explain more specifically what she did for her mother-in-law.
4 tn Heb “yesterday and the third day.” This Hebrew idiom means “previously, in the past” (Exod 5:7,8,14; Exod 21:29,36; Deut 4:42; 19:4,6; Josh 3:4; 1 Sam 21:5; 2 Sam 3:17; 1 Chr 11:2).
5 tn Heb “if he redeems you”; NIV “if he wants to redeem”; NRSV “if he will act as next-of-kin for you.” The verb גֹּאֵל (go’el) here refers generally to fulfilling his responsibilities as a guardian of the family interests. In this case it specifically entails marrying Ruth.
6 tn Or “good” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV); TEV “well and good.”
7 tn Heb “let him redeem” (so NIV); NLT “then let him marry you.”
8 tn Heb “but if he does not want to redeem you, then I will redeem you, I, [as] the
9 sn Sleep here. Perhaps Boaz tells her to remain at the threshing floor because he is afraid she might be hurt wandering back home in the dark. See Song 5:7 and R. L. Hubbard, Jr., Ruth (NICOT), 218.
10 tn Heb “and I said [or perhaps, “thought to myself”], ‘I will [or “must”] uncover your ear, saying’”; NAB “So I thought I would inform you”; NIV “I thought I should bring the matter to your attention.”
11 tn The phrase “before those sitting here and before the leaders of my people” appears to refer to the leaders who were specially chosen as witnesses (v. 2) and the larger group of community leaders standing by. It is possible, however, that the phrases “before those sitting here” and “before the leaders of my people” are appositional and that both refer to the ten leaders mentioned in v. 2 (cf. NLT “in the presence of these witnesses”).
12 tn Heb “if you will redeem, redeem” (KJV, NASB, NRSV all similar); NCV “If you want to buy back the land, then buy it.”
13 tn Heb “but if he will not redeem, tell me.” Most English versions emend the third person verb form (“he”) to the second person form because Boaz is addressing the closer relative. But it is possible that he briefly addresses the witnesses and refers to the closer relative in the third person. See J. M. Sasson, Ruth, 118.
14 tn Following the imperative, the prefixed verb form with vav indicates purpose or result.
15 tn Heb “for there is no one besides you to redeem, and I am after you” (NASB similar).
16 tn Heb “in order to raise up the name of the deceased over his inheritance” (NASB similar).
17 tn Heb “be cut off” (so NASB, NRSV); NAB “may not perish.”
18 tn Heb “and from the gate of his place” (so KJV, ASV); NASB “from the court of his birth place”; NIV “from the town records.”
