Ruth Chapter 4

During the dark time of the judges when Israel’s future looked exceedingly grim, God quietly demonstrated His faithfulness to His wayward covenant people. He sovereignly orchestrated a series of events (a famine; the sudden, untimely deaths of three husbands; the surprising allegiance of a foreign daughter-in-law; and the rare kindness of a prosperous relative) to continue the family lineage through which the Messiah would one day come.Chapter 1 details the return of the widows Naomi and Ruth from Moab to Bethlehem only to face an uncertain future. Chapter 2 documents Naomi’s wise counsel and concern, Ruth’s godly character, and Boaz’s Christlike generosity. Chapter 3 is a record of Ruth’s brave request that Boaz “redeem” her. At last in chapter 4, we see God’s divine plan fully blossom as Boaz redeems Naomi’s land and Ruth’s hand in marriage. Naomi, once empty (1:21), is full; Ruth, once a widow (1:5), is married; but most important, God has prepared Christ’s line of descent in David, through Boaz and Obed, back to Judah (Genesis 49:10) to fulfill the proper Messianic lineage.This book is a wonderful reminder that God’s purposes cannot be thwarted. It is also a challenging picture of relationships marked by love and kindness.

Bible Passage:

Ruth 4 “1 Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there, and behold, the close relative of whom Boaz spoke was passing by, so he said, “Turn aside, friend, sit down here.” And he turned aside and sat down.

Ruth & Esther: Women of Faith, Bravery, and Hope Bible Passage

the gate (v. 1)—the normal public place to transact business in ancient times (see 2 Samuel 15:2; Job 29:7)

The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 7: Judges / Ruth The Heart of the Matter

“The gate” was really the center of the community’s life; there cases were heard and contracts were made. The “elders” dispensed justice, the poor waited for help, and the ordinary people met one another to exchange news. It had much the same function as the village square in medieval Europe. Everyone had to pass through the gate, so it was the obvious place to make for if you wanted to be sure of meeting someone, in a relatively small community.

2 He took ten men of the elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down.

Ruth & Esther: Women of Faith, Bravery, and Hope Bible Passage

ten men (v. 2)—This number apparently constituted a quorum to officially transact business, although only two or three witnesses were needed for judicial proceedings (see Deuteronomy 17:6).

3 Then he said to the closest relative, “Naomi, who has come back from the land of Moab, has to sell the piece of land which belonged to our brother Elimelech. 4 “So I thought to inform you, saying, ‘Buy it before those who are sitting here, and before the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if not, tell me that I may know; for there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am after you.’ ” And he said, “I will redeem it.”

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5 Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of the deceased, in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance.”

Boaz informs an unnamed kinsman that Naomi’s fields are his to redeem (4:1–4).

The kinsman agrees to buy the fields, but Boaz adds that whoever buys the land ought to marry Ruth to “maintain the name of the dead with his property” (v. 5). The Mosaic law did not tie the role of purchasing property with the custom of kinsman marriage. Therefore the kinsman could have declined without embarrassment. The kinsman explains that marriage would jeopardize his own inheritance. Boaz happily announces that he will redeem the property and marry Ruth himself.

-Dana Gould

Ruth & Esther: Women of Faith, Bravery, and Hope Bible Passage

you must also buy (v. 5)— Redeeming both Ruth and the land would not have been required by the letter of the levirate law (Deuteronomy 25:5–6). Perhaps this exemplified Boaz’s desire to obey the spirit of the law, or maybe redemption of land and marriage had been combined by local tradition.

Ruth 4:6-12 “6 The closest relative said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, because I would jeopardize my own inheritance. Redeem it for yourself; you may have my right of redemption, for I cannot redeem it.” 7 Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning the redemption and the exchange of land to confirm any matter: a man removed his sandal and gave it to another; and this was the manner of attestation in Israel. 8 So the closest relative said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself.” And he removed his sandal. 9 Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses today that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon. 10 “Moreover, I have acquired Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, to be my wife in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance, so that the name of the deceased will not be cut off from his brothers or from the court of his birth place; you are witnesses today.” Ruth 4:11-15 “11 All the people who were in the court, and the elders, said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel; and may you achieve wealth in Ephrathah and become famous in Bethlehem. 12 “Moreover, may your house be like the house of Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah, through the offspring which the Lord will give you by this young woman.” 13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife, and he went in to her. And the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. 14 Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed is the Lord who has not left you without a redeemer today, and may his name become famous in Israel. 15 “May he also be to you a restorer of life and a sustainer of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.””

Ruth & Esther: Women of Faith, Bravery, and Hope Bible Passage

better … than seven sons (v. 15)—Seven represented the number of perfection and thus seven sons would make the complete family (see 1 Samuel 2:5). However, Ruth exceeded this standard all by herself.

Ruth 4:16-22 “16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her lap, and became his nurse. 17 The neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi!” So they named him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

God rewards the couple by giving them the child Obed, King David’s grandfather. The women of the city praise God and recognize that Obed will sustain Naomi and possess Elimelech’s property. In this sense Naomi is regarded the mother of the child (4:17).

18 Now these are the generations of Perez: to Perez was born Hezron, 19 and to Hezron was born Ram, and to Ram, Amminadab, 20 and to Amminadab was born Nahshon, and to Nahshon, Salmon, 21 and to Salmon was born Boaz, and to Boaz, Obed, 22 and to Obed was born Jesse, and to Jesse, David.”

Because of the faithfulness of Ruth and the faithfulness of God, the promises of the patriarchs could be realized through David and his greater Son, Jesus Christ: “A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matt 1:1).

God worked through a woman outside Israel to bring about His purposes for Israel and for all nations. Human categories and boundaries do not limit God as He works out His purpose.