^4:1Now Boaz went up¹ to the village gate and sat there. Then along came the guardian² whom Boaz had mentioned to Ruth!³ Boaz said, “Come⁴ here and sit down, ‘John Doe’!”⁵ So he came⁶ and sat down. ^4:2Boaz chose ten of the village leaders⁷ and said, “Sit down here!” So they sat down.

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Footnotes

1 The disjunctive clause structure (note the pattern vav [ו] + subject + verb) here signals the beginning of a new scene.
2 Sometimes translated “redeemer.” See the note on the phrase “guardian of the family interests” in .
3 Heb “look, the guardian was passing by of whom Boaz had spoken.”
4 Heb “turn aside” (so , ); , , “Come over here.”
5 Heb “a certain one”; , “such a one.” The expression פְלֹנִי אַלְמֹנִי (péloni ’almoni) is not the name of the nearest relative, but an idiom which literally means “such and such” or “a certain one” ( 811–12 פְלֹנִי), which is used when one wishes to be ambiguous (1 Sam 21:3; 2 Kgs 6:8). Certainly Boaz would have known his relative’s name, especially in such a small village, and would have uttered his actual name. However the narrator refuses to record his name in a form of poetic justice because he refused to preserve Mahlon’s “name” (lineage) by marrying his widow (see 4:5, 9–10). This close relative, who is a literary foil for Boaz, refuses to fulfill the role of family guardian. Because he does nothing memorable, he remains anonymous in a chapter otherwise filled with names. His anonymity contrasts sharply with Boaz’s prominence in the story and the fame he attains through the child born to Ruth. Because the actual name of this relative is not recorded, the translation of this expression is difficult since contemporary English style expects either a name or title. This is usually supplied in modern translations: “friend” (, , , , ), “so-and-so” (, ). Perhaps “Mr. So-And-So!” or “Mr. No-Name!” makes the point. For discussion see Adele Berlin, Poetics and Interpretation of Biblical Narrative, 99–101; R. L. Hubbard, Jr., Ruth (), ; F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther (), . In the present translation “John Doe” is used since it is a standard designation for someone who is a party to legal proceedings whose true name is unknown.
6 Heb “and he turned aside” (so , ); “And he went over.”
7 Heb “and he took ten men from the elders of the town.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there. And behold, the redeemer, of whom Boaz had spoken, came by. So Boaz said, “Turn aside, friend; sit down here.” And he turned aside and sat down. And he took ten men of the elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down.

Boaz took ten of the elders of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Boaz went to the gate of the town and sat down there. Soon the family redeemer Boaz had spoken about came by. Boaz said, “Come over here and sit down.” So he went over and sat down. Then Boaz took ten men of the town’s elders and said, “Sit here.” And they sat down.

NLTNew Living Translation

Boaz went to the town gate and took a seat there. Just then the family redeemer he had mentioned came by, so Boaz called out to him, “Come over here and sit down, friend. I want to talk to you.” So they sat down together. Then Boaz called ten leaders from the town and asked them to sit as witnesses.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And Boaz had gone up to the city gate and sat there. And look, the redeemer of whom Boaz had spoken was passing by. And he said, “Come over here to sit, friend.” And he came over and sat. And he took ten men from the elders of the city and said, “Sit here.” And they sat.

KJV 1900King James Version

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. And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.

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