Ruth 4

Ruth 4:1–2 NKJV

Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there; and behold, the close relative of whom Boaz had spoken came by. So Boaz said, “Come aside, friend, sit down here.” So he came aside and sat down. And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down.

This was how business was done.

Business was often done at the city gate.

There was no "stock exchange" back then.

The elders were the leaders of the city, and were there to witness the transaction.

As Naomi said in , Boaz is getting this thing done.

Ruth 4:3–4 NKJV

Then he said to the close relative, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, sold the piece of land which belonged to our brother Elimelech. And I thought to inform you, saying, ‘Buy it back in the presence of the inhabitants and the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if you will not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know; for there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am next after you.’ ” And he said, “I will redeem it.”

By the law, the closest relative had first "dibs" on Elimilech's land.

This is the law of the kinsman redeemer.

This is the law of the kinsman redeemer.

(NKJV)

(NKJV)

This is the law of the kinsman redeemer.

(NKJV)

‘The land shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are strangers and sojourners with Me. And in all the land of your possession you shall grant redemption of the land.

‘If one of your brethren becomes poor, and has sold some of his possession, and if his redeeming relative comes to redeem it, then he may redeem what his brother sold.

There is land that Elimelech sold when he took his family to Moab.

b. There is land that Elimelech sold when he took his family to Moab.

As Naomi said in , Boaz is getting this thing done.

Now Boaz wants to redeem the land, and by law Ruth as a wife.

However, this closer relative has first claim to redeem the land.

Boaz is following the law, by bringing this to the close relative's attention and asking if he will redeem Elimelech's land or let Boaz do it.

Boaz is taking a risk.

If he wants Naomi’s land, and Ruth, this closer relative may take her.

Boaz would have no legal recourse.

Boaz does what is right, even at the risk of not getting what he wants.

The close relative wants the land.

Ruth 4:5 NKJV

Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also buy it from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance.”

What is Boaz to do? The close relative wants the land.

Boaz mentions that if the relative redeems the land he also has to marry Ruth.

This not only means marrying Ruth, but raising a son for Ruth's husband Mahlon.

(NKJV)

(NKJV)

“If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the widow of the dead man shall not be married to a stranger outside the family; her husband’s brother shall go in to her, take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. And it shall be that the firstborn son which she bears will succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel.

That means, when Mahlon’s son comes of age the land would become his at the next Jubilee.

a.i.1. That means, when Mahlon’s son comes of age the land would become his at the next Jubilee.

Notice, Boaz doesn't rail against the rules, nor does try to trick the close relative.

He just points out the facts.

In fact, as we will find out, Boaz does this man a favor by reminding him of the responsibility he would be taking on.

Ruth 4:6 NKJV

And the close relative said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I ruin my own inheritance. You redeem my right of redemption for yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”

The close redeemer wants the land, but the "cost" is too high.

He does not want to impact his own inheritance.

He is not shown to be evil or greedy, but he does put his inheritance ahead of the welfare of his relatives.

Ruth 4:7 NKJV

Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging, to confirm anything: one man took off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was a confirmation in Israel.

I guess this is one way to sign a contract.

(NKJV)

(NKJV)

But if the man does not want to take his brother’s wife, then let his brother’s wife go up to the gate to the elders, and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to raise up a name to his brother in Israel; he will not perform the duty of my husband’s brother.’ Then the elders of his city shall call him and speak to him. But if he stands firm and says, ‘I do not want to take her,’ then his brother’s wife shall come to him in the presence of the elders, remove his sandal from his foot, spit in his face, and answer and say, ‘So shall it be done to the man who will not build up his brother’s house.’ And his name shall be called in Israel, ‘The house of him who had his sandal removed.’

then his brother’s wife shall come to him in the presence of the elders, remove his sandal from his foot, spit in his face, and answer and say, ‘So shall it be done to the man who will not build up his brother’s house.’ And his name shall be called in Israel, ‘The house of him who had his sandal removed.’

The family line in Israel is very important to God.

If a person would not assist a family member in need, they were to be shamed.

Ruth 4:8–12 NKJV

Therefore the close relative said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself.” So he took off his sandal. And Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, from the hand of Naomi. Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, I have acquired as my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren and from his position at the gate. You are witnesses this day.” And all the people who were at the gate, and the elders, said, “We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah, the two who built the house of Israel; and may you prosper in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. May your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring which the Lord will give you from this young woman.”

Boaz redeems Elimelech's land.

Boaz redeems Ruth as his wife.

Boaz will raise a son to perpetuate Mahlon's name.

The elders confirm they are witness to the transaction.

They also call for a blessing on this family.

That they may be like Rachel and Leah, the mothers of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Ruth 4:13–17 NKJV

So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife; and when he went in to her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a close relative; and may his name be famous in Israel! And may he be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him.” Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her bosom, and became a nurse to him. Also the neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “There is a son born to Naomi.” And they called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

Remember when Naomi told people to call her Mara?

(NKJV)

(NKJV)

But she said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the Lord has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?”

Her husband’s land is redeemed.

Her daughter-in-law has a new husband and will be provided for.

Now Naomi gets to hold her grandson.

a. Now Naomi gets to hold her grandson.

Ruth 4:18–22 NKJV

Now this is the genealogy of Perez: Perez begot Hezron; Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab; Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon; Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed; Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David.

As a closing note, the genealogy of this child, born out of this incredible story is told.

This child came through Perez, the son of Judah.

This child's grandson became the greatest, king of Israel.

As believers, do we trust in the ways of God?

Do we do things God’s way, even when we think another way would be better?

Do we turn the other cheek or do we strike back?

Do we give to the needy or do we expect others to do it for us?

Do we hold to what Scripture says even if it means a personal or professional loss?

Do we believe that the ends justify the means?

Do we justify our actions by cherry-picking words from Scripture?

Are we willing to compromise our ethics in order to obtain some greater good?

Do we compromise our witness in order to introduce others to God?

And when we do so, are we introducing them to God or our caricature of Him?

Do we trust that God wants what is best for us?

Do we look at the Ten Commandments as things God doesn’t want us to have or as rules to keep us safe and healthy?

Will we wait for the person God has chosen for us or marry based on what we want?

Will we take the job or go to the school God calls us to, or the one that makes more sense to us?