Discovery BoxRuth 3:13 
Context3:13 Remain here tonight. Then in the morning, if he agrees to marry you, 1 fine, 2 let him do so. 3 But if he does not want to do so, I promise, as surely as the Lord lives, to marry you. 4 Sleep here until morning.” 5
Ruth 4:4
Context4:4 So I am legally informing you: 6 Acquire it before those sitting here and before the leaders of my people! 7 If you want to exercise your right to redeem it, then do so. 8 But if not, then tell me 9 so I will know. 10 For you possess the first option to redeem it; I am next in line after you.” 11 He replied, “I will redeem it.”
1 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.
2 tn Or “good” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV); TEV “well and good.”
3 tn Heb “let him redeem” (so NIV); NLT “then let him marry you.”
4 tn Heb “but if he does not want to redeem you, then I will redeem you, I, [as] the
5 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.
6 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.”
7 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”).
8 tn Heb “if you will redeem, redeem” (KJV, NASB, NRSV all similar); NCV “If you want to buy back the land, then buy it.”
9 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.
10 tn Following the imperative, the prefixed verb form with vav indicates purpose or result.
11 tn Heb “for there is no one besides you to redeem, and I am after you” (NASB similar).
