Ruth 4

Chapter context

What is happening in Ruth 4?

hesedprovidenceloyaltyredemption

Ruth 4 belongs to the closing movement of the book, especially the section often described as public redemption, marriage, and Davidic genealogy. Ruth is a short narrative of loss, loyal love, field gleaning, redemption, marriage, and the hidden providence that leads toward the house of David. Read this chapter with the wider themes of hesed, providence, and loyalty in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.

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. ² And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat 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: 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. 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. 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. 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: 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. 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. 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. 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. ¹⁶ And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it. 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. ¹⁸ Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron, ¹⁹ And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab, ²⁰ And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon, ²¹ And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed, ²² And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.

Study helps

Glossary

Boaz Person v. 1, 5, 8-9, 13, 21: Alacrity. (1. ) The husband of Ruth, a wealthy Bethlehemite. By the “levirate law” the duty devolved on him of marrying Ruth the Moabitess ( Ruth 4:1-13 ). He was a kinsman of Mahlon, her first husband.
City People v. 2: The earliest mention of city-building is that of Enoch, which was built by Cain ( Gen. 4:17 ). After the confusion of tongues, the descendants of Nimrod founded several cities (10:10-12).
Moab Place v. 3: Biblical region. Modern identification: Kerak.
Naomi Person v. 3, 5, 9, 14, 16-17: The lovable; my delight, the wife of Elimelech, and mother of Mahlon and Chilion, and mother-in-law of Ruth (1:2, 20, 21; 2:1).
Ruth Person v. 5, 10, 13: A friend, a Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, whose father, Elimelech, had settled in the land of Moab.
Bethlehem Place v. 11: House of bread. (1. ) A city in the “hill country” of Judah. It was originally called Ephrath ( Gen. 35:16 , 19; 48:7; Ruth 4:11 ). It was also called Beth-lehem Ephratah ( Micah 5:2 ), Beth-lehem-judah. Modern identification: Bethlehem.
Ephrathah Place v. 11: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Bethlehem.
Leah Person v. 11: Weary, the eldest daughter of Laban, and sister of Rachel ( Gen. 29:16 ). Jacob took her to wife through a deceit of her father ( Gen. 29:23 ). She was “tender-eyed” (17).
Rachel Person v. 11: Ewe, “the daughter”, “the somewhat petulant, peevish, and self-willed though beautiful younger daughter” of Laban, and one of Jacob’s wives ( Gen. 29:6 , 28).
David Person v. 17, 22: Beloved, the eighth and youngest son of Jesse, a citizen of Bethlehem. His father seems to have been a man in humble life. His mother’s name is not recorded. Some think she was the Nahash of 2 Sam. 17:25 .
Jesse Person v. 17, 22: Firm, or a gift, a son of Obed, the son of Boaz and Ruth ( Ruth 4:17 , 22; Matt. 1:5 , 6; Luke 3:32 ). He was the father of eight sons, the youngest of whom was David ( 1 Sam. 17:12 ).
Obed Person v. 17, 21-22: Serving; worshipping. (1. ) A son of Boaz and Ruth ( Ruth 4:21 , 22), and the grandfather of David ( Matt. 1:5 ). (2. ) 1 Chr. 2:34-38 . (3. ) 1 Chr. 26:7 . (4. ) 2 Chr. 23:1 .
Amminadab Tribe v. 19-20: Kindred of the prince. (1. ) The father of Nahshon, who was chief of the tribe of Judah ( Num. 1:7 ; 2:3 ; 7:12 , 17; 10:14). His daughter Elisheba was married to Aaron ( Ex. 6:23 ).
Ram Person v. 19: Exalted. (1. ) The son of Hezron, and one of the ancestors of the royal line ( Ruth 4:19 ). The margin of 1 Chr. 2:9 , also Matt. 1:3 , 4 and Luke 3:33 , have “Aram. ” (2. ) One of the sons of Jerahmeel ( 1 Chr. 2:25 , 27).
Nahshon Person v. 20: Sorcerer, the son of Aminadab, and prince of the children of Judah at the time of the first numbering of the tribes in the wilderness ( Ex. 6:23 ). His sister Elisheba was the wife of Aaron. He died in the wilderness.