Charles Ellicott Commentary Ruth 4:3

"And he said unto the near kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth the parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech`s:" — Ruth 4:3 (ASV)

Naomi sells ... —Rather, the portion of land, which belonged to our brother Elimelech, has Naomi sold.

The present tense of the English Version seems to suggest that the sale is taking place at this particular time. However, the meaning is clearly that Naomi, as the representative of the dead Elimelech, had, insofar as it was possible for an Israelite to part with a family estate, sold the land to obtain in some way the means of living.

In the year of Jubilee, the property would return to the family on which it was, so to speak, settled; but Boaz proposes to the Goel that he should redeem the property at once.

We might perhaps compare this to the owner of a freehold buying the remainder of a lease from a leaseholder under him, so that he may occupy his own estate.