Though most all the points that will be made in this commentary are already made throughout the foregoing text, in one place relative to the Book of Ruth, a more complete rendition of such seemingly ought to be made in connection and conjunction with the topic of this text, Messiah ben David ~ Messiah ben Joseph. For indeed, if one and the same, that joint connection begins if it is not centered in the Book of Ruth. The Jews have been the developers of the Bible, particularly the Old Testament. They have been the compilers, the editors, the keepers, etc., and one must fully consider that it has to be a text kept from the Jewish perspective, from the Jewish point of View.

Thus, If one is to attempt to adjust that myopic perspective, a 'selective' commentary of the Book of Ruth seems to be very much in order relative to the ancestry of the Messiah. And if possible, this selective commentary ought to attempt to 'reverse' certain subjective manipulations concering the 'modern' Jewish compilation and editorization back to it more original status, as difficult as the may seem to be.

The first such adjustment that ought to be made is to consider what significance it is to the Book of Ruth to apply what Josphus has stated concerning the development of the book and what that would imply. And what has Josephus so stated? Simply that the Book of Ruth was once a part of the Book of Judges. Thus an attempt ought to be made to so place the Book of Ruth back into the Book of Judges. And in so doing consider the implications of that placement.

Thus in this 'selective commentary', the Book of Ruth will dualistically be listed as additional chapters of the Book of Judges. As the Book of Judges seems to have a cohesive end of chapters, the Book of Ruth seems not to be attempted to interupt those chapters but to be added on as the next 'logical' fitting chapters to the end of the Book of Judges. In so doing a 'seeming surprising thought transitions seems of occur.' The current end of Judges ends with chapter 21 and verse 25, which states:

"In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes." ~ Judges 21:25

This seems to be an obvious observation, for certainly it 'judges ruled' in Israel, there was no king. But the obvious IS NOT the point being made. The Judges were to rule according to the Laws of God, and God through the Judges was the ONLY recognized 'King of Israel'. Thus Israel ought to have had a king which they ought to have recognized. But they did not. They ruled themselves, not according to God's Law, but as 'every man did right in his own eyes. That is to say men ruled themselves according to their own laws and not according to their King's Laws, which were the Laws of God.

In such an 'apostate' situation, what do you suppose God would bring upon those people who ought to be his people? Does a 'famine' upon the land seem to be very much in character? Quite! So thus as the 'concept' or 'idea' of 'God Is King' leaves the land, the land is found victim of a famine. And that is exactly where what would be the next chapter of the history of the Judges begins, chapter 22, which is chapter 1 of the Book of Ruth. And while some transitory concepts have been edited or translated out of the transition from the end of chapter 21's statement that Israel no longer recognized that God was their King, and that they had began to rule themselves as seemed fit to themselves; and that God had thus brought a famine upon the land and taken from the land the 'Royal Family' of Israel, whose patriarch's very name stated what Israel had rejected, that 'God Is King', Elimelech.

And thus we commence our 'selective commentary' and transition of placing the Book of Ruth back into the Book of Judges.

Judges 23 ~ Ruth 2

A SELECTIVE COMMENTARY UPON THE BOOK OF RUTH AS A PART OF THE BOOK OF JUDGES
Judges 21	Commentary
. . .   25 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.	This condition of no longer following God as King and men ruling themselves is restated over the previous last chapters of Judges. (Judges 17:6, Judges 18:1, Judges 19:1 & 31, Judges 21:25, 1 Sam. 12:12) As Samuel, the last Judge, pointed out the concept that God was to be their king was not foriegn to them.
Judges 22 ~ Ruth 1
1 Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruleda, that there was a famine in the landb . And a certain man of Beth-lehem-judahc went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.   2 And the name of the man was Elimelechd, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilione, Ephrathitesf of Beth-lehem-judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.   3 And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.   4 And they took them wives of the women of Moabg; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years.   5 And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.   6 ¶ Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the LORD had visited his people in giving them breadh.   7 Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.   8 And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother's house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.   9 The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.   10 And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.   11 And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?   12 Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons;   13 Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me.   14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.   15 And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.   16 And Ruthi said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:   17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.   18 When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.   19 ¶ So they two went until they came to Beth-lehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Beth-lehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?   20 And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Maraj: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.   21 I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again emptyk: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?   22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Beth-lehem in the beginning of barley harvest.	a Though the judges ruled, this was the intrim before Samuel, when the corruption of men acting as they say by their own eye and not the eye of God. This was the like days of Elimelech and of the days of Hannah and young Samuel before he became the last Judge of Israel. b The famine in the land came because men no longer lived the Laws of God by they did rule themselves as so stated prior in the record of the Judges. c In those days there were two Bethlehems, one in Judah and one in Zebulun (Josh. 19:15, Judg. 12:8, 10). This is the only cause why the 'location' carried that particular stipulation as Bethlehem-judah rather than Bethlehem-zebulun. d The 'certain man's' name who removed to Moah was Elimelech, which means 'God Is King; which is what Israel had forgotten. e It is presumed to be that between Mahlon and Chilion, that Mahlon is the eldest simply because he is the first listed in the family order in this particular first listing. And though it many also be because of the 'heirship' and 'birthright' which was preserved through Mahlon and not Chilion, it seems to be of passing interest. For Obed was raised up to be the seed of the dead, and that being presumed to be Mahlon, as he is the one later stated to be the husband of Ruth where such is being alluded to. f In all cases in the Bible, with the exception of those related to the House of David, the Hebrew name of Ephrathite means 'Ephraimite', that is of the tribe of Ephraim. (See the intrim note between this chapter and the next for a complete listing of all the 'ephrathite' listings and their meanings in relationship to being Ephraimite.) Despite the caused 'redundancy' of 'Ephrathite of Bethlem-judah' in most cases, of stating the double redundant residence location, the Jews hold that Ephrathite means a person of Bethlehem. Traditional Christianity has adopted this 'Jewish perspective' despite the redundancies with few exceptions. In certain lexicon references, Chilion is so listed as the 'Ephraimite' son of Elimelech and Naomi. g Ruth and Orpah being women of Moab in one respect was not unlike the relationship that Issac had with Rebekah and Jacob had with Rachel. The Moabites were descendants of Lot the 'relative' or 'brother' of Abraham, of Abrham's same family. h Now there just may be a correlation here which can bring the account of the Story of Ruth in line with that time frame about which the Priest Eli and the youth Samuel did live. For in answer to the prayers of Hannah, the Lord did prepare to bring forth a righteous Judge once more amoung Israel, that being Samuel. As to just when in relationship to this respect that the Lord had visited his people giving them bread, is not precisely determinable, but logic would seem to so correlate the events of bring forth a new righteous Judge in Samuel with the removing of the famine in the land and Naomi's ability to return to Bethelhem. i Ruth, herself. had accepted and converted to the religion of Israel before she came back with her mother-in-law, Naomi to Behtlehem. And in that respect she was of Israel by that adoption and subject to the Laws of Israel. j When Naomi returned she refused to be called 'my delight' of the Lord, for she was now considered bearn, without male offspring to carry on the needed legacy of the promised line. And as she stated, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara, which Mara implied or meant 'bitterness' in that the was no longer the heirship legacy to come of her Ephraimite family of the rightful line of inheritance. Certainly this would be of a calamitous nature. We all suffer from a 'guilt' complex as none are perfect before God, thus Naomi considered that the Lord Almighty had so afflicted her and her family for some cause or reason. k Elimelch and Naomi went out with the hope of two sons, but she came home agian empty. The end of the male line of Ephraim's blessing would weigh heavily upon her.
Ephrathite=Ephraimite: In consequence of the various listings of the term Ephrathite in the scriptures, here is a complete listing and the meaning of each in each case. It must be noted that the first use of the form of the word is translated planly and clearly as being 'Ephraimite', as it first occurs in the book of Judges where it unmistakenly means Ephraimite by any stretch of the imagination. Judges 12:5 "And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay;" It is of interest to note that the same Hebrew word which is listed as Ephraimite here when first used is next listed as 'Ephrathite' in all other cases, first beginning with those associated with the House of Daivd, and then consistantly by the Jews even when it clearly meant of the tribe of Ephraim in other such future cases. To bad their 'consistancy' did not go far enough back to catch the very first use of the word which was clearly 'Ephraimte'. But even this was not the very first possible use of the word, as will be seen at the end of these listings. Ruth 1:2 "And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Beth-lehem-judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there." Because of the redundancy of repeating the residence of the persons, and due to every other use of the word, ite is considered that Ephrathite here means that Elimelech, Naomi, Mahlon and Chilion were all Ephraimites of the tribe of Ephraim. 1 Samuel 1:1 "Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite:" Elkanah was the father of Samuel, and they were Levites of that line which ministered to and in the land of Ephraim. Since the Levites held no land inheritence, it was common to refer to them as being affilliated with that tribe and land which they serviced. It is consider by most well trained Bible scholars that they lived in the land of Mount Ephraim of the Ephraimites and were so idendified as 'Ephraimite' by the use of the term 'Ephrathite' in this Biblical reference. 1 Samuel 17:12 "Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Beth-lehem-judah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul." Again, because of the redundantcy of the otherwise double 'residency' statement, and because of the use of the name in every other case, it is felt that Samuel in his record was stating that Jesse was considered as being an Ephraimite of the tribe of Ephraim, that being his source of his 'lands and inheritance' from his father Obed. And Obed being the first born son of Ruth, the wife of Mahlon, and according to liverite marriage was the heir of the House of Elimelech and Mahlon, Boaz being the vicarious surrogate 'brother redeemer', kinsman of Elimelech by a maternal link, making Boaz kin though he himself was of Jewish descent. Note: Jesse elsewhere is denoted as being a 'Bethlemite', meaning a resident of Bethlehem or meaning the same thing as being 'of Bethlehem-judah'. This seems to increase the case for there not being a good redundant statment and that it was in truth an Ephraimite of Bethlehem-judah in meaning rather than having said an 'Ephrathite Bethlemite'. 1 Kings 11:26 "And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon's servant, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the king." Here Jeroboam is stated to be an Ephrathite, which by every good Bible scholar is know to mean that he was an Ephraimite of the tribe of Ephraim. Notice this follows the form of stating his 'tribal' afiliation and then his location of residence following as 'of Zereda' in the same manner in which both the family of Elimelech and Jesse were also so reference. And not in any awkward manner of redundantly repeating the place of residence as being of Bethlehem. Now there is one more listing of interest of the use of the word Ephrathite. And since this is in a book not cannonized, though it correct, it was possibly written before the book of Judges. This is a listing in what is today known as the Book of Jasher. Book of Jasher 81:54 "And they carried on a great and severe battle against Israel, and the Lord delivered Amalek and his people into the hands of Moses and the children of Israel, and into the hand of Joshuah, the son of Nun, the Ephrathite, the servant of Moses." Now here in the very linage of the birthright, from Israel to Joseph to Ephraim and thus by Biblical account to Nun and his son Joshua, the word Ephrathite is used solely to mean of the tribe of Ephraim, as Nun and his son Joshua are known to be. Certainly here the whole 'root' of the name Ephrath, meaning 'fruitful', which is the same name and meaning of the name 'Ephriam, can be seen to be solely associated with those of the tribe of Ephraim, for Nun nor Joshua ever did live in Bethlehem, though their heir line descendants, the family of Elimelech did, being Ephrathites of Bethlehem, that Bethlehem in the land of Judah. And why would those of Ephraim be in Bethlemhem or hold inheritences there? One might as well as just were was the tomb of Rachel, the mother of Joseph, the father of Ephraim, to be found? And would not those of Ephraim hold some right of inheritance in that place of their ancestral mother's grave?
1 And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband'sa, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelechb; and his name was Boaz.   2 And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter.   3 And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelechc.   4 ¶ And, behold, Boaz came from Beth-lehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee.   5 Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this?   6 And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomid out of the country of Moab:   7 And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house.   8 Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens:   9 Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawne.   10 Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?   11 And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husbandf: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore.   12 The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trustg.   13 Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens.   14 And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left.   15 And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not:   16 And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.   17 So she gleaned in the field until evenh, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley.   18 ¶ And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother in law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved after she was sufficed.   19 And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleanedi to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man's name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz.   20 And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmenj.   21 And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.   22 And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter in law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in any other field.   23 So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvestk; and dwelt with her mother in law.	a It is of some importance to confirm that the 'kinsman' was of a kinsman of her husband's, as it is likely to be considered that her 'husband's' line was the one to be preserved as the heirship line of this family of Ephraimites. It seems of less significance that Boaz was kinsman by a maternal marriage into the family of Elimelch, as Laban of old still considered his nephew Jacob a 'brother' kinsman though he was the son of his sister Rebekah. Even Christ was of the House of David while his cousin John was a Levite and Mary and Elisabeth were kinswomen by what also must have been a maternal relationship to be of two differing tribes of Israel. b As important as being kinsman of Elimelech was also the fact that Boaz was a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech. This is the second time it is stated that he was Elimelech's kindred, and being of wealth, he could likely fulfill an added obligation to the family, which will be brought out later in this commentary. c Perhaps it was triply important to note that Boaz was indeed a kindred of Elimelech as it is stated again, Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech. d Boaz would not be ignorant of his relation to Naomi and her circumstance, this is implied in how the person of Ruth is reported to him, 'It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi'. That identified her well to him. And likely impresive was that she was working at gleaning in the fields rather than seeking a quick hand out from a rich relative. e Perhaps as a safe test for his own interest, Boaz sets it up that Ruth might associate with the young men, though he has directed their behavior toward her, as a observant man, he likely observed her behavior among them, when he told her to drink of the water which the young men have drawn. f This is further confirmed by a later statement made by Boaz himself, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thous hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband, etc. Some how Boaz had fared well in the days of the famine, but his character seems to set forth that it was done honestly as he here is an Israelite fully making himself aware of that which is about himself and might be his obligation to come as it is here partrayed to have already weighed upon his mind. g Boaz even goes so far as to pronounce a blessing to come upon her of no little consequence. The LORD recompense thy work, and full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust. h As a general note, though the story is told as though it is happening all in a day's course of events, it is more likely an 'error of condensation' which has been so consolidated down to such a short story. It is more likely that the course of events occur over the serveral day's time of the barley harvest, as though the story says that Naomi came back at that time, certainly even her journey from Moab was a matter of time, which happened to come to pass that she did actually arrive at the beginning of that harvest, and Ruth's gleaning in the fields happened over such days of the harvest. Such liberty distracts little from the intent of the story. Thus the statement So she gleaned in the field until even, might be more to the truth that she gleaned in the field until the harvest was ended, for all the days that it did take. i And thus the questions which Naomi asks her, such as Where hast thou gleaned?, ought to also be considered to cover the whole length of the time in daily inquiries though the story teller makes it all in one day. j During that course of days, Naomi would relate to Ruth that The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen. This would have allowed both Ruth and Naomi to consider in their minds what actions and possibilities there were at hand. But it would not be a short course to follow. In such things certainly 'worthiness' of consideration must be a part of a matter. For a women there would be much to be displayed without anything being said or done and only time to wind its way. k As it is said that So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest. And it would not be until that end of time that Naomi would reveal her plan which she was most likely inspired to have her daughter-in-law do. Boaz seems to be substantially her elder, not of the young men of her own age or near her own age. Boaz would not likely take a first step being a more cautious proper elder man. So what was to be done?
Judges 24 ~ Ruth 3
1 Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?   2 And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor.   3 Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.   4 And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.   5 And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do.   6 ¶ And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her.   7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.   8 ¶ And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.   9 And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.   10 And he said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.   11 And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.   12 And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.   13 Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman's part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the LORD liveth: lie down until the morning.   14 ¶ And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.   15 Also he said, Bring the vail that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her: and she went into the city.   16 And when she came to her mother in law, she said, Who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her.   17 And she said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother in law.   18 Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.
Judges 25 ~ Ruth 4
1 Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.   2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.   3 And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's:   4 And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.   5 Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.   6 ¶ And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it.   7 Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a testimony in Israel.   8 Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe.   9 ¶ And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi.   10 Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.   11 And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Beth-lehem:   12 And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman.   13 ¶ So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son.   14 And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel.   15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.   16 And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.   17 And the women her neighbours gave it 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.
Post Judges Addendum	Added Compilation Editorial As Early as Era of David or As Late as Babylonian Captivity
18 ¶ Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron,   19 And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab,   20 And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon,   21 And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,   22 And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.