Ruth 4 · Verse 7

Ruth 4:7

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.

Ruth 4:7, King James Version

Ruth 4:7 in other translations

BSB	Now in former times in Israel, concerning the redemption or exchange of property, to make any matter legally binding a man would remove his sandal and give it to the other party, and this was a confirmation in Israel.
WEB	Now this was the custom in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning exchanging, to confirm all things: a man took off his sandal, and gave it to his neighbor; and this was the way of formalizing transactions in Israel.
ASV	Now this was the custom in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning exchanging, to confirm all things: a man drew off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbor; and this was the manner of attestation in Israel.
YLT	And this is formerly in Israel for redemption and for changing, to establish anything: a man hath drawn off his sandal, and given it to his neighbour, and this is the testimony in Israel.
DARBY	Now this was the custom in former time in Israel concerning redemption and concerning exchange, to confirm the whole matter: a man drew off his sandal, and gave it to his neighbour, and this was the mode of attestation in Israel.
BBE	Now, in earlier times this was the way in Israel when property was taken over by a near relation, or when there was a change of owner. To make the exchange certain one man took off his shoe and gave it to the other; and this was a witness in Israel.
Webster	Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for confirming all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbor: and this was a testimony in Israel.

What does Ruth 4:7 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Ruth 4:7-8

7-8. a man plucked off his shoe--Where the kinsman refused to perform his duty to the family of his deceased relation, the widow was directed to pull off the shoe with some attendant circumstances of contemptuous disdain. But, as in this case, there was no refusal, the usual ignominy was spared; and the plucking off the shoe, the only ceremony observed, was a pledge of the transaction being completed.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 7 A man plucked off his shoe - The law of such a case is given at large in Deu 25:5-9. It was simply this: If a brother, who had married a wife, died without children, the eldest brother was to take the widow, and raise up a family to the brother deceased; and he had a right to redeem the inheritance, if it had been alienated. But if the person who had the right of redemption would not take the woman, she was to pull off his shoe and spit in his face, and he was ever after considered as a disgraced man. In the present case the shoe only is taken off, probably because the circumstances of the man were such as to render it improper for him to redeem the ground and take Ruth to his wife; and because of this reasonable excuse, the contemptuous part of the ceremony is omitted. See the note on Deu 25:9.

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 4:7 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.

וְזֹאת֩ve.zoTand thisH2063

לְפָנִ֨יםle.fa.Nim<to> beforeH6440

בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֜לbe.Yis.ra.'El[was] in IsraelH3478

עַל\־'al-onH5921

הַגְּאוּלָּ֤הha.ge.'u.Lahthe redemptionH1353

וְעַל\־ve.'al-and onH5921

הַתְּמוּרָה֙ha.te.mu.Rahthe exchangeH8545

לְקַיֵּ֣םle.kai.Yemto confirmH6965

כָּל\־kol-everyH3605

דָּבָ֔רda.VarmatterH1697

שָׁלַ֥ףsha.Lafhe took offH8025

אִ֛ישׁ'ishanyoneH376

נַעֲל֖וֹna.'a.Losandal hisH5275

וְנָתַ֣ןve.na.Tanand he gave [it]H5414

לְרֵעֵ֑הוּle.re.'E.huto neighbor hisH7453

וְזֹ֥אתve.Zotand thisH2063

הַתְּעוּדָ֖הha.te.'u.Dah[was] the attestationH8584

בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל\׃be.Yis.ra.'Elin IsraelH3478

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

Cross references for Ruth 4:7

Deuteronomy 25:7-10
And if the man like not to take his brother’s wife, then let his brother’s wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband’s brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband’s brother. Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her; Then shall his brother’s wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother’s house. And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

a man plucked off.This custom does not refer to the law about refusing to marry a brother's widow, but was usual in the transfer of inheritances: for this relative was not a brother, but simply a kinsman; and the shoe was not pulled off by Ruth, but by the kinsman himself. The Targumist, instead of his shoe, renders "his right hand glove," it probably being the custom, in his time, to give that instead of a shoe. Jarchi says, "When we purchase any thing new, it is customary to give, instead of a shoe, a handkerchief or veil."
De 25:7-10

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

Context

Ruth 4:6
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.
Ruth 4:7
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.
Ruth 4:8
Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe.

Read all of Ruth 4

Ruth 4:7 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Había ya de largo tiempo esta costumbre en Israel en la redención ó contrato, que para la confirmación de cualquier negocio, el uno se quitaba el zapato y lo daba á su compañero: y este era el testimonio en Israel.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Or c’était jadis une coutume en Israël, en cas de rachat et d’échange, que, pour confirmer toute affaire, l’un ôtait sa sandale et la donnait à l’autre; c’était là une coutume en Israël.
German Elberfelder 1871	Dies aber geschah vordem in Israel bei einer Lösung und bei einem Tausche, um jede Sache zu bestätigen: der eine zog seinen Schuh aus und gab ihn dem anderen; und das war die Art der Bezeugung in Israel.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Hic autem erat mos antiquitus in Israël inter propinquos, ut siquando alter alteri suo juri cedebat, ut esset firma concessio, solvebat homo calceamentum suum, et dabat proximo suo: hoc erat testimonium cessionis in Israël.