« | Ruth 4 |
1 Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there; and behold, the close relative of whom Boaz had spoken came by. So Boaz said, "Come aside, friend, sit down here." So he came aside and sat down.
2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, "Sit down here." So they sat down.
3 Then he said to the close relative, "Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, sold the piece of land which [belonged] to our brother Elimelech.
4 "And I thought to inform you, saying, 'Buy [it] back in the presence of the inhabitants and the elders of my people. If you will redeem [it,] redeem [it;] but if you will not redeem [it, then] tell me, that I may know; for [there is] no one but you to redeem [it,] and I [am] next after you.' " And he said, "I will redeem [it."]
5 Then Boaz said, "On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also buy [it] from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance."
6 And the close relative said, "I cannot redeem [it] for myself, lest I ruin my own inheritance. You redeem my right of redemption for yourself, for I cannot redeem [it."]
7 Now this [was the custom] in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging, to confirm anything: one man took off his sandal and gave [it] to the other, and this [was] a confirmation in Israel.
8 Therefore the close relative said to Boaz, "Buy [it] for yourself." So he took off his sandal.
9 And Boaz said to the elders and all the people, "You [are] witnesses this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that [was] Chilion's and Mahlon's, from the hand of Naomi.
10 "Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, I have acquired as my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren and from his position at the gate. You [are] witnesses this day."
11 And all the people who [were] at the gate, and the elders, said, "[We are] witnesses. The LORD make the woman who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah, the two who built the house of Israel; and may you prosper in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem.
12 "May your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring which the LORD will give you from this young woman."
13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife; and when he went in to her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bore a son.
14 Then the women said to Naomi, "Blessed [be] the LORD, who has not left you this day without a close relative; and may his name be famous in Israel!
15 "And may he be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him."
16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her bosom, and became a nurse to him.
17 Also the neighbor women gave him a name, saying, "There is a son born to Naomi." And they called his name Obed. He [is] the father of Jesse, the father of David.
18 Now this [is] the genealogy of Perez: Perez begot Hezron;
19 Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab;
20 Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon;
21 Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed;
22 Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David.
The New King James Version (NKJV)
The New King James Version (NKJV) is a modern translation of the Bible that seeks to preserve the stylistic and literary beauty of the original King James Version (KJV) while making it more accessible to contemporary readers. The project to create the NKJV began in 1975, spearheaded by Arthur Farstad and a team of over 130 scholars, theologians, and pastors. They aimed to maintain the traditional language and rhythm of the KJV while updating archaic terms and expressions to be more understandable for modern audiences. The translation was completed and published in 1982, offering a blend of reverence for the past and clarity for the present.
One of the defining features of the NKJV is its commitment to the Textus Receptus, the same Greek text underlying the New Testament of the KJV. This ensures a high degree of continuity between the two versions, making the NKJV familiar to those who have long cherished the KJV. However, the NKJV also considers findings from more recent scholarship and textual criticism, incorporating insights from the latest manuscripts and research. This approach helps to balance respect for the historical text with a recognition of the advancements in biblical studies.
The NKJV has been praised for its readability and poetic qualities, which make it suitable for both private study and public worship. Its translators worked diligently to preserve the lyrical and memorable phrasing of the KJV, which has deeply influenced English literature and religious practice. By modernizing the language without compromising the text’s inherent dignity and solemnity, the NKJV has become a popular choice among those who value both accuracy and elegance in their Bible reading.
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