20140317 Monday, March 17 2014
Ruth 04: The Marriage Of Boaz and Ruth

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem"

With all of the LORD (Who was and is Jesus Christ - see Genesis 1: In The Beginning Was The Word and The Kingdom Of The LORD God) inspired and guided preparations completed (see Ruth 1: Elimelech and Naomi, Ruth 2: The Meeting Of Ruth and Boaz and Ruth 3: The Threshingfloor Proposal), there remained only the matter of a kinsman who was closer to the family of Naomi (i.e. Ruth was the widow of one of Naomi's sons). Along with the rights of Ruth were the rights of those who were responsible to the law and custom. There would seem to be little doubt that everyone was relieved when the closer "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."

"4:1 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.

4:2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down. 4:3 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: 4:4 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.

4:5 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.

4:6 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.

4:7 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.

4:8 Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe.

4:9 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. 4:10 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." (Ruth 4:1-10 KJV)

The people of Israel (see A Biography Of Jacob: When Jacob Became Israel and Genesis 46: The First Census Of Israel) were created from the people of the nations around them i.e. Abraham was from Iraq (see A Biography Of Abraham: The Genealogy Of Abram), Rachel and Leah were from Syria (see A Biography Of Jacob: The Jacobites Of Syria), the first Jews had Canaanite mothers (see Genesis 38: The First Jews), Ephraim and Manasseh were born in Egypt of an Egyptian mother (see Genesis 48: The Adoption Of Ephraim and Manasseh). Ruth of Moab was not only welcomed to "Israel," but was declared by the obvious inspiration of the Holy Spirit in the people there that "The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel."

"4:11 And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem: 4:12 And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman." (Ruth 4:11-12 KJV)

Boaz and Ruth became the parents of Obed - who became the father of Jesse (see the Fact Finder question below), who became the father of King David, who became a key ancestor of Jesus Christ.

"4:13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son. 4:14 And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. 4:15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.

4:16 And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it. 4:17 And the women her neighbours gave it 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.

4:18 Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron, 4:19 And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab, 4:20 And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon, 4:21 And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed, 4:22 And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David." (Ruth 4:13-22 KJV)

Fact Finder: Boaz and Ruth were the grandparents of Jesse, the father of King David. What do the Scriptures tell us about Jesse?
See Jesse The Bethlehemite