Ruth 4 · Verse 2

Ruth 4:2

And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.
Ruth 4:2, King James Version

Ruth 4:2 in other translations

BSBThen Boaz took ten of the elders of the city and said, “Sit here,” and they did so.
WEBBoaz took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, “Sit down here,” and they sat down.
ASVAnd he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.
YLTAnd he taketh ten men of the elders of the city, and saith, ‘Sit down here;' and they sit down.
DARBYAnd he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit down here. And they sat down.
BBEThen he got ten of the responsible men of the town, and said, Be seated here. And they took their seats.
WebsterAnd he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.

What does Ruth 4:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2. he took ten men of the elders of the city--as witnesses. In ordinary circumstances, two or three were sufficient to attest a bargain; but in cases of importance, such as matrimony, divorce, conveyancing of property, it was the Jewish practice to have ten (1Ki 21:8).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 He took ten men - Probably it required this number to constitute a court. How simple and how rational was this proceeding! 1. The man who had a suit went to the city gates. 2. Here he stopped till the person with whom he had the suit came to the gate on his way to his work. 3. He called him by name, and he stopped and sat down. 4. Then ten elders were called, and they came and sat down. 5. When all this was done, the appellant preferred his suit. 6. Then the appellee returned his answer. 7. When the elders heard the case, and the response of the appellee, they pronounced judgment, which judgment was always according to the custom of the place. 8. When this was done, the people who happened to be present witnessed the issue. And thus the business was settled without lawyers or legal casuistry. A question of this kind, in one of our courts of justice, in these enlightened times, would require many days' previous preparation of the attorney, and several hours' arguing between counsellor Botherum and counsellor Borum, till even an enlightened and conscientious judge would find it extremely difficult to decide whether Naomi might sell her own land, and whether Boaz or Peloni might buy it! O, glorious uncertainty of modern law!

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ruth 4:1-8

This matter depended on the laws given by Moses about inheritances, and doubtless the whole was settled in the regular and legal manner. This kinsman, when he heard the conditions of the bargain, refused it. In like manner many are shy of the great redemption; they are not willing to espouse religion; they have heard well of it, and have nothing to say against it; they will give it their good word, but they are…

Read the full comment on Ruth 4:1-8 →

Ruth 4:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיִּקַּ֞חvai.yi.Kachand he tookH3947
עֲשָׂרָ֧ה'a.sa.RahtenH6235
אֲנָשִׁ֛ים'a.na.ShimmenH582
מִזִּקְנֵ֥יmi.zik.Neifrom [the] elders ofH2205
הָעִ֖ירha.'Irthe cityH5892
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
שְׁבוּ\־she.vu-sitH3427
פֹ֑הFohhereH6311
וַיֵּשֵֽׁבוּ\׃vai.ye.She.vuand they sat downH3427

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ruth 4:2

  • Proverbs 31:23

    Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.

  • 1 Kings 21:8

    So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth.

  • Acts 6:12

    And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,

  • Exodus 21:8

    If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her.

  • Lamentations 5:14

    The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their musick.

  • Deuteronomy 29:10

    Ye stand this day all of you before the Lord your God; your captains of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, with all the men of Israel,

  • Deuteronomy 31:28

    Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to record against them.

  • Exodus 18:21-22

    Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the elders.
Ex 18:21,22; 21:8; De 29:10; 31:28; 1Ki 21:8; Pr 31:23; La 5:14
Ac 6:12

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 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.

  • Ruth 4:2

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

  • Ruth 4:3

    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:

Read all of Ruth 4

Ruth 4:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces él tomó diez varones de los ancianos de la ciudad, y dijo: Sentaos aquí. Y ellos se sentaron.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Boaz prit dix hommes des anciens de la ville, et dit: Asseyez-vous ici. Et ils s’assirent.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Boas nahm zehn Männer von den Ältesten der Stadt und sprach: Setzet euch hierher; und sie setzten sich.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Tollens autem Booz decem viros de senioribus civitatis, dixit ad eos: Sedete hic.