Ruth 4: Boaz Redeems Ruth and the Family Line

Short answer: Ruth 4 tells how Boaz publicly redeems the land and marries Ruth after the nearer kinsman declines, and how Ruth bears Obed, the grandfather of David. The chapter closes with a genealogy from Perez to David, showing God's hand in preserving the family line.

What Ruth 4 says

Boaz goes to the city gate and sits down, and when the near kinsman passes by, Boaz calls him to sit with ten elders as witnesses. Boaz explains that Naomi is selling the parcel of land that belonged to Elimelech, and he offers the kinsman the first right to redeem it. The kinsman initially says he will redeem it. But Boaz adds that on the day he buys the field, he must also take Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead on his inheritance. The kinsman then refuses, saying he cannot redeem it lest he endanger his own inheritance, and he tells Boaz to take his right of redemption. The scene is a legal transaction at the gate, with elders as witnesses.

The text explains a custom in former times in Israel: to confirm a transaction, a man took off his sandal and gave it to his neighbor. So the near kinsman says to Boaz, Buy it for yourself, and he takes off his sandal. Boaz then declares to the elders and all the people that they are witnesses that he has bought all that was Elimelech's and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's from the hand of Naomi. He also declares that he has purchased Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, to be his wife, to raise up the name of the dead on his inheritance, so that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his place. The people and elders confirm that they are witnesses.

The people at the gate and the elders bless Boaz, asking Yahweh to make the woman who has come into his house like Rachel and Leah, who both built the house of Israel, and to treat him worthily in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. They also ask that his house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, through the offspring Yahweh will give him by this young woman. So Boaz takes Ruth, she becomes his wife, and Yahweh enables her to conceive, and she bears a son. The women then bless Yahweh, saying he has not left Naomi without a near kinsman, and they pray that his name be famous in Israel. They say he will be a restorer of life and sustain Naomi in her old age, for her daughter-in-law who loves her is better to her than seven sons.

Naomi takes the child, lays him in her bosom, and becomes his nurse. The women, her neighbors, give him a name, saying, A son is born to Naomi, and they name him Obed. The text then gives the genealogy: Obed is the father of Jesse, the father of David. The chapter closes with the generations of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron, Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab, Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon, Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed, Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David. This genealogy ties the events of the chapter to the larger story of Israel and to the line of David.

Verses that carry the chapter

• “Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there. Behold, the near kinsman of whom Boaz spoke came by. Boaz said to him, “Come over here, friend, and sit down!” (Ruth 4:1) He came over, and sat down.” (Ruth 4:1) — This verse sets the stage for the legal transaction at the gate, showing Boaz's deliberate action to settle the matter publicly and honorably.
• “The near kinsman said, “I can’t redeem it for myself, lest I endanger my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption for yourself; for I can’t redeem it.” (Ruth 4:6)” (Ruth 4:6) — The near kinsman's refusal is the turning point that clears the way for Boaz to redeem Ruth, highlighting the cost and the choice involved.
• “Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, I have purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead on his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his place. You are witnesses today.”” (Ruth 4:10) — Boaz's public declaration that he has purchased Ruth to be his wife and to raise up the name of the dead is the heart of the chapter's resolution.
• “The women, her neighbors, gave him a name, saying, “A son is born to Naomi” (Ruth 4:17). They named him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.” (Ruth 4:17) — The naming of Obed and the note that he is the father of Jesse, the father of David, connects the intimate story to the grand story of Israel's monarchy.

Gospel connection

The redemption of Ruth by Boaz points forward to the greater redemption accomplished by Jesus Christ. Boaz acted as a kinsman redeemer, taking on the obligation to preserve the name of the dead and to provide a future for Naomi and Ruth. In a similar way, Christ became our kinsman by taking on human flesh and redeemed us from sin and death, not with silver or gold but with his own blood. The child born to Ruth, Obed, became the grandfather of David, and from David's line would come the Messiah, Jesus. Thus the book of Ruth quietly prepares the way for the gospel, showing that God weaves even the small and ordinary events of life into his plan to bring salvation to the world.

Application

This chapter asks us to trust God's hidden hand in ordinary decisions and to act with integrity and kindness. Boaz did not rush; he followed the proper legal process and protected the interests of others. We are invited to do the same in our own lives, to be people of our word, to care for the vulnerable, and to see that God often works through the faithful, unspectacular choices we make. Naomi, who once felt empty, is restored and given a grandson who will be part of the line of David. We can take heart that God can bring restoration out of loss and that our present faithfulness may bear fruit far beyond what we can see.

Biblical fidelity check

The chapter does not tell us the name of the near kinsman, nor does it explain his motives beyond his concern for his own inheritance. It does not describe Ruth's feelings or Boaz's emotions during the transaction. It does not claim that Boaz was the only possible redeemer, only that he was next in line after the nearer kinsman. The text does not say that Naomi was present at the gate or that she participated in the legal proceedings. It also does not explain how the custom of the sandal originated, only that it was a former custom in Israel. The genealogy at the end does not include every generation, and it does not comment on the moral character of Perez, Tamar, or any other ancestor. The chapter is silent on the exact timing of events and on the later life of Obed.

Questions for study

1. Why did Boaz go to the city gate and involve the elders instead of settling the matter privately with the near kinsman?
2. What reasons did the near kinsman give for refusing to redeem Ruth, and how does his refusal contrast with Boaz's willingness?
3. What did the witnesses at the gate ask God to do for Boaz and Ruth, and how do those blessings connect to the rest of Israel's story?
4. How does the birth of Obed change Naomi's situation from the way she described herself earlier in the book?
5. Why do you think the chapter ends with a genealogy that goes all the way to David, and what does that suggest about God's work through this family?

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Related studies: Ruth 1 Bible Study, Ruth 2 Bible Study, Ruth 3 Bible Study.

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FAQ

What was the role of a kinsman redeemer in ancient Israel?

A kinsman redeemer was a close relative who had the right and responsibility to buy back land that a family member had sold and to preserve the family name by marrying a widow and raising up offspring for the deceased. In Ruth 4, Boaz acts in this role after the nearer kinsman declines.

Why did the near kinsman take off his sandal?

According to verse 7, taking off a sandal and giving it to the other party was the custom in Israel for confirming a transaction. By doing this, the near kinsman publicly transferred his right of redemption to Boaz.

How is Obed related to King David?

Obed was the son of Boaz and Ruth, and he became the father of Jesse, who was the father of David. The genealogy at the end of the chapter traces this line from Perez to David, showing that Obed was David's grandfather.