Ruth 4:7 (YLT)

Passage

And this <FI>is<Fi> formerly in Israel for redemption and for changing, to establish anything: a man hath drawn off his sandal, and given <FI>it<Fi> to his neighbour, and this <FI>is<Fi> the testimony in Israel.

Nearby Context

Ruth 4:5 And Boaz saith, `In the day of thy buying the field from the hand of Naomi, then from Ruth the Moabitess, wife of the dead, thou hast bought <FI>it<Fi> , to raise up the name of the dead over his inheritance.'

Ruth 4:6 And the redeemer saith, `I am not able to redeem <FI>it<Fi> for myself, lest I destroy mine inheritance; redeem for thyself--thou--my right of redemption, for I am not able to redeem.'

Ruth 4:7 And this <FI>is<Fi> formerly in Israel for redemption and for changing, to establish anything: a man hath drawn off his sandal, and given <FI>it<Fi> to his neighbour, and this <FI>is<Fi> the testimony in Israel.

Ruth 4:8 And the redeemer saith to Boaz, `Buy <FI>it<Fi> for thyself,' and draweth off his sandal.

Ruth 4:9 And Boaz saith to the elders, and <FI>to<Fi> all the people, `Witnesses <FI>are<Fi> ye to-day that I have bought all that <FI>is<Fi> to Elimelech, and all that <FI>is<Fi> to Chilion and Mahlon, from the hand of Naomi;

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "formerly", "israel", "redemption", "changing", "establish", "anything", "hath", and "drawn". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "formerly" and "israel", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 6's "And the redeemer saith I am not..." into verse 8's "And the redeemer saith to Boaz Buy...", so "formerly" and "israel" belong inside that flow. In Ruth context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "formerly" and "israel" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.