Ruth 4:2
“And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Boaz gathers ten elders of the city to serve as official witnesses.
What Does Ruth 4:2 Mean?
Boaz gathers ten men of the city's elders and seats them as witnesses to the transaction about to take place. In Israel, important legal matters were confirmed in the presence of such elders at the gate, and ten was a fitting number to make the proceeding fully valid and public. Boaz leaves nothing to private arrangement; the redemption will be witnessed and binding.
This careful gathering of witnesses again shows Boaz's commitment to doing everything rightly and in order. He wants Ruth's redemption to stand unquestioned, sealed before the proper authorities and the watching community. There is wisdom and honor in conducting weighty matters with such openness and accountability. God's work of redemption is not done in corners; it is meant to be witnessed and confirmed. Boaz's diligence ensures that what he is about to do will be honored by all and remembered by the town. The seriousness with which he approaches his role reflects how precious the act of redeeming truly is.
In the Original Language
zaqen (זָקֵן), 'elders' — the respected older men of the community who served as official witnesses and judges at the gate.