Ruth 4
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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Learn More About The Passion TranslationRuth 4
4
Boaz Redeems Ruth
1And Boaz had gone up to the city gate and sat there. And look, the redeemer of whom Boaz had spoken was passing by. And he said, “Come over here to sit, friend.”#Literally “certain someone” And he came over and sat. 2And he took ten men from the elders of the city and said, “Sit here.” And they sat. 3And he said to the redeemer, “Naomi, who returned from the countryside of Moab, is selling the tract of land which was for our brother Elimelech. 4And I thought I would tell you#Literally “I would open your ear” and say, ‘Buy it in the presence of#Literally “Buy before” those sitting and before the elders of my people,’ if you want to redeem it, redeem it. But if you do not want to redeem, tell me so that I may know, for there is no one except you to redeem it, and I am after you.” And he said, “I want to redeem it.” 5And Boaz said, “On the day of your acquiring the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the wife of the dead man, in order to raise up for the name of the dead his inheritance.” 6And the redeemer said, “I am not able to redeem for myself, lest I ruin my inheritance. You redeem for yourself my kinsman-redemption, for I am not able to redeem it.”
7(Now this was the custom in former times#Literally “before faces” in Israel concerning the kinsman-redemption and transfer of property: to confirm the matter, a man removed his sandal and gave it to his fellow countryman. This was the manner of attesting in Israel.) 8So the redeemer said to Boaz, “Acquire it for yourself,” and he removed his sandal. 9And Boaz said to the elders and all of the people, “You are witnesses today that I have acquired all that was for Elimelech and that was for Kilion and Mahlon from the hand of Naomi. 10And also Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, I have acquired as a wife, to raise up the name of the dead over his inheritance, so that the name of the dead may not be cut off from his relatives and from the gate of his birth place. You are witnesses today.” 11And all of the people who were at the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses. May Yahweh make the woman coming into your house as Rachel and as Leah, who together#Literally “the two of them” built the house of Israel. May you have strength in Ephrathah and bestow a name in Bethlehem. 12And may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah from the offspring that Yahweh will give to you from this young woman.”
The Lineage of King David
13So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and Yahweh enabled her to conceive,#Literally “gave to her conception” and she bore a son. 14And the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be Yahweh who today did not leave you without a redeemer!#Literally “did not allow to be missing for you a redeemer” And may his name be renowned in Israel! 15He shall be for you a restorer of life and a sustainer in your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is better for you than seven sons, has borne him.” 16And Naomi took the child and she put him on her bosom and became his nurse. 17And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” And they called his name Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
18Now these are the descendants of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron, 19and Hezron fathered Ram, and Ram fathered Amminadab, 20and Amminadab fathered Nahshon, and Nahshon fathered Salmon, 21and Salmon fathered Boaz, and Boaz fathered Obed, 22and Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David.
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