The Meaning of Ruth 4:7 Explained

Ruth 4:7

KJV: 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.

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.

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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Ruth 4:7 Mean?

Context Summary

Ruth 4:1-22 - In The Line Of David's Ancestry
We are admitted here to a graphic picture of the old world. Men's memories were longer and stronger than ours: and what was done publicly in the Gate, the place of public concourse, had the seal of permanence irrevocably attached to it. The transference of the shoe indicated the inferior position of woman, though she was honored in Israel more than in the neighboring nations.
What a happy ending! The gleaner need never again tread the fields, following the reaper's footsteps. All the broad acres were now hers, since she had become one with the owner. When we are one with Christ, we no longer work for redemption; but being redeemed, we bring forth fruit unto God, Romans 7:4. The curtain falls on a blessed group. The tiny babe lies on Naomi's bosom. The women who had gone together into the valley of the shadow of death stand together in the light of the mountain-top. God turns mourning into gladness, Psalms 30:11. And let us Gentiles learn that we too have a part in Christ. In Him is neither Jew nor Greek, Colossians 3:11 [source]

Chapter Summary: Ruth 4

1  Boaz calls into judgment the next kinsman
6  He refuses the redemption according to the manner in Israel
9  Boaz buys the inheritance
11  He marries Ruth
13  She bears Obed, the grandfather of David
18  The generations of Pharez unto David

What do the individual words in Ruth 4:7 mean?

Now this [was the custom] in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging to confirm all anything took off one man his sandal and gave [it] to the other and this [was] a confirmation in Israel
וְזֹאת֩ לְפָנִ֨ים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל עַל־ הַגְּאוּלָּ֤ה וְעַל־ הַתְּמוּרָה֙ לְקַיֵּ֣ם כָּל־ דָּבָ֔ר שָׁלַ֥ף אִ֛ישׁ נַעֲל֖וֹ וְנָתַ֣ן לְרֵעֵ֑הוּ וְזֹ֥את הַתְּעוּדָ֖ה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל

וְזֹאת֩  Now  this  [was  the  custom] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
לְפָנִ֨ים  in  former  times 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל  in  Israel 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
עַל־  concerning 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הַגְּאוּלָּ֤ה  redeeming 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: גְּאֻלָּה  
Sense: kindred, redemption, right of redemption, price of redemption.
הַתְּמוּרָה֙  exchanging 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: תְּמוּרָה  
Sense: that which is exchanged, exchange, substitute, recompense.
לְקַיֵּ֣ם  to  confirm 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
דָּבָ֔ר  anything 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
שָׁלַ֥ף  took  off 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַף  
Sense: to draw out or off, take off.
אִ֛ישׁ  one  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
נַעֲל֖וֹ  his  sandal 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: נַעַל  
Sense: sandal, shoe.
וְנָתַ֣ן  and  gave  [it] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לְרֵעֵ֑הוּ  to  the  other 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: רֵעַ  
Sense: friend, companion, fellow, another person.
וְזֹ֥את  and  this  [was] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
הַתְּעוּדָ֖ה  a  confirmation 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: תְּעוּדָה  
Sense: testimony, attestation, confirmation.
בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל  in  Israel 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.

What are the major concepts related to Ruth 4:7?

Loading Information...