Ruth 4:2

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.

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

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:

⁴ And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Then Boaz took ten of the elders of the city and said, “Sit here,” and they did so.
KJV: And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.
WEB: Boaz took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, “Sit down here,” and they sat down.
ASV: And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.
DARBY: And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit down here. And they sat down.
BLB: And he took ten men from the elders of the city and he said, “Sit here.” And they sat.

ÅB: Så kalte han til seg ti menn av byens eldste og sa: Sett dere her! Og de satte seg.
OTB: Boas tok da ti av byens eldste og sa: "Sett dere her." Og de satte seg.
B1930: Så kalte han til sig ti menn av byens eldste og sa: Sett eder her! Og de satte sig.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Proverbs 31:23
Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
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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.
Read in context
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,
Read in context
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.
Read in context
Lamentations 5:14
The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their musick.
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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,
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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.
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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:
Read in context