SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:7
Había ya de largo tiempo esta costumbre en Israel en la redención o contrato, que para la confirmación de cualquier negocio, el uno se quitaba el zapato y lo daba a su compañero; y éste era el testimonio en Israel.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Ruth 4:7
Verse 7. A man plucked off his shoe] The law of such a case is given at large in Deut. xxv. 5-9. It was simply this: If a brother, who had married a wife, died without children, the eldest brother was to take the widow, and raise up a family to the brother deceased; and he had a right to redeem the inheritance, if it had been alienated. But if the person who had the right of redemption would not take the woman, she was to pull off his shoe and spit in his face, and he was ever after considered as a disgraced man. In the present case the shoe only is taken off, probably because the circumstances of the man were such as to render it improper for him to redeem the ground and take Ruth to his wife; and because of this reasonable excuse, the contemptuous part of the ceremony is omitted. See the note on Deut. xxv. 9.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 7. Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming , etc.] It is a custom, and not a law, that seems here referred to, when an estate was bought and sold; not the law in ( Leviticus 25:25), though that respects the redemption of an estate by a near kinsman, yet no such manner was enjoined as here practised afterwards, made mention of; nor the law in ( Deuteronomy 25:5) which does not concern the redemption of estates, nor a kinsman’s marrying the widow of a deceased kinsman, but a brother’s marrying the widow of a deceased brother, and the rites and ceremonies there enjoined upon refusal are different from those here used; though Josephus is express for it, that the law is here referred to; but this is not only concerning purchase of estates, but “concerning changing” also one field for another as Aben Ezra interprets it: “for to confirm all things”; the following custom was observed for the confirmation of any bargain whatever, whether by sale or barter, and where there was no marriage in the case: a man plucked off his shoe and gave it to his neighbour ; signifying thereby, that he yielded his right to him in the thing sold or bartered; the Targum says, he plucked off the glove of his right hand, which perhaps was then in use, when the Targumist wrote, and answered the same purpose; and, according to Jarchi, it was a linen cloth, vail, or handkerchief, that was used, and delivered by the one to the other; and of this way of buying writes Elias f74 ; at this day, says he, we purchase by a linen cloth or handkerchief called “sudar”, which is a garment; and this two witnesses take, and explain before them the words of their agreement, and each of the witnesses stretches out the skirt of the garment, and those that take upon them to confirm every matter, touch the skirt of their garments; and this is called purchasing by “sudar”, or the linen cloth: and this was a testimony in Israel ; a witness to, or a confirmation of the bargain made; but who gave the shoe, whether the kinsman or Boaz, is not certain from the text; and about which the Jewish writers are divided, as Jarchi observes.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-8 - This matter depended on the laws given by Moses about inheritances, an doubtless the whole was settled in the regular and legal manner. Thi kinsman, when he heard the conditions of the bargain, refused it. I like manner many are shy of the great redemption; they are not willin to espouse religion; they have heard well of it, and have nothing to say against it; they will give it their good word, but they are willin to part with it, and cannot be bound to it, for fear of marring their own inheritance in this world. The right was resigned to Boaz. Fair an open dealing in all matters of contract and trade, is what all mus make conscience of, who would approve themselves true Israelites without guile. Honesty will be found the best policy.
Original Hebrew
וזאת 2063 לפנים 6440 בישׂראל 3478 על 5921 הגאולה 1353 ועל 5921 התמורה 8545 לקים 6965 כל 3605 דבר 1697 שׁלף 8025 אישׁ 376 נעלו 5275 ונתן 5414 לרעהו 7453 וזאת 2063 התעודה 8584 בישׂראל׃ 3478
