And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it.
I cannot redeem it ... lest I mar mine own inheritance. This consequence would follow, either, first, from his having a son by Ruth, who, though heir to the property, would not bear his name: his name would be extinguished in that of her former husband; or, secondly, from its having to be subdivided among his other children, which he had probably by a previous marriage. This right, therefore, was renounced and assigned in favour of Boaz, in the way of whose marriage with Ruth the only existing obstacle was now removed.