Ruth 4

Boaz the Kinsman-Redeemer

1No sooner had Boaz gone up to the city gate and sat down # 4:1 Jesus, our heavenly Boaz, went “up” in his ascension and “sat down” at the right hand of God in glory. when the kinsman-redeemer # 4:1 This man was in the position to be a redeemer; however, in the context of the business at the gate, he had not yet exercised his right to redeem and thus had not yet become the kinsman-redeemer in fact. See vv. 3, 4, 6. of whom Boaz had spoken came passing by. Boaz called to him, “Come over here, friend; sit down with me. We have some business to attend to.” So the man went over and sat down.

2Then Boaz invited ten # 4:2 The number ten is recognized biblically as the number of human responsibility (Ten Commandments). The law kept Ruth out (see Deut. 23:3). The law serves to add guilt to the human condition. Boaz prefigured Jesus, our gracious Kinsman-Redeemer, who has done for us what the law cannot (see John 1:17; Rom. 8:3–5; 2 Cor. 3:6). men of the city council and said, “Please, sit down here with us.” After they were seated, 3Boaz turned to the kinsman-redeemer and said, “Sir, Naomi has returned from the country of Moab, and she’s selling the piece of property that belonged to our relative Elimelech. 4So I thought you ought to know about it. # 4:4 See Jer. 32:6–12. Buy it if you want. We can make it official in the presence of those here and in the presence of the elders of our people. As the kinsman-redeemer, you have the first right of refusal. Redeem it if you choose to, but if not, tell me so I will know, as I am next in line.”

The man replied, “I’ll redeem it.”

5Then Boaz added, “The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, # 4:5 Boaz mentioned the land (field) before he mentioned Ruth (the treasure). Boaz was not afraid to pay the price to acquire both the field and the treasure. See Matt. 13:44. the widow of the dead. # 4:5 The law is weak and sickly, like Ruth’s deceased husband, Mahlon (see 1:1–2; Rom. 7:1–4). Therefore, it will be your responsibility to father a child in order to maintain the dead man’s name on his inheritance.”

6At this, the kinsman-redeemer balked and said, “In that case, I’m not able to redeem it for myself without risking my own inheritance. Take my purchase option of redemption yourself, for I can’t do it.” # 4:6 The summary statement of the law is “I can’t do it.” Grace, not law-keeping, is our only hope of salvation (see Eph. 2:7–8; Titus 3:5). This man desired to preserve his name in Israel by not marrying the Moabite woman. However, his name has been lost. Boaz, on the other hand, not only preserved his name in this story that is read every year in the Jewish celebrations, but he also had his name inscribed upon the pillar in the temple of Yahweh built by Solomon. It is not in seeking to preserve our own name but seeking Yahweh’s faithfulness that we receive an eternal name and are placed as pillars in the temple of our God.

7(At that time in Israel, in order to finalize a transaction concerning redeeming and transferring property, a man would customarily remove a sandal # 4:7 The sandal symbolized the man’s property rights. To give up the sandal meant he would no longer walk on that property and claim it as his; he had transferred the rights to another. This custom had become obsolete by the time of writing, which shows that the book of Ruth was written well after the events of Ruth had transpired. and give it to the other party, making the contract legally binding.) 8So when the kinsman-redeemer said to Boaz, “Take my purchase option of redemption for yourself,” he took off his sandal and gave it to Boaz. # 4:8 Jesus received the rights (the sandal) to supersede the law and obtained the promise of a more excellent ministry than the law (see Heb. 8:1–6). We are his “seed” and joint heirs of his ministry. 9Then Boaz turned to the elders and announced publicly, “Today, you are witnesses that I have purchased from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon. 10I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon’s widow, to be my wife. I will raise children with her who will maintain the dead man’s name on his inheritance so that the name of the dead may not be cut off from his village and from his family line. Today, you are witnesses of this transaction.”

11Then all the elders and all the people who were at the gate said: “We are witnesses. May Yahweh make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built up the house of Israel. May you become famous in Bethlehem! May you become very prosperous! 12And may Yahweh give you children by this young woman, and through them, may your family be like the family of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah!” # 4:12 The people of Bethlehem were recalling the story of Judah’s sinning sons who did not have sons of their own through disobedience in Gen. 38. Judah himself sinfully slept with his Canaanite daughter-in-law (thinking she was a prostitute). But what was sinful, Yahweh turned to goodness through redemption.

Boaz and Ruth Marry

13So Boaz and Ruth married, and they became one as husband and wife. Yahweh opened Ruth’s womb, and she bore a son. 14Then the women of Bethlehem blessed Naomi: “Praise Yahweh, who never abandoned you nor withheld from you a kinsman-redeemer! And may his name be famous in Israel! # 4:14 Or “May his name be declared in Israel.” 15May this child renew your life and sustain you in your old age! May your daughter-in-law, who loves you dearly, be more to you than seven sons could ever be, for she has given you a wonderful grandchild!”

16Then Naomi took her grandson and cuddled him in her arms and cared for him # 4:16 That is, Naomi became like a foster mother to Obed. as if he were her own. 17The women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “At last, Naomi has a son!” They named him Obed, # 4:17 The name Obed means “worshiper” or “servant [of Yahweh].” It is possibly a shortened form of Obadiah, which has the same meaning. and he became the father of Jesse, the father of David.

The Genealogy of David

18Now these are the descendants of Perez: # 4:18 See Matt. 1:2–6.

Perez became the father of Hezron,

19Hezron the father of Ram,

Ram the father of Amminadab,

20Amminadab the father of Nahshon,

Nahshon the father of Salmon,

21Salmon the father of Boaz,

Boaz the father of Obed,

22Obed the father of Jesse,

who had a famous son, King David. # 4:22 The story of Ruth shows that the family of David was in reality from Bethlehem and that David’s great-grandmother was Ruth, a gentile from Moab.

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Ruth 4

1Then Booz went up to the gate, and sat there. And when he had seen the kinsman going by, of whom he had spoken before, he said to him, calling him by his name: Turn aside for a little while, and sit down here. He turned aside, and sat down.

2And Booz, taking ten men of the ancients of the city, said to them: Sit ye down here.

3They sat down, and he spoke to the kinsman: Noemi, who is returned from the country of Moab, will sell a parcel of land that belonged to our brother Elimelech.

4I would have thee to understand this, and would tell thee before all that sit here, and before the ancients of my people. If thou wilt take possession of it by the right of kindred: buy it and possess it. But if it please thee not, tell me so, that I may know what I have to do. For there is no near kinsman besides thee, who art first, and me, who am second. But he answered: I will buy the field.

5And Booz said to him: When thou shalt buy the field at the woman's hand, thou must take also Ruth the Moabitess, who was the wife of the deceased: to raise up the name of thy kinsman in his inheritance.

6He answered: I yield up my right of next akin; for I must not cut off the posterity of my own family. Do thou make use of my privilege, which I profess I do willingly forego.

7Now this in former times was the manner in Israel between kinsmen, that if at any time one yielded his right to another: that the grant might be sure, the man put off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour. This was a testimony of cession of right in Israel.

8So Booz said to his kinsman: Put off thy shoe. And immediately he took it off from his foot.

9And he said to the ancients and to all the people: You are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and Chelion's, and Mahalon's, of the hand of Noemi.

10And have taken to wife Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahalon, to raise up the name of the deceased in his inheritance lest his name be cut off, from among his family and his brethren and his people. You, I say, are witnesses of this thing.

11Then all the people that were in the gate, and the ancients answered: We are witnesses. The Lord make this woman who cometh into thy house, like Rachel, and Lia, who built up the house of Israel: that she may be an example of virtue in Ephrata, and may have a famous name in Bethlehem.

12And that the house may be, as the house of Phares, whom Thamar bore unto Juda, of the seed which the Lord shall give thee of this young woman.

13Booz therefore took Ruth, and married her and went in unto her: and the Lord gave her to conceive and to bear a son.

14And the women said to Noemi: Blessed be the Lord, who hath not suffered thy family to want a successor, that his name should be preserved in Israel.

15And thou shouldst have one to comfort thy soul, and cherish thy old age. For he is born of thy daughter-in-law: who loveth thee: and is much better to thee, than if thou hadst seven sons.

16And Noemi taking the child laid it in her bosom, and she carried it, and was a nurse unto it.

17And the women her neighbours, congratulating with her and saying: There is a son born to Noemi: and thry have called his name Obed: He is the father of Isai, the father of David.

18These are the generations of Phares: Phares begot Esron,

19Esron begot Aram, Aram begot Aminadab,

20Aminadab begot Nahasson, Nahasson begot Salmon,

21Salmon begot Booz, Booz begot Obed,

22Obed begot Isai, Isai begot David.

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Learn More About Douay-Rheims Challoner Revision 1752