“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.”
Which was the place of judgment. The Hebrews here use two words which have no proper signification, but serve to note a certain person, as we say, Ho sirrah, or ho such a one.
“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. I thought: Heb. I said, I will reveal in thine ear”
Or, inhabitants. For thou art the next of the kin.
“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.”
That his inheritance might bear his name that is dead.
“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.”
That he had resigned his right, Deut. 25:9 .
“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.”
Or, of the city where he remained.
“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 Bethlehem: do thou: or, get thee riches, or, power be famous: Heb. proclaim thy name”
Ephrathah and Bethlehem are both one.
“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.”
Cross references: : Gen. 38:29
“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. left: Heb. caused to cease unto thee kinsman: or, redeemer”
He shall leave continual posterity.
“Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron,”
1 Chron. 2:4 ; Matt. 1:3 This genealogy is brought in, to prove that David by succession came of the house of Judah.