Ruth 4:2
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit you down here. And they sat down.
American King James Version (AKJV)
And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit you down here. And they sat down.
American Standard Version (ASV)
And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
Then he got ten of the responsible men of the town, and said, Be seated here. And they took their seats.
Webster's Revision
And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.
World English Bible
He took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, "Sit down here." They sat down.
English Revised Version (ERV)
And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.
Clarke's Ruth 4:2 Bible Commentary
He took ten men - Probably it required this number to constitute a court. How simple and how rational was this proceeding!
1. The man who had a suit went to the city gates.
2. Here he stopped till the person with whom he had the suit came to the gate on his way to his work.
3. He called him by name, and he stopped and sat down.
4. Then ten elders were called, and they came and sat down.
5. When all this was done, the appellant preferred his suit.
6. Then the appellee returned his answer.
7. When the elders heard the case, and the response of the appellee, they pronounced judgment, which judgment was always according to the custom of the place.
8. When this was done, the people who happened to be present witnessed the issue.
And thus the business was settled without lawyers or legal casuistry. A question of this kind, in one of our courts of justice, in these enlightened times, would require many days' previous preparation of the attorney, and several hours' arguing between counsellor Botherum and counsellor Borum, till even an enlightened and conscientious judge would find it extremely difficult to decide whether Naomi might sell her own land, and whether Boaz or Peloni might buy it! O, glorious uncertainty of modern law!
Barnes's Ruth 4:2 Bible Commentary
Every city was governed by elders (see Deuteronomy 19:12; Judges 8:14). For the number "ten," compare Exodus 18:25. Probably the presence of, at least, ten elders was necessary to make a lawful public assembly, as among modern Jews ten (a minyon) are necessary to constitute a synagogue.
Wesley's Ruth 4:2 Bible Commentary
4:2 Ten men - To be witnesses: for though two or three witnesses were sufficient, yet in weightier matters they used more. And ten was the usual number among the Jews, in causes of matrimony and divorce, and translation of inheritances; who were both judges of the causes, and witnesses of the fact.
