Boaz the "Relative-Redeemer" - Comments on Ruth 3&4

Recalling Chapter 1 >

Following ten years in Moab, Naomi returned to Judah with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth – both of these women being poor widows. Ruth had “clung” to Naomi, and sought to make a new life for herself in Naomi’s native land under Naomi’s God. God had indeed been preparing Ruth (from a long time earlier) to fulfil a significant role in God’s future plans for His people.

And recalling Chapter 2 >

It was then the highly-respected landowner Boaz who responded to the many kindnesses he had heard that Ruth had expressed to Naomi. When Ruth needed to “glean” grain for herself and Naomi, Boaz showed tremendous personal interest in Ruth, ensuring that she was protected in his field, and that she well and truly got enough food for her needs. When (the mother-in-law) Naomi found out that it was Boaz – the close relative of her late husband – that had shown so much kindness to Ruth, Naomi recognised the great opportunity; not only this, but also how God had answered her deepest prayers. Not only would Ruth require a good husband if she was to move beyond poverty, find security and bear children, finding such a close relative who could act as ‘kinsman-redeemer’ would at the same time perpetuate Naomi’s late son’s and late husband’s name within their culture, community and nation.

Recalling the beginning of Chapter 3 >

Naomi, believing this to be the right course of action, would now encourage Ruth to take steps toward offering herself in marriage to Boaz. We can see that Ruth trusted Naomi completely, and possibly also was responding to her own growing affection for Boaz. Naomi sent Ruth to where Boaz would be “winnowing” grain, with instructions to wait until he had finished eating & drinking, and then after Boaz has laid down to rest – to uncover his feet and lay down there.

Boaz – the ‘relative-redeemer’

We read in 3:8 that at midnight Boaz woke up startled (some suggesting that this was because he had cold feet) finding a woman lying there. Ruth was quick to identify herself, and say the words that would clearly indicate her offer of marriage to Boaz (at the same time alluding to Boaz’s responsibilities as next-of-kin). Given the warmth of how Boaz felt about Ruth, Boaz may well have wished for the possibility of such a relationship, however may have felt that he was too old and not an attractive enough prospect for Ruth. But Ruth had come at the very least to respect Boaz highly, and perhaps was forming even stronger feelings; but essentially understood that this was the way forward in perpetuating the line of Elimelech and Mahlon.

The phrase (in verse 9b) “spread your cloak over your servant” represented a request for Boaz to take Ruth “under his wings” ie. to take her as his perpetual responsibility. The Hebrew word translated “cloak” here is the same word that was translated “wings” earlier (2:12) when Boaz himself talked about Ruth having come under the “wings” of Judah’s God for protection.

As we read in verse 10, Boaz interpreted this proposal in terms of Ruth making yet another humble sacrifice on behalf of Naomi’s family. She could have gone after a younger man with the prospect of a longer marriage and more children, yet she had opted to honour Naomi and her God and pursue a marriage with Boaz. Boaz, with feelings of great joy, saw such a marriage as in no way inconvenient, and wanted to immediately agree to this proposal, however he knew of a closer male relative who would need to be consulted. So no doubt with mixed feelings, Boaz would do what was right under the law, and make contact with this other guy.

[We don’t know if Naomi was perhaps unaware of this closer relative, or perhaps she definitely wanted to bypass this person in favour of Boaz. We have definite hints about this: in 2:1 it was Boaz who was in the mind of the storyteller (and therefore probably in Naomi’s mind from the beginning), and also Naomi herself identifies Boaz in 2:20 as “one of our nearest kin”. At any rate, it was now to be Boaz who would do the negotiations with this closer relative (rather than Naomi).]

In verses 13-14, we see that Boaz, as he wasn’t the closest relative, and possibly not in the position to perform the role being asked of him, wanted to protect Ruth’s dignity and reputation, by not exposing her to ridicule through it becoming known that she spent the night {albeit probably innocently} in Boaz’s presence.

[[The basic cultural custom operating here is for the brother of a deceased man to conceive a child with his brother’s widow to perpetuate his brother’s name and give him an heir. For instance, if Elimelech died, and Boaz was his brother, then Boaz should marry Naomi and bear a child with her to perpetuate the line of Elimelech. However, of course Naomi was in Moab at the time, and now she was past childbearing age. So as this custom is followed more flexibly, it is another widow … Ruth in view, with the need to perpetuate the line of her dead husband Mahlon – that passes before what could be a complex hierarchy of close relatives … brothers, then uncles, then male cousins. And, in a way, a marriage and children between Ruth and Boaz will still perpetuate the line of Elimelech by producing heirs for Ruth’s first husband and Elimelech’ son … Mahlon. So whereas Ruth could have solved her personal security issues by marrying any eligible bloke, the only way for Elimelech and Naomi’s family line to be extended would be through Ruth marrying Elimelech’s next-of-kin and providing a male heir. Another part of the kinsman-redeemer’s responsibility would be to buy back any land that had to be sold off out of the immediate family due to a period of poverty. In our culture, land that is sold … absolutely becomes the property of the buyer; however for the Israelite, only God could really own land – and the family given the privilege of some land by God, could never be permanently relieved of it. Land could be ‘sold off’ in a sense, so another could farm it, only as long as it took for the ‘kinsman-redeemer’ to buy it back (or if that couldn’t happen, for the 50-year “Year of Jubilee” to arrive.]]

So now Boaz connected up with this ‘closer relative’ at the town gate – which tended to be the centre point of community life, and gathered together ten of the town elders to be witnesses to what really amounted to legal proceedings. As decisions tended not to be written down, the memories of trustworthy people were relied upon to testify to such agreements as would be made here.

Boaz was able to put aside his own desires and speak rationally to this other man (calling him “friend”) – laying out the situation honestly.

There was land belonging to the deceased Elimelech that Naomi would be forced to sell, allowing another to work that land and profit from it, until it could be bought back by someone connected to the family of Elimelech. As Boaz was in the position to take responsibility for redeeming this land now, there is little reason for it to leave the family’s hands at all. However the first right of redemption laid with this ‘closer relative’, and this one was quite willing to act as such, being able then to work the land himself.

However, as Boaz now points out (maybe with some degree of desperation within him), there is a bit of a package deal involved. To fully act on behalf of the family of Elimelech, any ‘kinsman-redeemer’ would also have to provide for an heir of Elimelech, in this case because of Naomi’s advanced age, by marrying the wife of Elimelech’s deceased son … Ruth. Because of this added responsibility (and potential cost), this ‘closer relative’ passed, and the role of ‘kinsman-redeemer’ happily moved on to Boaz. {This was perhaps because this ‘closer relative’ just could not financially afford such a proposition as he would also be responsible for supporting Naomi. Perhaps even his unwillingness was due to Ruth’s Moabite ancestry.} Of course, Boaz’s stated enthusiastic readiness to takeover this role (4:4b), made it much easier for the other relative to pass!

Now, without doubt, according to Naomi, and to God, this is how it was all meant to work out. One senses that there may have been some small manipulation going on in the way that Boaz presented all this to that ‘closer relative’ … in a light which would make him more likely to refuse – making it seem as complicated as possible; but this adds to the romanticism of Boaz chasing his destiny with Ruth!

In verses 11-12 of chapter 4, we read of the ready willingness, of not only the
official witnesses, but also “all the people who were at the gate”, to pray a great blessing upon the union of Boaz and Ruth. They would have remarked on the integrity and commitment of Boaz; but were now also ready to acknowledge the worthiness and good character of this Moabite woman Ruth, accepting that she would be fully participating in the building up of the family tree of the Israelite people. The pursuit of integrity does bring its reward > > gaining the respect of the community!

So much so did the community rejoice in this marriage, they were allowed to participate in the naming of the son that was eventually born to Ruth. His name would be Obed (meaning ‘servant’), and he would be the grandfather of (King) David.

That this was just as much about the redeeming of Naomi, as it was about providing for Ruth, is shown by the child being given to Naomi to nurse. The gathered community understand the significance as they speak the words of verse 15. Following the death of her husband and two sons, the whole ten year experience of Moab, and the separation of Orpah from her, Naomi had felt empty and bitter. Now through the process of Ruth’s loving-kindness to her, the hand of God bringing Ruth and Boaz together, the resettling in her home country, and the birth of an heir for her late husband, Naomi has now become full again. “Seven” was considered the number of completeness, and to have “seven sons” was the epitome of all family blessings in Israel, so when it is said that Ruth has been “more to [Naomi] than seven sons”, this brings a climatic acknowledgement of Ruth’s selfless devotion and extraordinary
faithfulness that has produced such a staggering turnabout in Naomi’s sense of well-being.

Jesus – the ‘redeemer’

This story has been told and written down and retold to prepare us for the greatest act of redemption in history. Ruth, Boaz and Obed have brought redemption to Naomi. It will be a descendant of the line of Obed and David, Jesus – that will bring the offer of redemption to all humanity.

We are all a little bit like Naomi. When we, because of all of the complexity and difficulty of living life in this world, feel empty and bitter (or guilty and ashamed), Jesus offers to redeem us. Jesus, in a once-for-all sacrificial act, buys back what was sold off to other interests or lost seemingly beyond hope, and brings such a life back to the heart of Creator God. Like Naomi, our redemption comes through someone else’s faithfulness to us.

Just as land could be lost due to poverty, life can be lost through poverty of spirit. Yet Jesus provides a way to experience life enriched again, as we reconnect with our loving Father God (from whom we strayed).

God has shown Himself to be a God of redemption, with the desire and the power to redeem all who have previously been sold off to other pursuits. And we can be assured that God never forgets his saving purposes. Jesus has paid the price of redeeming us from our spiritual death (suffered as we have taken the road of self-interest), and also saving us from a physical death with no hope beyond.