avoid any reproach that might arise on that account, especially
when there had been nothing done that was ill. But as to the main
point she aimed at, the matter should rest here, - "He that is
nearer of kin than I am, shall be asked whether he wants to take
thee to wife: if he says he does, thou shalt follow him; but if
he refuse it, I will marry thee, according to the law."

4. When she had informed her mother-in-law of this, they were
very glad of it, out of the hope they had that Booz would make
provision for them. Now about noon Booz went down into the city,
and gathered the senate together, and when he had sent for Ruth,
he called for her kinsman also; and when he was come, he said,
"Dost not thou retain the inheritance of Elimelech and his sons?"
He confessed that he did retain it, and that he did as he was
permitted to do by the laws, because he was their nearest
kinsman. Then said Booz, "Thou must not remember the laws by
halves, but do every thing according to them; for the wife of
Mahlon is come hither, whom thou must marry, according to the
law, in case thou wilt retain their fields." So the man yielded
up both the field and the wife to Booz, who was himself of kin to
those that were dead, as alleging that he had a wife already, and
children also; so Booz called the senate to witness, and bid the
woman to loose his shoe, and spit in his face, according to the
law; and when this was done, Booz married Ruth, and they had a
son within a year's time. Naomi was herself a nurse to this
child; and by the advice of the women, called him Obed, as being
to be brought up in order to be subservient to her in her old
age, for Obed in the Hebrew dialect signifies a servant. The son
of Obed was Jesse, and David was his son, who was king, and left
his dominions to his sons for one and twenty generations. I was