Ruth 4 (Listen)
Boaz Redeems Ruth
4:1 Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there. And behold, the redeemer, of whom Boaz had spoken, came by. So Boaz said, “Turn aside, friend; sit down here.” And he turned aside and sat down. 2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down. 3 Then he said to the redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech. 4 So I thought I would tell you of it and say, ‘Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people.’ If you will redeem it, redeem it. But if you1 will not, tell me, that I may know, for there is no one besides you to redeem it, and I come after you.” And he said, “I will redeem it.” 5 Then Boaz said, “The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth2 the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance.” 6 Then the redeemer said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”
7 Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging: to confirm a transaction, the one drew off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was the manner of attesting in Israel. 8 So when the redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself,” he drew off his sandal. 9 Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and to Mahlon. 10 Also Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, I have bought to be my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his native place. You are witnesses this day.” 11 Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman, who is coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you act worthily in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem, 12 and may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring that the LORD will give you by this young woman.”
Ruth and Boaz Marry
13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the LORD gave her conception, and she bore a son. 14 Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! 15 He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” 16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. 17 And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
The Genealogy of David
18 Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron, 19 Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab, 20 Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon, 21 Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed, 22 Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David.
(ESV)
Ruth 4 Commentary
In Ruth 4, Boaz meets the nearest kinsman at the city gate and presents the case of redeeming Elimelech’s property by taking Ruth as wife (Ruth 4:1-5). The closer relative (kinsman) declines, fearing harm to his own inheritance, and transfers his right to Boaz (Ruth 4:6). The redemption process is confirmed through the removal of a sandal, a customary legal act in Israel (Ruth 4:7-8).
Boaz redeems the inheritance before the elders and people who witness the agreement and bless the marriage. They wish Boaz and Ruth a fruitful lineage like that of Rachel, Leah, and Perez (Ruth 4:9-12). Boaz marries Ruth, and by God’s grace, she bears a son named Obed (Ruth 4:13). The women praise God for providing an heir (Ruth 4:14-15). Naomi helps care for this child who would become the grandfather of King David (Ruth 4:16-17). Ruth 4 concludes with the genealogy from Perez to David (Ruth 4:18-22).
Context
Since there was a relative closer than Boaz (see context in Ruth 3), his marriage to Ruth was not guaranteed. There was someone in closer relation who had the right before Boaz. When Boaz approaches the nearest relative (kinsman) to inquire about Elimelech’s land, the man jumps at the offer (Rth 4:4). However, after Boaz informs him that a marriage to Ruth the Moabite is also part of the deal, the man declines. Why?
In Ruth 1, Naomi and her family left for Moab because of a famine. During that time, her husband and sons died, leaving her without any financial support or heirs to maintain the family property. Since this land was lost due to poverty, it had to be sold (by Naomi) or restored to the family through a kinsman-redeemer (a close family relative).
In Naomi’s case, if no relative were to redeem it, she would have to wait until the Year of Jubilee which took place every 50 years (Lev 25:10) to get it back. This was not an option for her given her dire state. This is why Boaz tells the other kinsman that Naomi is looking to sell her land (Rth 4:3).
This was only half of the equation though. It gets more complicated when you consider the fact that Ruth is a Moabite and she is attached to the property. If Naomi had been of child-bearing age, she would have been the one to marry in this instance under the principle of levirate marriage (Deut 25:5-6). This law required a close relative of her deceased husband to marry her to produce an heir for Elimelech’s lineage.
However, since Naomi was beyond child-bearing age (Rth 1:11-13), the responsibility passed to Ruth, the widow of Naomi’s son Mahlon, to carry on the family line through marriage to the kinsman-redeemer. This is a package deal. Whoever decided to redeem the land would also have to take Ruth in marriage, and this was problematic considering there were cultural and legal stigmas attached to marrying a foreigner. On top of this, marrying Ruth would only preserve Mahlon’s name, not the redeemer’s name.
As you can see, it is a complex situation!
Boaz’s Strategy
Boaz tells the other kinsman a piece of property is involved from the beginning. The other kinsman likely saw it as a low-risk, profitable investment. The property had no heirs, and Naomi was too elderly to have children, making it a safe, long-term asset. This is why this man initially agrees.
At this crucial moment, Boaz intervened and clarified that the kinsman’s redemption of the property also required the redemption of Ruth, who was legally considered the wife of the deceased Mahlon. Boaz emphasized Ruth’s Moabite background and referred to her as a widow, a legal term indicating her role in the inheritance process. Boaz clearly states that purchasing the property meant marrying Ruth as part of a legal transaction. The term “purchase” was used in a legal sense which meant to marry Ruth as part of the property redemption, not a literal purchase.
The primary goal was to ensure Elimelech’s family line survived by providing an heir, not just to secure land or care for Ruth. The kinsman, however, declined to fulfill this duty, fearing it would ruin his inheritance and increase his financial burden, especially if Ruth’s child inherited part of his estate. He formally renounced his rights, allowing Boaz to take on the redemption responsibility.
Priorities
The decision for each man was an issue of priority. This other kinsman loved the land offer but did not love Ruth. On top of that, a marriage to Ruth was problematic for his current inheritance. Boaz didn’t need the land but greatly loved Ruth. Boaz understood the risks, but his priorities were driven by his relationships.
He knew that the inheritance would ultimately go to Elimelech’s heir, which meant that his own estate could be divided among more heirs, potentially diluting his wealth. But this did not deter Boaz. He willingly accepted these burdens to ensure Naomi’s family was cared for and to demonstrate his love and respect for Ruth.
This decision highlighted Boaz’s willingness to sacrifice personal gain for the sake of family duty. The narrator contrasts Boaz’s decision with the kinsman’s more practical approach. Boaz’s decision underscores his exceptional kindness. You can imagine how thrilled Boaz was when this other kinsman refused the offer!
Lineage Of Jesus Christ
Boaz and Ruth would go on to have a son named Obed. Obed was the father of Jesse and Jesse was the father of King David. Boaz is often viewed as a foreshadowing or type of Jesus Christ due to the way he exemplifies sacrificial love, redemption, and the fulfillment of a legal/moral responsibility.
Just like Naomi and her family ventured into Moab and lost the right to their land, Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the garden and lost their right to the Garden of Eden. The restoration process for Naomi depended on a redeemer, and the same is true for humanity. We are desperate for a Savior to redeem and restore us to God’s family.
Restoring Honor and Dignity: Boaz restores Ruth’s dignity by marrying her and giving her a secure place in society, despite her status as a widow and foreigner. In a similar way, Jesus restores our dignity and gives us a secure place in God’s family, offering us a new identity in Him (Eph 1:5, Gal 4:7).
Kinsman-Redeemer: Boaz acts as a kinsman-redeemer who steps in to redeem the family line of Naomi and Ruth by marrying Ruth and preserving the inheritance of Elimelech. This parallels how Jesus, as our ultimate Redeemer, steps into humanity to redeem us from sin and death (Gal 4:4-5, Heb 2:11). Like Boaz, Jesus fulfills a role that requires sacrificial love and a willingness to take on personal cost for the good of others.
Willingness to Take on Personal Cost: Boaz is willing to sacrifice his wealth and estate (as well as take on the potential social stigma of marrying a Moabite) to care for Ruth and Naomi. Similarly, Jesus sacrificed His life, enduring the cross and taking on the shame and burden of sin to redeem humanity (Heb 12:2, 2 Cor 5:21).
Unconditional Love and Grace: Boaz shows extraordinary kindness toward Ruth despite her being a foreigner and a widow, something that would have made her vulnerable in that culture. Jesus, too, demonstrates unconditional love and grace to all people, especially the outcasts, sinners, and those in need of redemption (Mat11:28-30, Luk 19:10).
Fulfilling the Law to Bring Redemption: Boaz fulfills the requirements of the law regarding kinsman-redeemer, which leads to the preservation of Naomi and Ruth’s family line. Similarly, Jesus fulfilled the law perfectly (Mat 5:17) and through His death and resurrection, He brings the ultimate redemption, not just to a family, but to all of humanity (Rom 8:3-4).
