Ruth 4:7
Now in earlier times in Israel, to finalize a transaction concerning redemption or transfer of property, one party would take off their sandal and give it to the other. This was the method of legalizing transactions in Israel.
Additional Resources
Other Translations
King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)
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.
KJV1611 – Modern English
Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redemption and exchange: to confirm a transaction, a man took off his sandal and gave it to the other party; this was the manner of attestation in Israel.
King James Version 1611 (Original)
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.
American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers
Now this was [the custom] in former time{H6440} in Israel{H3478} concerning redeeming{H1353} and concerning exchanging,{H8545} to confirm{H6965} all things:{H1697} a man{H376} drew off{H8025} his shoe,{H5275} and gave{H5414} it to his neighbor;{H7453} and this was the [manner of] attestation{H8584} in Israel.{H3478}
King James Version with Strong's Numbers
Now this was the manner in former time{H6440} in Israel{H3478} concerning redeeming{H1353} and concerning changing{H8545}, for to confirm{H6965}{(H8763)} all things{H1697}; a man{H376} plucked off{H8025}{(H8804)} his shoe{H5275}, and gave{H5414}{(H8804)} it to his neighbour{H7453}: and this was a testimony{H8584} in Israel{H3478}.
Coverdale Bible (1535)
But this was an olde custome in Israel concernynge the redemynge & chauginge, yt all matters mighte be stable, the one put of his shue, & gaue it vnto ye other: yt was the testimony in Israel.
Geneva Bible (1560)
Now this was the maner beforetime in Israel, concerning redeeming and changing, for to stablish all things: a man did plucke off his shooe, and gaue it his neighbour, and this was a sure witnes in Israel.
Bishops' Bible (1568)
Nowe this was the maner of olde time in Israel concerning redeeming & chaunging, for to stablishe al thing: that a man must plucke of his shoe, & geue it his neyghbour: And this was a sure witnesse in Israel.
Authorized King James Version (1611)
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.
Webster's Bible (1833)
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.
Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)
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.
American Standard Version (1901)
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.
American Standard Version (1901)
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.
Bible in Basic English (1941)
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.
World English Bible (2000)
Now this was [the custom] in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning exchanging, to confirm all things: a man took off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbor; and this was the [way of] attestation in Israel.
NET Bible® (New English Translation)
(Now this used to be the customary way to finalize a transaction involving redemption in Israel: A man would remove his sandal and give it to the other party. This was a legally binding act in Israel.)
Referenced Verses
- Deut 25:7-9 : 7 But if the man does not wish to marry his brother's widow, she shall go to the elders at the city gate and say, 'My brother-in-law is refusing to perform his duty to preserve his brother's name in Israel. He is unwilling to marry me.' 8 Then the elders of his city shall summon him and speak to him. If he persists and says, 'I do not want to marry her,' 9 then his brother's widow shall approach him in the presence of the elders, remove his sandal from his foot, spit in his face, and declare, 'This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother's family line.' 10 His family shall be known in Israel as 'The Family of the Unsandaled.'
Similar Verses (AI)
These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.
- Ruth 4:8-103 verses90%
8 So the kinsman-redeemer said to Boaz, 'Buy it yourself,' and he removed his sandal.
9 Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, 'Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelech, Kilion, and Mahlon.'
10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, as my wife in order to maintain the name of the deceased on his inheritance, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from the gate of his hometown. You are witnesses today.
- Ruth 4:1-66 verses76%
1 Boaz went up to the city gate and sat down there. Just then, the kinsman-redeemer he had spoken about came by. Boaz said, 'Come over here, my friend, and sit down.' So he went over and sat down.
2 Boaz took ten men from the elders of the city and said, 'Sit here,' and they sat down.
3 Then Boaz said to the kinsman-redeemer, 'The portion of the field that belonged to our relative Elimelech is being sold by Naomi, who has returned from the land of Moab.'
4 I thought I should bring it to your attention and say, 'Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you will not, let me know, so that I will know, because you are the only one with the right to redeem it, and I am next in line.' The man said, 'I will redeem it.'
5 Then Boaz said, 'On the day you buy the field from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of the deceased, in order to maintain the name of the dead on his inheritance.'
6 The kinsman-redeemer said, 'I cannot redeem it because it might jeopardize my own inheritance. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.'
- Deut 25:7-115 verses74%
7 But if the man does not wish to marry his brother's widow, she shall go to the elders at the city gate and say, 'My brother-in-law is refusing to perform his duty to preserve his brother's name in Israel. He is unwilling to marry me.'
8 Then the elders of his city shall summon him and speak to him. If he persists and says, 'I do not want to marry her,'
9 then his brother's widow shall approach him in the presence of the elders, remove his sandal from his foot, spit in his face, and declare, 'This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother's family line.'
10 His family shall be known in Israel as 'The Family of the Unsandaled.'
11 If two men fight with each other, and the wife of one comes to rescue her husband from the hand of the one striking him, and she reaches out her hand and grabs him by his private parts,
- Ruth 3:12-143 verses66%
12 Now, it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer, but there is another redeemer who is more closely related than I am.
13 Stay here for the night. In the morning, if he wishes to redeem you, good—let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the LORD lives, I will redeem you. Lie down here until morning.
14 So she lay at his feet until morning but got up before anyone could recognize another. For he said, 'Let it not be known that a woman came to the threshing floor.'
- 66%
6 This is what the LORD says: 'For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals.'
- Lev 25:24-274 verses66%
24 In every part of the land that you own, you must provide for the redemption of the land.
25 If one of your fellow Israelites becomes poor and sells some of their property, their nearest relative is to come and redeem what they have sold.
26 But if a man has no one to redeem it for him, and later he prospers and finds enough to redeem it,
27 he shall calculate the years since its sale, refund the balance to the man to whom he sold it, and then return to his property.
- Ruth 3:7-93 verses66%
7 When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Then she came quietly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.
8 In the middle of the night, the man was startled and turned over; there was a woman lying at his feet!
9 He asked, 'Who are you?' She answered, 'I am Ruth, your servant. Spread the corner of your garment over your servant, for you are a guardian-redeemer.'
- 65%
1 Now Naomi had a relative on her husband's side, a prominent and wealthy man of the family of Elimelech. His name was Boaz.
- 65%
2 at that time, the LORD spoke through Isaiah son of Amoz, saying, 'Go, untie the sackcloth from around your waist and remove the sandals from your feet.' And he did so, walking around naked and barefoot.
- 65%
6 Buying the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, even selling the sweepings of the wheat.'
- Ruth 3:2-32 verses65%
2 Now is not Boaz, our relative, with whose young women you have been working? Tonight, he will be winnowing barley at the threshing floor.
3 Wash, anoint yourself, and put on your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but do not let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking.
- 65%
15 The commander of the LORD’s army replied, "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did so.
- 64%
13 Return their pledge by sunset so that they may sleep in their own garment and bless you; this will be considered a righteous act before the LORD your God.
- 64%
13 Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger; hold it in pledge if he does it for an outsider.
- 64%
5 Boaz asked the servant who was in charge of the harvesters, "Whose young woman is this?"
- 64%
11 Boaz replied, "It has been fully reported to me all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people you did not know before.
- 64%
5 If brothers live together and one of them dies without a son, the dead man's wife must not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her brother-in-law is to take her as his wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her.
- 64%
14 The women said to Naomi, 'Praise the Lord, who has not left you without a kinsman-redeemer today. May his name become famous in Israel!'
- 64%
11 But if the animal was stolen from the neighbor, restitution must be made to the owner.
- 63%
11 I took the deed of purchase, both the sealed copy containing the terms and conditions, and the open copy.
- 63%
26 For it is his only covering, the cloak for his body. What else can he sleep in? If he cries out to me, I will hear him, for I am gracious.
- 63%
11 If his father has no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan, and they shall possess it. This shall be a legal statute for the Israelites, as the LORD commanded Moses.
- 63%
16 Take a garment as security from one who guarantees a stranger's debt; hold it in pledge if it is for a foreign woman.
- 63%
5 They wore patched and worn-out sandals and clothes, and all the bread they carried as provisions was dry and crumbled.
- 63%
4 They replied, 'You have not defrauded us, oppressed us, or taken anything from anyone’s hand.'
- 63%
1 In that day, seven women will take hold of one man and say, "We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothing; just let us be called by your name to take away our disgrace."
- 63%
15 then the young woman’s father and mother shall bring the proof of her virginity to the elders at the gate of the town.
- 63%
9 If he designates her for his son, he must grant her the rights of a daughter.
- 63%
2 This is the manner of the release: Every creditor shall release what they have lent to their neighbor. They shall not demand payment from their neighbor or their relative, because the Lord’s release has been proclaimed.
- 63%
49 An uncle or a cousin may redeem them, or any close relative from their family may redeem them. If they prosper, they may redeem themselves.
- 63%
17 And now he has made false accusations against her, saying, 'I did not find your daughter to be a virgin.' But here is the evidence of my daughter's virginity.' Then they shall spread out the cloth before the elders of the city.