Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What does Ruth Chapter 4 mean?

When Naomi and Ruth arrived in Bethlehem, they had nothing. Naomi’s husband, Elimelech, was dead, as were her two sons, including Ruth’s husband Mahlon (Ruth 1:1–5). Naomi’s hope for Ruth has always been that she remarry and find “rest”—security in her place (Ruth 1:9). Ruth wants Naomi to have an heir for her husband and sons. After two months of gleaning in the fields of an honorable landowner named Boaz, both women think they see a solution (Ruth 2).

Ruth has proposed to Boaz, as Naomi wished her to. Yet she also boldly asked for a unique condition: that Boaz buy Naomi’s land and give her an heir. This child would re-inherit the purchased land under Naomi’s husband’s name. Boaz was already in awe of Ruth. She’d forsaken her Moabite family, identity, and gods to care for Naomi. Now, she forsakes her own chance to marry a younger man, whether rich or poor but in love, for the sake of Naomi’s comfort and honor. He readily agrees (Ruth 3).

First, however, Boaz must settle with a closer relative—the next person legally entitled to provide an heir for Naomi. He goes to the city gate where he waits for the man to pass by, then asks him to sit down. This is where town elders rule on or witness business and legal transactions. When Boaz offers the land, the man quickly agrees. But when Boaz challenges him to marry Ruth and give up that land for another man’s heir, he demurs. Buying land in the first year after a famine has ended is risky enough; if he had to later give it away to a boy not in his family, he would risk ruin. Further, the woman in question is from Moab (Deuteronomy 23:3–6) and could bring disrepute to the family (Ruth 4:1–6).

Boaz and the closer relative complete their legal transaction. The man officially withdraws his claim, and Boaz buys Naomi’s land. He announces his marriage to Ruth and declares his intention to provide an heir in the name of Ruth’s late husband (Ruth 4:7–10).

The elders and the people gathered to watch the proceedings swear their witness. They then bless Boaz, Ruth, and their future children. They are impressed with Ruth’s kind heart and Boaz’s honorable behavior. The crowd compares them to the women and men of the past who made the nation of Israel and the tribe of Judah great (Ruth 4:11–12).

God blesses the honorable Boaz and Ruth. He allows Ruth to present Naomi with a son. The women of the city give praise to God and to Ruth. Naomi is content. The narrator reveals that this son, Obed, is more than a long-wanted child or a landowner in Bethlehem: he becomes the grandfather of King David (Ruth 4:13–17).

To emphasize the significance of these events, the author presents the genealogy of Israel’s great king, David. This line begins with Perez, one of the twin sons born after Tamar assumed her legal rights by tricking her father-in-law into a levirate marriage (Genesis 38). It passes through Nahshon, the leader of the tribe of Judah during the exodus (Numbers 2:3). Two generations later is Boaz, who welcomed a levirate marriage with Ruth. And it ends with David, Israel’s greatest king (Ruth 4:18–22). For Jews, this was miraculous enough. For Christian believers today, it proves that Ruth, a Moabitess, is an ancestress of Jesus the Messiah (Matthew 1:5–16; Luke 3:23–32).

Chapter Context
Ruth 4 closes the story of how a Moabite woman came to be part of the genealogy of King David. Naomi, an Israelite from Bethlehem, fled a famine with her husband and two sons. The men died and Naomi returned to Israel with Ruth, her Moabite daughter-in-law. Ruth enlists the help of Boaz, an honored landowner, to buy Naomi’s land and give her an heir. After Boaz negotiates with relatives, Ruth and Boaz marry. Naomi holds the boy born in the name of her husband’s family. This child becomes the grandfather of David.

Verse by Verse

Verse 1. Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there. And behold, the redeemer, of whom Boaz had spoken, came by. So Boaz said, “Turn aside, friend; sit down here.” And he turned aside and sat down.

Naomi wants Ruth to find a good husband who can provide her “rest:” a secure life (Ruth 1:9). If Ruth had the same priority, she could have chosen any number of younger men and married either for wealth or for love. Ruth would rather use her marriage to bless Naomi. If she can marry a kinsman-redeemer of Naomi’s husband, he will be more likely to buy Naomi’s land and use the money to support her. Ruth goes even further; levirate marriages, in which a man marries his late brother’s wife to give the deceased man an heir, apply only to brothers. Ruth hopes to combine a levirate marriage with a kinsman-redeemer.

For that goal, Ruth has proposed to Boaz (Ruth 3), a relative who has shown the women great kindness since they arrived in Bethlehem (Ruth 2). He has agreed but mentions that he is not Naomi’s husband’s closest relative. There is another. Naomi must have known this, as Bethlehem isn’t that big. So, why didn’t she send Ruth to that other man? Likely because she wasn’t thinking about a levirate marriage. She was thinking how kind Boaz has been and what a good husband he would be for Ruth.

When Ruth returned home and told Naomi what had transpired at the threshing floor, Naomi told her Boaz would act quickly (Ruth 3:16–18). Naomi is right. It is only a few hours later when Boaz goes to the city gates. The gates are important for two reasons. First, it’s where business and legal transactions take place. Second, Boaz probably assumes the next of kin will come through on his way to the community threshing floor.

When the unnamed man passes by, Boaz invites him to talk. Boaz respects Ruth and wants to marry her (Ruth 3:10–13). But even if the other man agrees to buy Naomi’s land, marry Ruth, and provide Naomi with an heir, Boaz will have accomplished his own mission: to watch God reward Ruth for her sacrifice (Ruth 2:12).

Context Summary
Ruth 4:1–6 is the climax of the romance portion of the story. Ruth has asked Boaz to marry her, buy Naomi’s land, and give Naomi an heir in the name of her husband. Boaz agrees, but first he must give Ruth’s proposal to a nearer relation. Will this new man agree? Or will Ruth find rest in the home of the kind and noble Boaz? The storyteller builds the suspense.

Verse 2. And he took ten men of the elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down.

Boaz is at the city gates of Bethlehem. His goal is to make sure Ruth gets what she wants: someone to buy Naomi’s land and have an heir in the name of Naomi’s late husband.

If Boaz marries Ruth, he will do all she asks (Ruth 3:11). Buying the land isn’t an issue; any relative can do that. But because the deceased’s brother is responsible for providing an heir (Deuteronomy 25:5–6), and neither Naomi’s husband nor son has a living brother, no one is obliged to give Naomi an heir. Naomi’s next of kin would be well within his rights to buy the land and not marry Ruth. Boaz must play his hand carefully.

He goes to the city gates where such business transactions take place, finds the man, then gathers ten elders. Because it’s a family matter and not a legal case, the elders are there as witnesses, not judges. Then Boaz does something the man does not expect; he uses the honor-shame culture to set a benign sort of ambush (Ruth 4:3–5).

An elder is a community leader who makes religious, social, and leadership decisions (Numbers 11:16). Moses appointed the first official Israelite elders when his father-in-law recognized the need to delegate decision-making (Exodus 18). We don’t know why Boaz chose ten elders, but it is interesting to note that in the time of Jesus, a synagogue could only be established if the town had ten Jewish males.

Verse 3. Then he said to the redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech.

The issue of land ownership in the Old Testament is closely tied to Israel’s relationship with their God.

After Abraham’s father died, God called Abraham to leave Haran and travel to Canaan. God promised that one day Abraham’s descendants would own all of Canaan (Genesis 12:1–2; 15:18–21). God’s promise to Abraham was unconditional; at some point, His descendants would inhabit specific boundaries. After God rescued the Israelites from Egypt, He explained how that generation could acquire and keep Abraham’s inheritance: if they obeyed God’s Law and served Him only, they would receive the land and keep it, enjoying the abundance God would provide. If they rejected Him, they would experience famine, pestilence, and exile (Deuteronomy 28).

The division of that land by tribe, clan, and family takes up much of the book of Joshua. Joshua started the process of driving the Canaanites out, and the battles continued through the reign of David. For instance, at the time of Ruth, the Israelites have Bethlehem, but the Jebusites control nearby Jerusalem.

Land ownership was an extremely important part of Israelite life. It was the inheritance of God and proof that one’s family was in obedience to God. When Elimelech left Bethlehem, he would have sold his land to get capital for his move to Moab. Some biblical scholars think God killed Elimelech as punishment for forsaking his family’s birthright. The book doesn’t say. When Naomi returns to Bethlehem without husband or sons, she might feel she has dishonored her husband by not providing him with an heir who can buy back the land (Ruth 1:11–13, 20–21). She certainly feels abandoned by God (Ruth 1:20–21).

Even if Naomi had the money to buy back the land, widows did not own land; they needed a husband, son, or another male relative to own it and use the proceeds to support them. Naomi doesn’t even have the money to buy seed or hire laborers. Only once does the Old Testament speak of daughters inheriting their father’s land: the daughters of Zelophehad had no brothers but insisted their father had the right to pass on his land to them. The leadership agreed, so long as they married within their tribe, keeping the land in the tribe (Numbers 36).

To stabilize land ownership, God codified the tradition of the kinsman-redeemer into the Mosaic law. If a man fell into debt and had to sell his land to survive, a relative would buy it and either sell it back to the man or return it at the year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25:25–28, 47–49). This is part of Ruth’s plan for providing for Naomi. She wants Boaz to redeem the land from Elimelech’s buyer and provide Naomi with an heir who will inherit it back in Elimelech’s name. This is a big ask, but Boaz is more concerned with how God’s heart is expressed through the spirit of the Law. So, he boldly approaches Elimelech’s nearest relation and challenges him to buy “Naomi’s” land.

The man quickly agrees (Ruth 4:4). Because Naomi has no male heir, he will not have to hand it over at the year of Jubilee. He will gain more land for his own sons. But then Boaz reveals the rest of Ruth’s plan (Ruth 4:5). He tells the man he must marry Ruth and give Naomi an heir. The man withdraws (Ruth 4:6). To spend the money to buy the land just to give it to a child born to another man’s name would incur financial difficulties unless his own land was unusually prosperous, which is in question considering the recent famine.

“Relative” can mean male relative or brother. He’s most likely not Elimelech’s brother; if he were, his refusal to marry Ruth would be a great dishonor (Deuteronomy 25:7–10). Legally, he could buy the land and not marry Ruth, but Boaz has challenged him in front of the city elders and several other witnesses. In an honor/shame culture, it’s enough to make the man politely back out.

Verse 4. So I thought I would tell you of it and say, ‘Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people.’ If you will redeem it, redeem it. But if you will not, tell me, that I may know, for there is no one besides you to redeem it, and I come after you.” And he said, “I will redeem it.”

International Justice Mission (IJM) reports that about ninety percent of rural sub-Saharan Africans do not have proof of ownership of the land where they live and work. If a man and his sons live and work on the land, they have a chance of holding it. If the man dies and the boys are young, the widow is extremely vulnerable to land theft. In 2014, in the Ugandan territories where IJM works, about thirty percent of widows have lost their land—sometimes violently—with no hope of justice.

God’s intent for the Israelites was that they would never reach this point. If they obeyed Him, their families and their land would be fertile. If a man died, his sons would care for their mother. If, by chance, a man fell into extreme poverty, his relative would buy his land and return it at the year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25:25–28, 47–49). But the Israelites, especially during the time of the judges, often didn’t follow God. As a result, God allowed them to experience famine and war (Deuteronomy 28). In the middle of all this, Naomi has lost her husband, Elimelech, and their sons (Ruth 1:1–5). Elimelech apparently has no brother. But there is still land in his name, purchased and held by someone else. Naomi cannot redeem the land: she is destitute. And since she had no male heir, it will not be returned at the year of Jubilee.

Fortunately, Naomi’s daughter-in-law has found Boaz, a relative of Elimelech’s who is willing to either redeem the land from Elimelech’s buyer and use the proceeds to support Naomi or challenge a closer relative to do the same (Ruth 2—3). Because of Boaz, Naomi will not face the same fate as the widows of Uganda.

To this end, Boaz has found this closer relative and presents him with the proposition in front of ten elders and several bystanders (Ruth 4:1–3, 9). He uses legal language to provide the witnesses with a verbal “record” of the transaction. The man quickly agrees, at first. It’s a good deal for the man. He’ll have to support a woman who is past child-bearing age; she won’t cost much. And since she has no male heirs, he can keep the land for his own sons.

But Boaz isn’t done. Ruth presented it to him with an addition Boaz will include: the man must marry Ruth and provide Elimelech with an heir (Ruth 3:10). Unless the man is Ruth’s late husband’s brother, he is not legally obligated to join her in a levirate marriage (Deuteronomy 25:5–6). But Boaz challenges him to care for a widow of Israel in front of ten city elders and a crowd of bystanders. He can’t politely take the land and not take Ruth without bringing dishonor on his house. And yet, to agree would risk financial ruin if his own fields fell into another famine (Ruth 4:5–6).

So, the nameless man backs out, opening the path for what Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz wanted all along. Boaz will marry Ruth, care for Naomi, and give Elimelech an heir.

Verse 5. Then Boaz said, “The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance.”

There’s a lot of nuance in this verse, particularly with the language and the legal consequences of that language.

The gist of the verse is that a relative of Elimelech’s has agreed to buy Elimelech’s family land from the man who had bought it when Elimelech took his family to Moab. The man will use the proceeds to care for Elimelech’s widow, Naomi, as long as she lives. Boaz, who presented the offer on Naomi’s behalf, isn’t finished. If the man is honorable, he will also marry Naomi’s daughter-in-law and give Elimelech an heir.

That he will “buy the field from the hand of Naomi” is unusual because, technically, women didn’t have the right to own land. Apparently, Elimelech sold the land to someone who was not in his clan, thinking he could buy it back or re-inherit it on the year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25:25-28, 47-49). Since Elimelech and his sons are dead, Naomi wants a closer relative to buy it to keep it in the clan, but he would have permanent ownership since Elimelech had no one to receive it.

Then Boaz identifies Ruth as a Moabite. This is true, of course, but why does he bring it up? Is it required for legal reasons? Or, considering the scandalous reputation of Moabite women (Genesis 19:30–38; Numbers 25:1–9), is Boaz trying to discourage the man from accepting the offer?

Next, Boaz identifies Ruth as ʾēset ha mēt, or “wife of the deceased” even though he has already identified the landowner as Naomi who is the literal wife of the deceased. Technically, Elimelech died before his son—and Ruth’s husband—Mahlon, so Mahlon would have inherited the land in absentia. But Ruth is a Moabite, and foreigners could not own land in Israel. So, Ruth isn’t the agent of Mahlon’s estate; Naomi is.

Boaz also tells the kinsman-redeemer he will “acquire” Ruth. The interpretation of this is problematic. Is he buying Ruth or is the King James right when it reads, “What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess…”? Most likely, Boaz is just continuing his legal language and asserting that Ruth is part of the transaction.

Verse 6. Then the redeemer said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”

The game Boaz is playing is exquisite. His primary goal is to win the right to redeem Naomi’s land from the man who bought it from her husband, marry Ruth, and have a son with Ruth who will re-inherit Naomi’s land from Boaz (Ruth 3:9–13). Barring that, he knows Ruth will still get what she wants if this man, more closely related to Naomi’s late husband, accepts the same responsibilities.

Boaz begins by informing the man who is Naomi’s kinsman-redeemer; he has the first right to buy her late husband’s land to keep it within the clan; since Naomi has no male heirs, they will not inherit it. With the famine over, there is minor risk for the man—he gets more land for his own sons—and he agrees (Ruth 4:1–4). But then Boaz fills in the final detail: when the redeemer takes the land, he is also to marry Ruth and provide Naomi with an heir.

The unnamed man has several legitimate reasons to refuse the offer because it includes Ruth. Boaz has subtly reminded the man and the crowd that Ruth is a Moabite (Ruth 4:5). She descends from the women who seduced the Israelites from their God and families (Numbers 25:1–9). Boaz knows and respects that Ruth has abandoned her people, culture, and gods (Ruth 1:16–17; 2:11–12). The other man might worry his son’s family line will not be able to worship as an Israelite for ten generations (Deuteronomy 23:3–6). Boaz knows the other man probably doesn’t want a Moabitess in his house, let alone in his marriage. In the moment, the anonymous relative thinks the arrangement would threaten the inheritance of his sons.

Ruth 1:4 is a bit ambiguous; we don’t know if Ruth and Orpah were married to Naomi’s sons for ten years or if Naomi and her sons were in Moab for ten years total. Either way, Ruth apparently does not have a child. So, in the best-case scenario, the man would have to support Naomi and Ruth until they died. In a worst-case scenario, Ruth would have a son who would inherit the land at the year of Jubilee, and then Ruth would have more children the man would have to support.

The man is not required by law to marry Ruth and give Naomi an heir. Naomi is the landowner’s widow, but she’s beyond child-bearing age. More importantly, the man is not her late husband’s brother so he is not obligated to a levirate marriage (Deuteronomy 25:5–6). “Levirate” literally refers to “brother.” He doesn’t qualify. Any pressure he feels is purely tied to public image; Boaz did well to frame the situation around Naomi and her plight. To reject the redemption is to reject Naomi and Ruth’s need.

Instead of insulting Ruth, the man uses the second excuse, saying he can’t afford the arrangement. The word “impair” can mean “to ruin, spoil, destroy” as in warfare or pestilence. Because he’s not legally responsible, he is free to make that decision. Because Boaz wants the responsibility, there is no harm done.

Verse 7. Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging: to confirm a transaction, the one drew off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was the manner of attesting in Israel.

The nearest kinsman-redeemer formally withdraws his claim to Naomi’s land. He refuses Boaz’s challenge to marry Ruth and give Naomi an heir. This could be in part because he does not want the complications which might come from marrying a woman from Moab. His stated reason is that he does not want to impair his own inheritance (Ruth 4:1–6). The man shows his decision by taking a sandal off his foot and giving it to Boaz. This specific tradition seems to have been normal for the culture but is not well documented for us. In fact, the addition of the comment infers the story’s audience wasn’t familiar with the tradition, either.

Deuteronomy does mention it. It says that if a woman’s husband dies without an heir and his brother refuses to marry her and give her a son, “then his brother’s wife shall go up to him in the presence of the elders and pull his sandal off his foot and spit in his face. And she shall answer and say, ‘So shall it be done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house.’ And the name of his house shall be called in Israel, ‘The house of him who had his sandal pulled off’” (Deuteronomy 25:9–10).

It’s possible the woman removes the man’s shoe and keeps it as a sign that he has put the responsibility for her well-being on herself. The spit is because it’s a disgraceful choice. In this specific case, the man is not Naomi’s brother-in-law, and does not carry the same moral or legal obligation. It’s likely he didn’t incur the same family shame.

Context Summary
Ruth 4:7–12 records Boaz’s legal declaration. This follows parts of the law associated with Levirate marriage (Deuteronomy 25:5–6). He will buy Elimelech’s land from Naomi as well as everything that belonged to their sons. He will take Ruth to be his wife. With Ruth, he will do his part to give Elimelech an heir to re-inherit his land so the family will persist. In response, the elders and the people praise him and call blessings upon Ruth.

Verse 8. So when the redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself,” he drew off his sandal.

The matter is settled. The nearer kinsman-redeemer will not buy Naomi’s land nor marry Ruth, thus avoiding the risk that Ruth could have many sons and threaten his own sons’ inheritance (Ruth 4:1–6). If Boaz is willing to take those responsibilities, that is fine.

There is no shame in his decision. He’s right that if Ruth had children, it would cost him. By law, as the next of kin, he is responsible for buying Naomi’s land (Leviticus 25:25) but Boaz’s addition of a levirate marriage with Ruth is more manipulative than lawful. In the Mosaic law, he’s also well within his rights to refuse to marry a Moabite woman (Deuteronomy 23:3–6). It’s a fine line, however, because of the honor-shame culture of the ancient middle east. To take the land without providing the opportunity for its redemption would be legal, but not a “good look.” Even though Ruth is a Moabitess, she swore to leave her people and gods and take Naomi’s (Ruth 1:16–17; 2:11–12). The entire town of Bethlehem respects her (Ruth 3:11).

Fortunately, Boaz offers the man a way out: if the next of kin doesn’t want the land or Ruth, Boaz is more than willing to take responsibility (Ruth 3:13). The man finishes the transaction by legally declaring his intent before the ten elders (Ruth 4:2) and performing the obscure tradition of presenting Boaz with his sandal (Ruth 4:7). He is mentioned no more.

Most importantly, Boaz can now complete Ruth’s plan of providing Naomi with everything she needs and proving that Yahweh did not abandon her.

Verse 9. Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and to Mahlon.

Two months prior, Naomi had casually mentioned that the man who owned the barley Ruth had gleaned was a “redeemer” (Ruth 2:20). One of the blessings God intended for the Israelites is that every family not from the tribe of Levi would own land. Because people are fallen, inevitably some people would fall into poverty. If someone had so much debt they had to sell their land, that was a violation of God’s intent for the Israelites. It was especially so if the man sold the land to someone outside his clan and tribe.

To mitigate damage to the social order, a near relative was to purchase the land until either the original owner could earn the money to buy it back or until the year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25:25–28, 47–49). Jubilee was an extra special Sabbath that occurred after every seven-sevens of years, or every fifty years. At that time, prisoners, captives, and slaves were to be released and all land was returned to the family of its original owner. The people and the land were to have a year of rest (Leviticus 25:8–34).

Naomi’s husband, Elimelech, owned farmland but sold it when the family left for Moab. Now, Elimelech and his two sons are dead (Ruth 1:1–5). Naomi can’t hold the land because she’s a woman and not in Elimelech’s birth family. Ruth can’t hold it because she’s a woman and a foreigner. Elimelech’s next-of-kin has withdrawn his right to buy Elimelech’s land from the previous buyer and keep it in the clan (Ruth 4:6). Boaz, Elimelech’s second-closest male relative, legally takes possession. He will buy the land and all possessions Elimelech and his sons owned from Naomi. Inferred is that he will also take responsibility for Naomi’s well-being.

At this time, some financial records were recorded on clay and sealed in pots. We have no idea how extensive the practice was or if Boaz included a written record. We do know that when the Israelites entered the Promised Land, they still owned the land Jacob had purchased over four hundred years prior (Joshua 24:32). Boaz’s verbal pronouncement in front of ten city elders and a larger crowd of people is likely enough, especially since Naomi agrees to the transaction. The phrase “this day,” hayyom in Hebrew, establishes that Boaz’s action is finished and will continue. It also shows that Naomi was right when, early that morning, she had told Ruth, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today” (Ruth 3:18).

Fulfilling his role as the redeemer is Boaz’s legal responsibility. He goes further, however. He also takes Ruth as his wife to provide Elimelech with a male heir who will re-inherit the land he has redeemed (Ruth 4:10). He has no legal responsibility to do this. But he is a “worthy man” (Ruth 2:1) who has profound respect for Ruth (Ruth 2:11–12).

Verse 10. Also Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, I have bought to be my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his native place. You are witnesses this day.”

After legally purchasing Naomi’s husband’s land and taking responsibility for Naomi (Ruth 4:9), Boaz goes a step further. To buy the land was his responsibility as a kinsman-redeemer (Leviticus 25:25–28, 47–49). To marry Ruth as Naomi’s surrogate to provide an heir who will re-inherit the land is not his responsibility. He is not Elimelech’s brother (Deuteronomy 25:5–6).

Land and a continuous family line were two of the most important parts of Israelite culture. Much of the book of Joshua is a record of dividing the land of Canaan among the tribes, clans, and families of the Israelites. One of the most severe consequences for a family that rebelled against God was to have their name erased (Deuteronomy 29:20). For the nation, judgment included famine, pestilence, or defeat in war—curses on the land (Deuteronomy 28:20–44). God punished the Israelites when they sinned, but He also restored them when they repented (Leviticus 26:40–45). Elimelech sold his land and neither he nor his sons lived to redeem it. But because of the “repentance” of Ruth—that she “turned away” from her land and her gods and toward Israel and Yahweh (Ruth 1:16–17)—their land and their family name will be restored.

The story of Ruth is about lovingkindness and loyalty. Ruth showed both when she forsook her people and religion, accompanied Naomi to Bethlehem, and did everything in her power to win her a life, a home, and an heir. Ruth was responding to the lovingkindness and loyalty Naomi had shown her during their lives together in Moab. Boaz responded to the mutual display by using his power as male landowner of honor to fulfill Ruth’s plan.

Behind it all, however, is God’s lovingkindness and loyalty. When Naomi arrived in Bethlehem, she thought God had abandoned her and forsaken His promise to care for her as an Israelite (Ruth 1:19–21). She sees now that God was working all along to restore to her what she had lost.

Verse 11. Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman, who is coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you act worthily in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem,

When Naomi returned to Bethlehem, her old friends were excited to see her (Ruth 1:19). Despite her despised Moabite heritage, Ruth quickly gained a reputation in the city as an honorable woman because of her care for her mother-in-law (Ruth 2:11; 3:11). Boaz is also known as a worthy man, perhaps even a military hero (Ruth 2:1). To see the three of them together is almost more than the people can stand.

The people and the ten elders declare “we are witnesses.” They affirm that Boaz has bought Naomi’s land, he has accepted Ruth as his wife, and he will provide Naomi’s deceased husband with an heir to re-inherit that land.

That Ruth is “coming into [Boaz’s] house” means they affirm Ruth’s declaration that she abandoned her people and her gods and declared herself to be an Israelite and a worshiper of Yahweh (Ruth 1:16–17). God’s pronouncement that Moabites will be barred from the assembly of the Israelites until the tenth generation is avoided; Ruth is grafted in (Deuteronomy 23:3–6). This was exactly the intent of the law: not as racial prejudice, but to ensure that only those loyal to the One True God were part of Israel.

Rachel and Leah were Jacob’s wives. Together with their handmaidens, they gave Jacob thirteen children (Genesis 30:21; 35:23–26). The people pray blessings of fertility on Ruth.

“Ephrathah” is a name somehow associated with Bethlehem, but the exact relationship is unknown. It may have been a pre-Israelite name for the district. The phrase “May you act worthily in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem” is a typical example of synonymous parallelism, which is common in Hebrew poetry.

This blessing of fertility, and a misinterpretation of Boaz’s comment on kindness (Ruth 3:10), leads many biblical scholars to speculate that until this point, Boaz had never married or had married but not had sons. As a “worthy man” (Ruth 2:1) it seems unlikely Boaz had not married before. If he had sons, it would seemingly make more sense for Boaz to marry Ruth to one of them. But the text doesn’t say. In all the genealogies that mention Boaz, Obed is the only son mentioned (Ruth 4:18–22; 1 Chronicles 2:11–15; Matthew 1:1–16; Luke 3:23–38). It’s unknown if this is because Boaz had no other sons or because those chronologies are focused on the genealogical march to David and ultimately to Jesus.

Verse 12. and may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring that the Lord will give you by this young woman.”

The people and elders of Bethlehem have prayed blessings of fertility on Ruth and Boaz. Now, their words get personal.

Ruth and Boaz will have a levirate marriage (Deuteronomy 25:5–6). The first son will live as the heir of Ruth’s late father-in-law Elimelech. He will inherit Elimelech’s property and position in the clan.

Tamar was also a levirate bride (Genesis 38). She married Er, the oldest son of Judah. Er committed horrible sins, and God struck him down. As is the practice, Judah married Tamar to his next-oldest son, Onan. Onan was to provide an heir for Er, but he refused. Because of this, God struck him down, as well.

Judah’s third son, Shelah, was too young to marry. But even when he was old enough, Judah did not give him to Tamar; he was afraid God would take Shelah, as well. By withholding his son, Judah took Tamar’s rights for a son. In response, Tamar took off her widow’s clothes, veiled herself, and waited where she knew Judah would be traveling. Judah saw her, thought she was a prostitute because of the veil, and propositioned her. She agreed. When Judah heard she was pregnant, he resolved to kill her for adultery. But when she revealed he was the father, he admitted that he was guilty of even greater sin. Tamar gave birth to twin boys, Perez and Zerah. Perez was an ancestor of Boaz.

The people’s blessing comes true. Ruth will give birth to Obed. Obed will be the father of Jesse. Jesse will be the father of Israel’s greatest king, David (Ruth 4:21–22). And, of course, the Messiah of Israel and Savior of the world will descend from David (Matthew 1:5–16; Luke 3:23–32).

Verse 13. So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son.

When Boaz first met Ruth, he respected her sacrifice for Naomi so much that he prayed a blessing on her: “The LORD repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” (Ruth 2:12). Two months later, when Ruth proposed to Boaz, she said, “Spread your wings over your servant” (Ruth 3:9), challenging Boaz to be the agent of his own blessing. Boaz agreed to do what he could do. God honors both their choices.

This is one of only two mentions that God acts directly in the story of Naomi and Ruth; the first was when He lifted the famine in Bethlehem (Ruth 1:6). Fertility of the land and of humans is in God’s hand. Every other choice and act that led to this moment came from people whose hearts are inclined to God’s will.

This is God’s normal way of interacting with humans. We may wish for His divine intervention for our safety, or blessing, or even convenience. We may pray that He perform miracles for the sake of His work. He does want us to rely on Him and trust Him to provide, but He also invites us into His work. He wants to work with and through us.

God gave Israelites food. Naomi made the choice to return to Bethlehem. Ruth made the choice to come with her and plan for her care. Boaz made the choice to join Ruth in her work. God completed the work by giving a son. Through human choices and God’s work, that son led to King David who led to Jesus the Messiah (Matthew 1:1–16). If God had not invited Ruth into His work and she had not responded—if He had used more traditional family lines—we wouldn’t have had this story about lovingkindness, self-sacrifice, family loyalty, and a Moabite woman in the line of the Savior of the world.

Context Summary
Ruth 4:13–17 records the fulfillment of Ruth’s wishes and God’s plan for Naomi. Ruth and Boaz are married and have a son. He will be the heir of Naomi’s late husband, continuing his name and the ownership of his land. This lifts Naomi’s social stigma of not providing an heir, and the women of Bethlehem rejoice.

Verse 14. Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel!

The women of Bethlehem rejoice that God has blessed Naomi. She now has a grandson who will be the heir of her husband, Elimelech. Their welcome to the baby completes the inclusio—a literary bracket which surrounds a particular storyline—which began with their warm welcome to Naomi in Ruth 1:19.

The use of the word “redeemer” is rich. L. L. Morris defines redemption as “”deliverance from some evil by payment of a price.” Boaz redeemed Elimelech’s land from Naomi so she didn’t have to sell it outside the clan. Ruth redeemed Elimelech’s line and Naomi’s honor by providing an heir, Obed (Ruth 4:13, 17). Obed will redeem Naomi’s future; should Boaz die before Naomi, Obed will care for her. Obed’s grandson David (Ruth 4:22) will redeem the honor of Israel as its greatest king.

Generations later, David’s descendent Jesus will redeem the world. As God and man, He will live a sinless life. He will agree to die on the cross to carry the world’s sins. Those who choose to accept His offer of forgiveness will be saved—reconciled with God so they can live with Him in eternity.

The subject of “his name” is confusing. Is it talking about God, completing the phrase “Blessed is the LORD…”? Or does it refer to Obed, beginning, “May he also be to you one who restores life…” (Ruth 4:15)? Or is it referring to Boaz who was the more immediate redeemer? The ESV is inconclusive. The NASB and NIV say Obed. One version of the Septuagint translates it, “And may he call your name in Israel!” Since “Obed” means “servant” or “worshipper” that would make sense. The NET translation points out that the pronoun “he” of Ruth 4:15 refers to the “redeemer,” so this pronoun should, as well. It is Obed who will remain famous in Israel. Obed isn’t mentioned in Scripture again outside of genealogies, but the fact that we know his name means the blessing came true.

Verse 15. He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.”

In Ruth 1, Naomi faced famine, the loss of all the men who would have provided for and protected her, and debilitating depression. With Obed, all her losses are refilled. Bible scholars compare Naomi’s story to that of Job. At the beginning, they have lost everything. Job is left with a traumatized wife and three less-than-useful friends. Naomi has a foreign daughter-in-law.

By their story’s end, both have been restored. God doubled Job’s possessions and gave him seven sons and three honored daughters (Job 42:10–15). Naomi’s restoration is more modest—a home, a family, and an heir for her husband, who will care for her needs—but it is more than she ever thought she would receive. She lost two sons, but her daughter-in-law is worth far more.

As misogynistic as the culture of Israel and the Ancient Near East was, those who reflect God’s heart show a different view of women. Boaz calls Ruth “worthy” (Ruth 3:11), placing her on the same level as himself (Ruth 2:1). Job’s daughters are named and given an inheritance along with their brothers (Job 42:14–15). When Hannah struggles with infertility, her loving husband asks her, “Am I not more to you than ten sons?” (1 Samuel 1:8). Even in the Old Testament, those who more closely followed God’s law more equally treated all people.

If Naomi’s son, Ruth’s husband, had lived, he would have moved back to his hometown, inherited his father’s estate, had children with his wife, and taken care of his mother. Ruth did far more. She abandoned her home, rejected her gods, and moved permanently to a foreign land where the God she claimed as her own had set a law that the Israelites were not to seek her people’s welfare (Ruth 1:16–17; Deuteronomy 23:3–6). She humbly asked an older landowner if she could pick up the scraps of grain left by his harvesters, exposing herself to abuse (Ruth 2:6–7). She then crept to this landowner in the dark of night, risking assault and charges of prostitution, to boldly challenge him to marry her and give her mother-in-law an heir, sacrificing her chance to grow old with her husband (Ruth 3:6–13). The women are right to compare her to seven sons: the perfection of blessing.

Like Tamar before her (Genesis 38) and Esther after (Esther 7:1–6), Ruth is a beautiful example of a woman working within her dangerous culture to fulfill God’s plan for herself and others who are unaware that God is even working.

Verse 16. Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse.

Naomi left Bethlehem with a husband and two sons. She returned with a Moabite daughter-in-law. She told her old friends, “I went away full, and the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the LORD has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?” (Ruth 1:21).

That grief will stay with her forever. No one can suffer that much loss and simply get over it. What she no longer must carry is the shame of not providing a male heir for her husband and the fear that no one will care for her as she grows old. She can also let go of the belief that the God of Israel has abandoned her. It was Yahweh who lifted the famine in Israel and drew Ruth to follow her to Bethlehem (Ruth 1:6, 16–17). And Yahweh allowed Ruth to get pregnant with a son on Naomi’s behalf (Ruth 4:13).

“Nurse” in Hebrew is ‘aman and can also mean foster-parent. The same term describes Mordecai with respect to Esther (Esther 2:7). This has led scholars to suggest Naomi kept Obed at her home and raised him, herself, while Ruth lived with Boaz. That’s possible, but the text doesn’t say so directly.

“Lap” is mistranslated. It occurs in Proverbs 5:20 and Lamentations 2:12 correctly as “bosom” or “breast.” An alternate form is translated “embrace.” Naomi was Obed’s wetnurse; she literally breastfed him.

Verse 17. And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

As Naomi As Naomi nurses her grandson, her friends worship God and give the boy a name with an ambiguous meaning. Some sources say it means “worshipper” while others say it means “servant.” Either is appropriate; the women worship God because Obed will serve Naomi in her old age.

The story is about Naomi, so questions abound. Did Naomi raise him as her son? Did Naomi and Obed live in a separate house, or did they live with Boaz and Ruth? Did Boaz have other sons to inherit his significant estate? Did Ruth have other sons to care for her? The records in 1 Chronicles don’t mention other sons (1 Chronicles 2:12) but perhaps the passage is just about David’s line. If there were no other sons, Obed would inherit all Elimelech’s and Boaz’s property even if he was raised as Elimelech’s son.

The storyline isn’t about the inner workings of ancient Hebrew inheritance law. It’s about God’s covenant faithfulness to a widow of Israel. And yet, the possible “greater purpose” is revealed here and in the next few verses.

Obed eventually married and had a son named Jesse. Jesse raised sheep around Bethlehem. He had eight sons and two daughters (1 Chronicles 2:12–16; 1 Samuel 16:10–11; 17:12). Three of his sons served in King Saul’s army and were present when Goliath challenged the Israelites (1 Samuel 17). It was Jesse’s youngest son, David, who defeated Goliath. Years later, David became king (2 Samuel 2:1–4; 5:3).

Boaz is descended from Perez, the son of Judah (Ruth 4:18–21). Before Jacob died he prophesied that Judah would rule over his brothers (Genesis 49:9–12). Israel’s first king, Saul, was from the tribe of Benjamin. Scholars think Samuel drafted the book of Ruth. That would suggest that it is more than a sweet story, more than a romance, even more than an account of God’s care for a destitute widow. It’s possible Samuel used storytelling to legitimize David’s kingship over Saul’s.

For us, it means even more. Centuries later, two of David’s descendants became the adoptive father (Matthew 1:6–16) and the mother (Luke 3:23–31) of Jesus. Naomi, who returned to Bethlehem with nothing (Ruth 1:20–21), raised a child born in the line of her Messiah.

It is also interesting to note that Boaz’s mother was Rahab (Matthew 1:5), a Gentile from Jericho who saved the Israelite spies and then became part of the Israelite community (Joshua 2; 6). The reality that salvation is for both Jew and Gentile is hinted at even in the genealogical line of Jesus (Galatians 3:8–9), and particularly in Boaz.

Verse 18. Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron,

The story about Ruth is primarily about God’s faithfulness to Naomi, but it ends with God’s faithfulness to Israel in providing King David. The last few verses show how Ruth and Naomi fit in the genealogy of David.

This genealogy begins with Perez. Abraham had Isaac; Isaac had Esau and Jacob; Jacob had twelve sons and one daughter. Jacob’s fourth son was Judah. Because of the sins of Judah’s three older brothers, Jacob prophesied that Judah would reign over the whole family (Genesis 49:3–12).

Judah married a Canaanite woman and had three sons: Er, Onan, and Shelah (Genesis 38:1–5). When Er was grown, he married Tamar, who may also have been a Canaanite (Genesis 38:6). Er “was wicked in the sight of the LORD” and God killed him (Genesis 38:7). The custom of the time, later ratified into the Mosaic law (Deuteronomy 25:5–6), was if a married man died with no heir, his next-youngest brother would marry the widow and provide a son in the dead man’s name. To that end, Tamar was married to Onan. Onan used Tamar but he refused to give her a son, so God killed him, as well (Genesis 38:8–10).

The loss of his two sons scared Judah. When Shelah came of age, he refused to marry him to Tamar. Tamar had the right to marry Shelah and bear a son for both Er and herself. After Judah’s wife died, Tamar disguised herself as a prostitute and waited for Judah to pass by. He had no money to pay her, so he gave her his signet, cord, and staff as collateral. When he heard that Tamar was pregnant, he demanded she be executed for adultery. But when she appeared with his identifying possessions, he declared that she had acted more righteously than he had (Genesis 38:11–26).

Several months later, Tamar gave birth to twins: Perez and Zerah (Genesis 38:27–30). Perez fathered Hezron and Hamul (1 Chronicles 2:5). Judah, Shelah, Zerah, Perez, and Perez’s sons all traveled from Canaan to Egypt (Genesis 46:12). From here, the line continues to David.

Context Summary
Ruth 4:18–22 gives the genealogy from Judah’s son Perez to David. Included are Nahshon, the leader of the tribe of Judah at the time of the exodus (Numbers 2:3), and Boaz, the hero of the story of Ruth. Not listed are a woman of unknown heritage who manipulated a man into fulfilling his responsibilities to her and his family (Tamar; Genesis 38), a Canaanite woman who betrayed her city for Yahweh (Rahab; Joshua 2; 6), and a Moabite woman who sacrificed everything for her Israelite mother-in-law (Ruth). What’s not clear is if every generation is listed.

Verse 19. Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab,

David’s genealogy continues. It began with Perez, the son of Judah and Judah’s daughter-in-law Tamar (Genesis 38). Perez had Hezron and Hamul (1 Chronicles 2:5). Hezron had Jerahmeel, Ram, and Chelubai (1 Chronicles 2:9). Ram, of course, had Amminadab.

Scholars note that this may be a shortened list. Perez’s sons, including Hezron, went to Egypt with Jacob’s family likely around 1876 BC, although they may have been young (Genesis 46:12). Nahshon, Amminadab’s son, was a contemporary of Moses, so he would have been born in the 1500s (Exodus 6:23). That comes out to four generations in about 430 years, including the thirty spent before the Israelites were enslaved (Exodus 12:40). Considering Moses lived to 120 (Deuteronomy 34:7), it’s not outside the realm of possibility, but it’s certainly possible and even likely the historians left some of the generations out.

The line of names is consistent in Ruth 4:18–22, 1 Chronicles 2:5–15, and Matthew 1:3–6. Luke differs. He lists Perez, Hezron, Arni, Admin, Amminadab, Nahshon, Sala [Salmon], Boaz, Obed, Jesse, David (Luke 3:31–33).

It’s possible that Arni, Admin, and Ram were men involved in another levirate marriage like Boaz and Ruth or Judah and Tamar, but there’s another option. “Arni” in Luke 3:33 in the Septuagint is rendered “Ram,” “Arran,” or “Haran” depending on the translation. The NASB, CSB, and NIV use “Ram.” The CSB and NIV leave out “Admin” entirely. “Admin,” “Adokimos” in the NASB, means unapproved or worthless. So, more likely, Luke’s Gospel changes Ram’s name to “Arni” or “Aram,” and Admin was left out of Hebrew records because he was an embarrassment to the family.

Verse 20. Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon,

This genealogy of David is likely condensed. The time between Perez’s father Judah to Nashon was over 400 years—from the time of Jacob’s labor for Laban until the exodus (Exodus 12:40). Nahshon knew Moses (Exodus 6:23), whom historians think was born around 1526 BC. Historians think David was born shortly after 1040 BC. That’s a lot of time for so few generations.

We don’t know much about Amminadab except that Aaron married his daughter (Exodus 6:23); he would have been born in Egypt and lived most if not all of his life there. Nahshon was the chief of Judah during the exodus which made him the third most powerful Israelite after Moses and Aaron (Numbers 1:7; 2:3; 7:12).

Matthew 1:5 says that Salmon—”Sala” in Luke 3:32—married Rahab. Because Matthew lists Tamar and Ruth, two other foreign women in Jesus’ line, this is likely Rahab the prostitute who helped the Israelites take Jericho (Joshua 2; 6).

Some scholars think there are missing generations between Salmon and Boaz, but unlike the list in Ruth 4:19, there are no other accounts with additional names. The line is possible if all the men from Salmon to Jesse were about 100 years old when they had their sons. It is certainly plausible, and even likely, there are missing men throughout the list. Israelites tended to reserve the fifth and seventh of a list for honor. The fifth here is Nahshon—a leader of his people. The seventh is Boaz (Ruth 4:21).

That there are ten names total is even more significant and gives further evidence the record is selective. “A list of ten generations is used to indicate a transition from one major era to another,” According to Zvi Ron.Genesis gives ten generations from Adam to Noah (Genesis 5), then another ten between Noah and Abraham. In this case, the transition is from the time the Israelites went to Egypt until the time of the Davidic monarchy. Scholars say Samuel wrote Ruth; if so, he is documenting the legitimacy of David’s monarchy over that of Saul.

Verse 21. Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed,

David’s genealogy finally reaches Boaz and Ruth’s son Obed.

And yet, this verse and the next bring the most confusion to biblical scholars. Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus states that Salmon married Rahab (Matthew 1:5). Rahab is Boaz’s mother. Considering Salmon’s father Nahshon was the chief of the tribe of Judah during the exodus (Numbers 2:3) and the only other women Matthew mentions—Tamar and Ruth—are either foreign or came into the line through dubious circumstances, there’s every reason to believe this is the Rahab who hid the spies in Jericho (Joshua 2; 6).

That makes Salmon between twenty and forty years old when the Israelites entered the Promised Land likely around 1406 BC. Salmon has Boaz, Boaz has Obed, Obed has Jesse, and Jesse has David likely sometime after 1040 BC. If Salmon were thirty when he entered the Promised Land and he, Boaz, Obed, and Jesse had their sons when they were 100, this would work.

The Jewish interpretation is more likely. Jews reserved the fifth and seventh positions on a list for honor. In Ruth 4:18–21, the fifth name is Nahshon, the leader of the tribe of Judah during the exodus (Numbers 1:7; 2:3; 7:12). The seventh is Boaz, the hero of the story. In addition, ten generations—like the line from Adam to Noah in Genesis 5, then from Noah’s son Shem to Abraham in Genesis 11—are symbolic of a major change in society. Jacob prophesied that Judah, the father of this tribe, would reign over his brothers (Genesis 49:8–10). Most scholars think Samuel wrote the book of Ruth. Scholar Zvi Ron indicates that “The ten-person list is to indicate the transition from the Patriarchs to the legitimate monarchy of David.” That is, Samuel is shoring up support for David over Saul who was from the line of Benjamin, not Judah.

Verse 22. Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David.

Obed, the son of the Israelite nobleman Boaz and the Moabite widow Ruth, the heir of Naomi and her late husband Elimelech, will have a son named Jesse. Jesse will have eight sons and two daughters (1 Samuel 17:12; 1 Chronicles 2:12–16). His youngest son, David, will be king of all of Israel. This verse wraps up several loose ends.

The very first words in the book of Ruth are, “In the days when the judges ruled…” (Ruth 1:1). Judges 17:6 says, “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Despite David’s sins, he does bring peace and unity to Israel.

When Samuel, grieved by the sin of King Saul, goes to Bethlehem to anoint a new king, he most likely arrives in Elimelech’s land (1 Samuel 16:1–13), land that was redeemed by Boaz for Obed. David the king fulfills several prophecies (Genesis 17:6, 16; 49:10; Numbers 24:17–19; 1 Samuel 2:10).

The genealogical line begins with Perez, the grandson of Jacob who is the grandson of Abraham. In the Abrahamic covenant, God gives Abraham an unconditional oath that the nations—meaning Gentiles—will be blessed through him (Genesis 12:1–3). In the Davidic covenant, God promises David that his heir will sit on the throne forever (2 Samuel 7:16). Jesus, the descendent of David, is the fulfillment of both promises.

The story of Ruth and the stories of the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants skip the most legalistic interpretations of the Mosaic covenant. While a legalistic interpretation of the Mosaic law would exclude Moabites from participation in Israel, the Israelites do not despise the Moabite Ruth. Her descendants do not have to wait ten generations to fully integrate into society and worship (Deuteronomy 23:2–6). This, in part, is because she so thoroughly forfeits her heritage to embrace the people and the God of Israel (Ruth 1:16–17). Also honoring the sprit of the Law more than its letter, which states a dead man’s brother is responsible for providing an heir (Deuteronomy 25:5–6), Boaz, a farther relation, feels honored to take the role.

Ruth is the third of four chapters in another story. It began with Tamar, likely a Canaanite, who was the daughter-in-law of Judah. In desperation, she tricked him into fulfilling her right to have a son as well as continuing his family line (Genesis 38). The second chapter was Rahab, the Canaanite prostitute, who hid the Israelite spies and helped Joshua defeat Jericho (Joshua 2; 6). Ruth is a Moabite woman, the descendant of Lot’s daughter’s incestuous relationship with her father (Genesis 19:30–38) and the salacious women who tried to destroy the Israelite men on their way to the Promised Land (Numbers 25:1–9). The concluding chapter will be Bathsheba, the Hittite, whom David takes advantage of. She becomes the mother of Solomon the king (2 Samuel 11:1—12:25). All four begin life, most likely, as non-Israelites. All four entered Israelite society through dubious means. And, aside from Jesus’ mother Mary, they are the only women listed in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:3–6).

The stories prove there is no loss God cannot redeem, no hardship He cannot see us through, and no sin He cannot forgive. He invites us into His plan to bless others and will, in turn, bless us.

Book Summary
Though set in a time of violence and tragedy, the book of Ruth tells one of Scripture’s most uplifting stories. Naomi, an Israelite, leaves her home during a famine. While away, in Moab, her husband and sons die. Naomi convinces one of her Moabite daughters-in-law to leave her and seek a new life. The other, Ruth, refuses, declaring her love and loyalty to Naomi. When the pair return to Israel, they encounter Boaz. This man is both kind and moral; his treatment of Ruth secures Naomi’s future and becomes part of king David’s ancestry.

End of Ruth Chapter 4, and the end of the Book.

Please Note:

The material use in this post, video is from BibleRef.com which is from Got Questions Ministries and is posted here to be read by Immersive reader in the Edge Browser. If you copy this material please follow these rules:

•Content from BibleRef.com may not be used for any commercial purposes, or as part of any commercial work, without explicit prior written consent from Got Questions ministries.

•Any use of our material should be properly credited; please make it clear the content is from BibleRef.com.

•BibleRef.com content may not be altered, modified, or otherwise changed unless such changes are specifically noted.