his brother’s widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals, spit in his face and say, ‘This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother’s family line.’
Ruth 4:8 - New International Version (Anglicised) So the guardian-redeemer said to Boaz, ‘Buy it yourself.’ And he removed his sandal. Tuilleadh leaganachaKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe. Amplified Bible - Classic Edition Therefore, when the kinsman said to Boaz, Buy it for yourself, he pulled off his sandal. American Standard Version (1901) So the near kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thyself. And he drew off his shoe. Common English Bible Then the redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself,” and he took off his sandal. Catholic Public Domain Version And so Boaz said to his kinsman, "Take off your shoe." And immediately he released it from his foot. Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version So Booz said to his kinsman: Put off thy shoe. And immediately he took it off from his foot. |
his brother’s widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals, spit in his face and say, ‘This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother’s family line.’
(Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption and transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandal and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalising transactions in Israel.)
Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, ‘Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon.