(M40) Lev. xxv. 25. “And if thy brother be waxen poor and sell some of his possession, then shall his kinsman (ἀγχιστεύων) that is next to him come and shall redeem that which his brother hath sold.” An instance of it in practice is given in Jeremiah. Jerem. xxxii. 8. “So Hanameel mine uncle’s son came to me in the court of the guard according to the word of the Lord and said unto me, ‘Buy my field, I pray thee, that is in Anathoth which is in the land of Bethlehem: for the right of inheritance is thine, and the redemption is thine: buy it for thyself.’ ” But on Ruth’s applying to Boaz, he informs her that though he is ἀγχιστεύς, _i.e._ within the reach of the claim on the next of kin, yet is there one ἀγχιστεύς who is nearer than he, and who must first be asked. “Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there, and behold the near kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by, unto whom he said, ‘Ho, such an one! turn, aside, sit down here,’ and he turned aside and sat down. And he took ten men of the elders of the city and said, ‘Sit ye down here,’ and they sat down. 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 Ehmelech’s: and I thought to disclose it to thee, saying, “Buy it before them that sit here and before the elders of my people.” If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it; but if thou wilt not redeem it, tell me that I may know; for there is none to redeem it beside thee, and I am after thee.’ And he said, ‘I will redeem it.’ Then said Boaz, ‘What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, _the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance_.’ And the near kinsman said, ‘I cannot redeem it for myself _lest I mar my own inheritance_; take thou my right of redemption on thee; for I cannot redeem it.’ ” The rendering of the Vulgate of the kinsman’s reply is more easily understood:—“I yield up my right of near kinship: for neither ought I to blot out the continuance (_posteritas_) of my family: do thou use my privilege, which I declare that I freely renounce.” “And he drew off his shoe. And Boaz said unto the elders and unto all the people, ‘Ye are witnesses this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s ... Chilion’s and Mahlon’s of the hand of Naomi. Moreover Ruth, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife to _raise up the name of the dead_ upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.’ And all the people that were in the gate and the elders said, ‘We are witnesses ... May thy house be like the house of Perez whom Tamar bare unto Judah’ &c.”