Ruth Marries Boaz

Boaz stood on business

Ruth 4 (KJV 1900)

1 Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.

Boaz seemed to have enthusiasm and urgency about getting this business finished.

The night before she laid at his feet and indicated to him her desire for him to be her Kinsman redeemer.

2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.

The total now appears to be 12 men. 12 is government.

The New Bible Commentary (4:1–12 A Marriage Is Arranged)

The main gate of the town served as the local law court. Planned with an open space around which benches provided places to sit in the shade of the high walls, the gate was a natural meeting place. It had the advantage of being open to the public, who could observe that justice was done. Boaz knew that his relative would be sure to go through the gate to work and the relative, who remains unnamed, would be prepared for some serious business when he was invited to sit down

3 And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech’s:

Boaz deals with the land issue first of all.

4 And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.

5 Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.

6 And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it.

Elimelech had a right to an heir. Ruth the Moabitess, his daughter-in-law, was still living, and the man who bought the field had the duty of raising an heir for the dead man through her. If a son were born, the land would revert to him and Elimelech’s property would remain in his family. The kinsman would then lose what he had bought and would have another family to keep, hence his reply, I cannot do it. The cost was too high. The generosity of Boaz in accepting these financial losses becomes the more apparent

Baldwin, J. G. (1994). Ruth. In D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, & G. J. Wenham (Eds.), New Bible commentary: 21st century edition (4th ed., p. 293). Inter-Varsity Press.

7 Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a testimony in Israel.

So that he is giving up his right to tread on that land anymore.

This hearkens back to God’s promise to Abraham that whatever the sole of his foot would teach would be his possession.

8 Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe.

9 And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, of the hand of Naomi.

10 Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.

Boaz being a half breed and Ruth being a Gentile grafted in raise up seed in replacement of an heir of promise. This is representative of the time of the gentiles as well as the portion given to the Gentiles. Rom 11:16-24.

Naomi’s husband move outside of the realm of promise (faith) to the land of Moab