Negotiating with the Nameless (Ruth 4:1–12) | Redeeming Love (Part 5)

Transcript

JROT 42
12/14/25
Redeeming Love (Part 5) Negotiating with the Nameless
Ruth 4:1-12
Jesse Randolph

Well, we’re back in the Book of Ruth. We’ve, for the past several weeks have been in this short series in the Old Testament book of Ruth. It is really, as I’ve tried to highlight this masterpiece of Hebrew literature, one which weaves together these accounts of these three major figures. Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz and how God providentially worked in each of their lives. First, during a season of famine. Then, later during a season of plenty at harvest time as He – God, brought about His perfect plans and purposes to pass. Not only for these individuals, but for Israel, and ultimately for all of mankind. As we’re going to see, it would be through the marriage of Ruth and Boaz, we’re not quite there yet, that a son would be born, a son named Obed. Obed would go on to have a son named Jesse. Jesse would go on to have a son named David. And then, it is through David’s line that God promised in II Samuel 7, that He would send a Savior and Messiah into the world. That Savior, of course, being Jesus. The One whose birth we are celebrating this time of year, at Christmas.

Now, before Ruth and Boaz welcomed Obed to the world. They first had to become husband and wife. But before they became husband and wife, there was this major hurdle that needed to be cleared. That hurdle being, as we saw last week, that there was somebody already in the community of Bethlehem, who had a stronger right and a stronger claim to redeem Ruth to marry Ruth than Boaz did. And that “someone” was this nameless, faceless kinsman-redeemer, a go’el, with whom Boaz would first have to negotiate.

Go ahead and turn with me, if you would, in your Bibles to Ruth 4. Ruth 4, we’re going to be in the first twelve verses of this chapter today. I will remind you, as you’re finding your way to Ruth 4, that last week, last time, we worked our way through the entirety of Ruth 3. The backdrop to that scene, you’ll recall, was that the harvest season had just ended. The grain had been gathered from the fields and had been winnowed on the threshing floor in Bethlehem. Boaz, who was one of the owners of these fields of grain, recall that is where he and Ruth met one another in Ruth 2. While Boaz was sleeping peacefully on the threshing floor late one night, I pictured him snoring next to his stacks of grain. You know, he is keeping those profitable piles nearby, sleeping with one eye open, so as to avoid any pillaging of what he had gathered. Well, knowing that Boaz would be there, Naomi, this older widow, sent Ruth, her daughter-in-law, a younger widow, to go propose marriage to Boaz. You remember the story that Naomi was urging Ruth to propose marriage to Boaz. Not only because Boaz was this “mighty man of excellence,” as we have seen him described in Ruth 2. Not only because he’s been kind and generous to these two women, by sending grain and provision their way but ultimately because Boaz was this kinsman-redeemer, go’el. Meaning, Boaz was a close relative of Elimelech, Naomi’s deceased husband, and Ruth’s deceased father-in-law. Under the Law of Moaes during this time that governed the people of Israel during these days. A widow like Naomi, and by extension here, Ruth, they could make an appeal to a man like Boaz to step in for Elimelech, through marriage both to keep the land holdings of Elimelech within the family. Also, to preserve the name of Elimelech through of another son.

That is what Ruth asked Boaz to do there that night on the threshing floor at the close of harvest season, as we looked at in Ruth 3 last week. You will remember that Ruth peeled back the cloth, the blanket, or the fabric that was covering Boaz’s feet, covering his toes, keeping him warm as he dosed. And after he shivered, and after he sat up startled, wiping the sleep out of his eyes. Unable to make out that figure of who it was before him. He knew it was a woman, but he didn’t know which woman. Ruth identified herself. She not only identified herself, but she also asked Boaz to redeem her to marry her, as a way to protect her and provide for her and her mother-in-law, Naomi. These two otherwise vulnerable and exposed widows. Ruth’s proposal language is found in Ruth 3:9, where she asks Boaz to, quote:
“. . . spread your wing over your maidservant, for you are a kinsman- redeemer.”

Though those circumstances certainly caught Boaz off guard a midnight proposal on the threshing floor, Boaz was very much receptive to the idea. Look at what he said in Ruth 3:10-11:
“Then he said, ‘May you be blessed of Yahweh, my daughter. You have shown your last lovingkindness to be better than the first by not going after young men, whether poor or rich. So now, my daughter do not fear. All that you say, I will do for you; for all my people within the gates of the city know that you are a woman of excellence’.”
Now look at verse 12, where he said: “. . . it is true I am a kinsman redeemer.” So, he’s all in! But then note what Boaz said next, he says, “however, there is a kinsman-redeemer closer that I.” And then came this instruction in verse 13, he says:
“Stay this night, and it will be in the morning that, if he will redeem you, good; let him redeem you. But if he does not desire to redeem you, then I will redeem you, as Yahweh lives. Lie down until morning.” Ruth did so, she stayed put really for her own safety and protection and reputation. We saw last time, she slept on the threshing floor that night and then the next morning, she returned to the home she shared with Naomi, with another large grain gift from Boaz. Then after reporting to her mother-in-law all that had happened the night before there on the threshing floor; Ruth was told by Naomi, in verse 18, that she needed to “sit” – “sit then my daughter.” And she was to “sit” until “the matter falls into place.” Meaning, Ruth was to wait until Boaz had spoken to this other kinsman-redeemer this other relative of Elimelech, about whether or not he was going to exercise his right of redemption with Ruth, by marrying her.

Well, that conversation between these two potential kinsman-redeemers, is what we’ll be focusing on this morning, as we engage in our study of the first half of Ruth 4. And again, we’ll be working through the first 12 verses here this morning. We’ll go ahead and pick it up in verse 1, where it says:
“Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there, and behold, the kinsman-redeemer of whom Boaz spoke was passing by, so he said, ‘Turn aside, my fellow, sit down here.’ And he turned aside and sat down.”
So, the next turn in this story takes place at the “gate.” Meaning, the city gate of Bethlehem. Which apparently sat at a higher elevation than the threshing floor because we’re told here that Boaz “went up” in elevation from the threshing floor to get to the city “gate.” What is really being highlighted here is that Boaz, once again, shows himself to be a man of his word. The night before, Boaz had promised Ruth that he would act quickly on her request, by going to talk to this other redeemer the next morning. And now that the sun has risen, a new day has dawned Boaz goes directly from the threshing floor to the city gate and it says he “sat down there.”

He has just come off this long day, and this long night. He has been winnowing grain on the threshing floor the night before. He spent his late afternoon on into the evening doing that. And then he had something to eat and something to drink to celebrate the end of the harvest season. Then he’d fallen asleep on the threshing floor, to protect his crop. And then he’d been awakened at midnight, when Ruth uncovered his feet. And then he’d received a proposal of marriage from Ruth at midnight, as she asked him to redeem her. So now, having only counted a handful of sheep, and maybe only having a few hours to sleep, he arrives at the Bethlehem gate the next morning. He came to the gate, as we’re told in Ruth 3:18, to “finish the matter.” Meaning to settle the matter between he and this other kinsman-redeemer, about who it was who would ultimately redeem and marry Ruth.

So, we see here in verse 1: “Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there.”
And the gate, I mean, that’s a wise choice, if you are trying to find somebody in Bethlehem. The city gate would be the place that people would have to pass through, as they meandered their way out of town every single day. Whether to go work in the fields. Or to head down to the threshing floor. Or to go visit a relative in some other town. So, he went to the right spot, if this is who he was going to go find. In terms of what the city gate was for, and what was conducted at the city gate, a little bit of background is in order. This was a spacious public place; the city gate was. That served a number of different purposes. It served as an open marketplace of sorts. You can picture the farmers market downtown on Saturday mornings. It served as civic center, and a courthouse. An open-air hall of justice, as it were. It is a place where grievances were aired, disputes were adjudicated, and transactions were witnessed to and ratified.

So here was Boaz, the morning after this interaction he had had with Ruth, sitting at the city gate in Bethlehem. As the people in the town are making their way through the gate, to conduct whatever business they have had that day. Look at the middle of verse 1:
“. . . behold, the kinsman-redeemer of whom Boaz spoke was passing by.”
Wow! Talk about impeccable timing. Just as the Lord had directed Ruth’s steps, out to Boaz’s field, providentially, in Ruth 2; He’s now directing Boaz’s steps from the threshing floor to the city gate, at just the right moment. At the very moment Boaz is taking his seat at the city gate, the person, who just happens to pass by, at that very moment, is the very man that Boaz needed to see.

We know, by now, as we study, not just Ruth, but the entirety of scripture, that this is not an accident. This is not a mere coincidence. No. This is providential. These circumstances are heaven-sent and divinely decreed. Meaning, no matter how many butterflies, either Naomi, Ruth, or Boaz even, were experiencing in their stomachs, you know that fluttering feeling at this moment. There was no need to be anxious and no need to be afraid. Because the very God who had numbered the very hairs on their head, had caused these events to come together in His perfect timing. He did so in their lives, just as He does in our lives. Working out His purposes and His plans for His glory and the good of His children. It’s been the same playbook going back to time immemorial.

So, Boaz, being this “man of excellence”, being a man of his word, he simply wanted to honor the commitment that he had made to Ruth the night before on the threshing floor. So, when he saw this man with whom he needed to speak, this other kinsman-redeemer, he wasted no time. He jumped at the chance. You see what he says to the man here, he says: “Turn aside, my fellow, sit down here.” Now, the sense here is that Boaz hailed the man, like he was flagging the man down like you would flag down a cab driver in New York City before Uber took over the world. That is what was happening here and the man obliged. It says the man “turned aside” “and sat down.”

Now here’s where things are interesting. I would say, for a guy like me, even fun. See, when Boaz addressed this man, this other kinsman-redeemer. Though the LSB has him here as “fellow,” “turn aside, my fellow.” If you’re in the NASB, it says turn aside “friend”. Or in the ESV, has it as “friend.” The word here in Hebrew, is actually a different word than the word for “fellow” or for “friend”. It’s a unique word. It’s a word that I think you could even call a throw-a-way word. Or a word that is probably even better said, is a word of dismissiveness. Something like – “hey you” or “such and such.” Or “so and so.” Some translations and some commentators have called this gentleman, “Mr. X.” Some have taken the English vernacular and read it back into the Hebrew and called this man “John Doe.” So, in fact, there is a translation, it’s a really good translation to consult from time to time, called the Net Bible. The Net Bible has this passage, or these words from Boaz to this man as, “Come here and sit down, John Doe.” I don’t think that is exactly what he was saying at that moment. But I am going to go with “So and So.” I think the sense here, as Boaz is addressing this man at the city gate is “Come over here, Mr. So and So.” “Come join me and sit down with me, Mr. So and So.”

But why? Why did Boaz use that form of address to this potential kinsman-redeemer? Now, according to one view, Boaz legitimately did not know this man’s name. So that even though Boaz and this man were apparently distantly related somehow, through their common family ties through Elimelech. This man was still a relative stranger to Boaz so Boaz did that thing that we all have done when we see somebody and we think we know their name, but we’re kind of uncomfortable, we don’t want to have egg on our face. We say, “Hey man.” “Hey you.” “Hey bro.” Or like the “Big dog” thing that some guys do when they clap their hands together. Just me, ok. Well, I find this theory – that Boaz did not know this man’s name – I don’t find it all that compelling. It’s not like Bethlehem was this sprawling metropolis, where you could not know the name of individuals in this town. No. It was a small town. And when we consider, even back to Ruth 1, that when Naomi returned to Bethlehem after ten years of being gone in Moab. And they still knew who she was. And they still knew her by name. This was a town where people knew the names of other folks. So, I actually find it likely that Boaz did know the name of this other kinsman-redeemer.

So, then why do we have it here in the text that Boaz is identifying this other man, this other kinsman-redeemer as “John Doe” or “Mr. Such and Such”, or Mr. So and So”? Well, I believe, as the Spirit moved the human author of this book, to record the details that he’s recorded this narrator of the Book of Ruth what he’s doing is he’s purposely keeping the identity of the kinsman-redeemer secret. And he’s doing so, as a way to dispense what I would call some sort of literary or poetic justice. This is a literary choice directed by the Holy Spirit, with the narrator here concluding, especially as we get to the rest of the story. And we see what this man turns down. That he was unworthy of even being named. So, he’s Mr. So and So for the rest of history.

Well, whatever the reason for his anonymity this man, this redeemer, Mr. So and So, as I’m going to call him today. He temporarily set aside the plans he had made for this day, to sit down and talk with Boaz. We are still in verse 1 here. Boaz invites the man to sit down for a discussion, and the man obliges, verse 1 says, “And he turned aside and sat down.”
And then, we’re told, in verse 2, that “he”, meaning Boaz – “. . . took ten men of the elders of the city and said, ‘Sit down here.’” Of course, we have “elders” today in our modern-day church context. The men who are called to oversee and shepherd the church. While there was no “church” in the days of Ruth. The church was not birthed until Pentecost, in Act 2. There were still “elders” in these days, who at this point in history, really served as civic rulers, who governed the affairs of a local community like Bethlehem. At this point in Israel’s history, the “elders” of any given city, were these men of standing in the community. Men who functioned like the combination of a city council in a civic court. They were a governing group. A group of decision-makers. And they were asked from time to time to weigh in on all sorts of different matters. Whether it be a matter of murder, or sexual impropriety, or whether a woman was truly a virgin, or the rights of an asylum seeker, or as we see in our context here, family law matters, specifically, the rights and the obligations of redemption within a family.

So back to verse 2 here, having run into this kinsman-redeemer, having spotted Mr. So and So, making his way through the gate, Boaz quickly convened this council of town elders, summoning them to hear this matter, about the land and Ruth and her redemption.

In verse 3, with everyone convened. We have Boaz on the scene, we have the kinsman-redeemer on the scene, we have the elders of Bethlehem convened and gathered. Boaz begins to lay out his case. Look at verse 3:
“Then he said to the kinsman-redeemer, ‘Naomi, who has come back from the fields of Moab, has to sell the portion of the field which belonged to our brother Elimelech.’”
As he started his presentation, sort of laying this out for you all. Boaz first presented this as being an economic issue. A real estate issue. A real property issue. He says here: “Naomi, who has come back from the fields of Moab . . .” So, as he’s talking to the kinsman-redeemer here, he’s saying: “You know who Naomi is, right?” “She’s that woman who is from here, she moved off to Moab for a season, the toilet bowl of the territory, with her husband, Elimelech all those years ago.” “But she’s recently moved back here to Bethlehem.” “Well, since Elimelech is no longer with us, since he passed away.” “Naomi is now in this financial pickle.” “Because she’s got this piece of land on her hands that she can neither maintain nor afford.” “And she . . .” end of verse 3 here:
“. . . has to sell the portion of the field which belonged to our brother Elimelech.”

So, there’s this piece of property, this “portion” of a “field.” That had been in Elimelech’s name. But due to certain circumstances, namely, the famine which had first driven his family out of Bethlehem and to Moab in the first place. And then the death of Elimelech. And then the poverty that Naomi found herself in, as a widow. Well, she basically couldn’t afford to hang on to the property anymore. That is the circumstance here. But the idea is that perhaps this relative of Elimelech could. Perhaps he’d be able to preserve it and hang onto it and keep it in the family name. That comes through in this next part of Boaz’s presentation his mini monologue, as it rolls into verse 4, where Boaz continues to put his cards on the table. This is still Boaz speaking to the kinsman-redeemer, Mr. So and So. In verse 4, where he says:
“So, I thought to uncover this matter in your hearing . . .”
That is a Hebrew idiom which means: “I thought to inform you.” “I thought to mention this to you.” “I thought I should tell you about this.”

And then he shared with the kinsman-redeemer what he was thinking he ought to share with this man . . . he said:
“’Acquire it before those who are sitting here and before the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if no one redeems it, tell me that I may know; for there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am after you.’”
Now, Boaz is very much playing the part here, of the level-headed, cool-as-the-other-side-of-the-pillow savvy negotiator. That is what he is doing here. He has his game face on. He would have been an amazing poker player. But underneath it all, we know, as we see this story developing, and especially as we see this story get to its end. That Boaz knows what he wants .and he wants what he wants. And what he wants to do is redeem and marry Ruth.

But he cannot let on to that fact just yet. So, instead, he brings up the land first. He introduces the conversation with this discussion of this piece of property, this portion of the field. He is saying to the kinsman-redeemer, there is this piece of land, this portion of a field, which Naomi inherited from Elimelech when he died and he, Elimelech, is our mutual relative. And Naomi can’t do anything with this piece of property. She can’t hang onto it. She can’t afford to keep it. So, if you want it, you’re first in line. Take it, go for it, it’s all you.

Now, there’s no indication that Ruth is here on the scene. For all we know, she’s back at Naomi’s place, having traveled back to be with her mother-in-law. But as I worked my way through this week, I couldn’t help but think if Ruth were here on the scene, hearing this part of the conversation, her heart would have been in her throat. Because Boaz really was, on the outside at least, pushing this redeemer to exercise his right of redemption, to take the property, and as we’re going to see later, to also take Ruth, to be his wife.

But Boaz had a strategy here. He knew that the idea of adding more land, more property to his portfolio, which would have caught the attention of this kinsman-redeemer. That was the easy part of the deal. So, Boaz strategically decided to lead with that piece of information. Now, Boaz, by the way, was not being deceitful or sideways in this part of the conversation. He’s being careful in his approach. You might even say he’s being savvy. He’s being shrewd. He had to decide which piece of information to share first just as we all do in any conversations that we all have, in our dealings with others. He had to decide, as he had this conversation with the kinsman-redeemer, with Mr. So and So where am I going to begin? Am I going to start with the easier news, or the hard news? The good news, or the bad news?

Well, he decided to share the easier news first. The “good news” I guess you could call it. And that good news was that there was this piece of land that Mr. So and So was eligible to purchase if he was interested. This potential land purchase would be in fulfilment of his duties as a kinsman-redeemer. It would allow, not only his portfolio to expand, his land holdings to expand but he could know that he was, in doing so, keeping the property in the family of Elimelech, which is a noble cause and also elevating his own stature within the community. Well, his approach worked. Boaz’s approach worked. The kinsman-redeemer was interested. Look at the end of verse 4, this is the kinsman-redeemer, Mr. So and So speaking, it says:
“And he said, ‘I will redeem it.’”
The redeemer saw this not only as a good deal but a great deal. To buy more land. To expand the portfolio. To expand your holdings. To fulfill your familial responsibilities to Elimelech. I mean, what wasn’t there to like about this deal? What wasn’t there to love about this deal? And so, he says here, without hesitation, and really, it comes through with enthusiasm. “I will redeem it.”

Well, not so fast. Because there was more to the deal that first met the eye. See, what Boaz had not yet done, he hadn’t yet turned the contract over to show him page 2. The backside of the contract. To show the kinsman-redeemer some of the fine print, you could say, on the back. Look at verse 5:
“Then Boaz said, “On the day you acquire the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of the one who had died, in order to raise up the name of the one who had died, on behalf of his inheritance.’”
If you will indulge me for just a moment while I paraphrase. What Boaz is saying here as he turns that contract over to show him the print on the backside. He is saying to the kinsman-redeemer, he’s saying to Mr. So and So here. “Hey, that is really great that you’re interested in redeeming this land. It’s so great that this land is going to stay in the family of Elimelech. Naomi, when I go back and tell her about this, is going to be so happy that you want to take on this land. Now, if I can just mention one more thing to you. One more little detail. There is this additional issue. You could call it a rider, an addendum, a clause. You can call it whatever you want. But I need to make you aware of this. And maybe it’s a big deal, maybe it’s not, depending on your perspective. But in purchasing this piece of property that you are purchasing or redeeming. It also comes with a new wife. You also get a wife thrown in, Ruth. Oh, and by the way, she’s from Moab. From that toilet-bowl territory that nobody likes. Not only that, by redeeming this land, you not only get a new wife from Moab. But you also get a new mother-in-law. And who doesn’t love mothers-in-law? On top of that, you’ll have an obligation to sire and raise a son, at your expense. And then, because that son will be deemed a relative of Elimelech, the one who originally owned the land that you’re about to purchase when that son reaches adulthood, he’ll actually take back the land that you just purchased, on behalf of Elimelech. So, you’re going to be taking on this asset now, land . . . for just a little while. While taking on a whole bunch of liabilities. So, anyway, if you’ll just sign here, initial there, initial there, there, and there we’ll be done, and I’ll be on my way.”

Well, believe it or not. Those additional details, presented by Boaz in verse 5 changed things. Though this man, in verse 4, had said: “I will redeem it.”
Boaz had just thrown a bucket of cold water on this redeemer’s plans. When he learned how many strings were attached to this property, he was a lot less interested. A Gentile widow from Moab of all places. A mother-in-law. A commitment to raise a son, a son who wouldn’t even have his name, but instead would have the name of his wife’s deceased husband. And then to have to later, give away that very land to that son. He was no longer intrigued and no longer interested. And what’s hanging out here, as we read this narrative is this question we’re all supposed to be thinking and asking ourselves who would take such a deal? Well, there was a man. As we’ll soon see, who would be willing to do the deal on those very terms. He was the “mighty man of excellence.” That we have learned so much about in this account Boaz, the man that was proposing this whole idea in the first place.

So, now we’re at one of those cliff-hanging moments in this account. It’s this moment of truth. Would this kinsman-redeemer, would Mr. So and So be willing to accept all of these terms? Would he redeem not only the land, but to redeem and marry Ruth? Or instead, would he forego his rights and clear the way for someone behind him in line, namely Boaz, to do so. So, everything comes down, really, in this whole narrative, to this moment. Everything comes down to this decision. There’s a ton of tension layered in between verses 5 and 6. Well, in verse 6, the kinsman-redeemer gives his answer, it says:
“So, the kinsman-redeemer 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.’”
So, Mr. So and So gave his answer. In verse 4, it was “I will redeem it.”
Now, in verse 6, he’s saying, “I cannot redeem it.” So, he goes very quickly from “I will” to “I can’t” and therefore, “I won’t.”

His explanation is pretty straightforward. His rationale here for declining his right of redemption was that, by marrying Ruth, he would be jeopardizing his own inheritance. The reasoning for his decision went something like this:
If he had a son by Ruth. And that son, especially if that son became his only surviving heir not only would the land that he had just acquired from Elimelech go back to that son, eventually when that son reached adulthood but potentially, all of his other assets would be mixed together the pie would get bigger, and now he’d owned things through his estate, not only to his existing family, or existing offspring, or even an existing clan but now it would be watered down through Elimelech’s line. Basically, Elimelech’s line would take more of his inheritance through this transaction.

So, by buying this land, what Mr. So and So is articulating here is that he’s really just going to buy his way into more risk. Risking and endangering his estate. Risking his ability to leave behind, to whoever he wished to leave behind his assets, his properties. And that was too much risk for him. The terms of this deal had varied significantly enough that he was willing to forgo his right of redemption entirely. Not only with respect to the land, but with respect to Ruth. He backs out here, saying effectively, thanks, but no thanks and he transfers his right of redemption to Boaz.

Now, it is worth noting, this is more of a historic observation that the man who said “no” to this deal. He did so from a place of self-preservation, and lineage preservation. He wanted to preserve his own heritage, his own lineage, his own family name. The irony here, and the narrator’s bringing this out is that it didn’t quite work out that way, did it? Whose name do we know in this account? Boaz. Whose name do we not know? The kinsman-redeemer. That is why we’re calling him Mr. X, John Doe, Mr. Such and Such, Mr. So and So. We’ve no idea who this man is. So, the irony is that though he sought to protect himself and say no to this deal; to protect his name and his family name his name is actually divinely scrubbed from the pages of scripture. His name has been taken out with the tide in the sea of history.

Samuel Cox, an old British preacher, he stated it well about this kinsman-redeemer. He said:
“It is a curious comment on his narrow, selfish ambition that, of this man who was bent on preserving his name and fame, who would run no risk of having his name cut from his place, neither Israel nor the world even so much as remembers [his] mere name. He is unnamed in the very Book which recounts his story; we know him simply as the “anonymous kinsman;” while Boaz, who had no such selfish ambition lives on forever on the sacred page . . .”

Well, speaking of Boaz, we remember his eagerness to accept Ruth’s proposal, back on the threshing floor in Ruth 3:11, where he said: “All that you say, I will do for you . . .”
So, surely, there was a sense, at this point, on Boaz’s heart, as this other kinsman-redeemer, Mr. So and So, passed or declined on his opportunity to redeem the land and to redeem Ruth. Surly there was a sense of relief from Boaz. Because what this did now, is to open the door for him to marry Ruth.

Now, up to this point. We have to go back to commending Boaz in his character. You know, up to this point, “man of excellence” that he was, Boaz had carefully navigated that tension between what he desired personally, marry Ruth and complying with the Law of Israel. Meaning, giving Mr. So and So that right of first refusal. But now, in the kindness and the providence of God. His responsibilities under the Law, and his personal desire to marry Ruth, had really merged. He was free to proceed. So, he could now keep his promise to Ruth, personally, while at the same time, faithful man that he was carry out his duties and responsibilities under the Law.

And speaking of the Law. Legal matters really, matters of custom. There were some customary issues that Boaz still needed to tend to, before he could either redeem the land or take Ruth to be his wife. Look at verse 7, it says:
“Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning the right of redemption and the exchange of land to establish any matter: a man removed his sandal and gave it to another; and this was the manner of attestation in Israel.”
Now, this is a fascinating literary development. In that the narrator, the human author of the Book of Ruth, is interrupting the dialogue that’s happening between Boaz and Mr. So and So. He’s interrupting the flow of his storytelling. And he’s doing so to address his audience directly, to explain a “custom” which existed in Ruth’s day, but by the time the Book of Ruth was written had already started to fade away. So, it had to be explained afresh. And the “custom” was this it’s laid out here in verse 7. When a legal transaction, specifically, a transaction involving the transfer of property had to be finalized. What the transferor needed to do was remove his sandal and then hand that sandal to the transferee as a symbol of the transferee’s right now to walk on that land, on the land that he now owned, that newly acquired property.

The “custom” described here, actually traces all the way back to the days of Moses and Joshua. Where God used a related expression of setting one’s foot on the land that God had authorized His people to enter into.
Deuteronomy 11:24, this is God speaking to the people of Israel – He says: “Every place on which the sole of your foot treads shall be yours . . .”
Or Joshua 1:3, “Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses.”

So, now in the context of Ruth, the days of the Judges, hundreds of years after the days of Moses the same idea is now being carried over through this “custom”. Where, when one acquired land, the deal was not finalized by signing your name on the dotted line. And the deal was not finalized by having a notary come in and affirm that the parties had actually signed off on the deal. The deal was finalized, and it was formally ratified when somebody took off their sandal and handed it to the other person. I mean, you might be like me, I have all kinds of curiosities when I read passages just like these. And I think, what must the hall of justice or the title office look like in these days? You know, where there’s a room full of sandals stacking up somewhere. I don’t know, speculation. The point that we need to drill in on here is that what was being communicated in this scene at the city gate of Bethlehem. As this kinsman-redeemer was following in the custom of his day, as he handed that sandal to Boaz, is that the right was being transferred to enter that land.

The kinsman-redeemer, Mr. So and So would not allow his foot to enter into that land. He was waiting, abandoning all rights to that land. Instead, what he was signaling to Boaz was that Boaz now had the sole right to enter into that land. To be the redeemer of that land. And not only that, but all that came with the land, including Ruth.

Well, the deal went forward. The sandal was exchanged. Look at verse 8.
“So, the kinsman-redeemer said to Boaz, ‘Acquire this for yourself.’ And he removed his sandal.”
Presumably, at that point, he handed the sandal to Boaz, sealing the deal. The idea is that the terms, at this point, are settled. There’s no going back. Boaz was the rightful redeemer, not only of this portion of the field which belonged to Elimelech, but he was also now in first position to redeem and marry Ruth.

Now, to the first-century reader of this account, when it was written they would be reading this with a sense of excitement as wedding bells were clearly on the horizon. And for us, reading this account all these years later, we still read this account with a sense of wonderment, as we consider how God providentially cause each of these details to come together. Especially as we think about things on this side of things historically. That we know that it was going to be through the coming union of Boaz and Ruth, that a son would be born; Obed, who again would be the father of Jesse, who would then be the father of David, through whose line our Savior, Jesus, would come. Cannot lose sight of that and we are going to cover that in much more depth next week. But for now, still in this text, there were some more details that had to be worked through. Including bringing those in who were there to witness the transaction between Boaz and Mr. So and So. To secure their affirmation that the land, and Ruth now rightfully belonged to Boaz.

In verses 9-10:
“Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, ‘You are witnesses today that I have acquired all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon from the hand of Naomi. And also, I have acquired Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, to be my wife in order to raise up the name of the one who had died, on behalf of his inheritance, so that the name of the one who had died will not be cut off from his brothers or from the gate of his birth place; you are witnesses today.’”
Boaz wasted no time. He acted swiftly and quickly to certify and finalize this transaction. Here he is speaking to those original ten “elders” and to others who had gathered. The ten “elders” he had summoned, and to this wider group of people who had shown up to watch this whole account. And he says to them again, in verse 9:
“You are witnesses today that I have acquired all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon from the hand of Naomi.”
Now “Chilion” and “Mahlon,” you’ll recall, were the sons of Elimelech and Naomi. And those sons, like their father, had died back in Moab. And what Boaz was saying here was that by exercising his right of redemption. He was acquiring, from Naomi, that which belonged, not only to Elimelech, but all that could possibly be traced back to either of Elimelech’s sons. Boaz now had an interest in all of it. So, he is purchasing the land, and standing in for, not only Elimelech, but the two sons. He is the kinsman-redeemer for the family.

And he is being comprehensive in his language here, for a purpose, for good reason. With all of these witnesses present, and that sandal having been exchanged he is being actually like a lawyer here. He is laying it out in extra specificity to make sure that if anybody were to come later and make a claim to what he is acquiring they would all be barred. Because he is being so comprehensive in how he’s expressing himself. I could not help but read this as one who has spent a little time being a lawyer. I couldn’t help but think about the multi-page paragraphs I would write at times, in my old law practice days, to basically forbid anybody from trying to make a claim against the client I happen to be representing at that time.

That’s what’s happening here. Boaz is being extra comprehensive in verse 9, especially to basically foreclose and forbid anybody later from making a claim on what he was redeeming and purchasing. He’s saying, “I have acquired it all. No one either inside or outside this family has claim to this land. Anything that once belonged or could be traced back to Elimelech, or Chilion or Mahlon, is now mine.

Then, verse 10, this is still Boaz speaking to the “elders and all the people.” He shifts his focus, and he says:
“And also, I have acquired Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, to be my wife in order to raise up the name of the one who had died, on behalf of his inheritance, so that the name of the one who had died will not be cut off from his brothers or from the gate of his birth place; you are witnesses today.”

Now, this, of course from Boaz’s perspective at the very heart of this transaction. Not the land, the land is nice, but Ruth. What Boaz, the “mighty man of excellence” was most interested in. Was following through on what he had promised to Ruth the night before who herself has described as a “woman of excellence.” And what he had promised her on the threshing floor the night before was that he was going to have this conversation, that he was receptive to her marriage proposal.

What Boaz wanted, most of all was to make this noble and virtuous woman, this “woman of excellence” his wife. Note that the very elements of the deal that scared off Mr. So and So didn’t scare Boaz off, at all. He was going into this arrangement, rather, with eyes wide open. And he was embracing all of it. That included Ruth’s nationality. He openly refers to her and embraces her as a Moabitess “I have acquired Ruth the Moabitess.” That included Ruth’s status of being a widow. He refers to her as the “widow of Mahlon.” One who had once been married before. This included this complicated family dynamic in which he, Boaz, if the Lord were to open Ruth’s womb in their marriage he would be obligated to “raise up the name” through a son “of the one who had died.” Namely, Mahlon. Then it says, “so that the name of the one who had died will not be cut off from his brothers or from the gate of his birthplace.”
So, for Mr. So and So as he viewed this transaction, the land and Ruth, he concluded that this was simply too much baggage and he was unwilling to redeem her. But for Boaz, this man who consistently showcased this character which aimed to always do what was good and what was right, no matter the cost. For the privilege of being able to marry a woman like Ruth, he was willing to take it all on, and to embrace it all.

Now, people have questions like:
Did Boaz and Ruth have an immediate love-connection? You know where there are hearts in their eyes, or butterflies flying all over the place? Was his heart leaping out of his chest in this scene?
We don’t know. What we can surmise from this text, though, is that Boaz desired not only to purchase the land this wasn’t just a purchase for him. But he wanted to marry Ruth. He wanted to stand in as her kinsman-redeemer. Keeping the land, and the line and the legacy of his relative, Elimelech, going on through this new union.

Well, as we move on to this next section in the narrative in verses 11-12. We come across the reaction of those who were there to witness all that we’ve covered so far. And what we find here in verses 11-12 are both words of affirmation and words of blessing from these various different faces in the crowd.
First, come the words of affirmation. I don’t mean by that, some sort of psychobabble, you know, “you’re good enough, you’re smart enough, and gosh darn it, people like you.” It’s not like that. Rather, they were affirming what they had witnessed. Look at verse 11:
“And all the people who were in the gate, and the elders, said, ‘We are witnesses.’”
So, Boaz, back in verse 9 had said: “You are witnesses today . . .”
“You are witnesses today that I have acquired all that belongs to Elimelech and Mahlon and Chilion” “and you are witnesses that I have acquired Ruth” “redeeming her, so that I can marry her.”
And here, that same group who had gathered there at the city gate “the elders and all the people.” They affirmed the fact that they had in fact witnessed this entire transaction. From the handing over of the sandal. To the various words that were exchanged. So, those are the words of affirmation. These witnesses saying, we indeed have witnessed what has happened today.

Then come the words of blessing. Where the elders and the other people who are gathered offered these words of benediction on behalf of Boaz and Ruth praying that they’d be blessed.
First, was a prayer for fruitfulness, still in verse 11, this is the gathered group saying:
“May Yahweh grant the woman who is coming into your home to be like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel. So, you shall achieve excellence in Ephrathah and shall proclaim your name in Bethlehem.”
I will start with the first part there, in those references to “Rachel and Leah.” Those two women, of course, were the wives of Jacob. One of them became the wife of Jacob by way of trickery, by a man named Laban. But those two women, they started off barren. They weren’t able to conceive children at first. But then the Lord sovereignly and graciously opened both of their wombs. So that between them, they each bore Jacob eight sons, twelve total when you consider the servant women who also bore Jacob’s sons. So, both women Rachel and Leah went from being barren to being fruitful. Becoming the mothers of the men who would ultimately become the pillars, the namesakes of the twelve tribes of Israel.
Well, Ruth, similarly, had no children. She bore no children that we’re told of from her marriage to Mahlon. Which suggests that she went through her own struggles in fertility, and being unable to conceive. And so, for the people here who are witnessing this scene in verse 11. They’ve seen and witnessed Boaz’s redemption of Ruth; they are praying that Ruth would be fruitful in bearing children. That it would be a fruitful-child-bearing marriage. That Boaz, paraphrasing Psalm 127, would have a quiver-full of children through his marriage to Ruth.

Next, these words of blessing continue, end of verse 11, they also said:
“. . . and so, you shall achieve excellence in Ephrathah and shall proclaim your name in Bethlehem.”
“Ephrathah” is another name for “Bethlehem.” and “Bethlehem” we see, means “house of bread.” “Ephrathah” means “fruitful.” Which is a fitting word here, when this is a prayer for fruitfulness. They also were praying that Boaz would “achieve excellence in Ephrathah.” That his name would be proclaimed in Bethlehem.

Now, we’ve already seen that Boaz was this, and he’s been described, I’ve quoted it many times now, this “mighty man of excellence,” as he’s called in Ruth 2:1. This reference to his overall character, as a morally upright and virtuous person. So why is the prayer being prayed here, that he would “achieve excellence”? If he was already a “mighty man of excellence”, in what sense was the prayer being offered that he would “achieve excellence” and his name proclaimed? Well, we must remember that this is in connection with a prayer for fruitfulness. Fruitfulness in childbearing, in child rearing. So, the sense here is that the people here, as they are praying for Boaz and praying that he would continue to have a sterling reputation there in Bethlehem. They are praying specifically that this would happen through the children of this union. They’re praying that Boaz and Ruth would have children, like olive trees surrounding their table as it says in Psalm 128:3. The prayers that Boaz’s children would be wise and make their father glad – Proverbs 15:20. The prayer was that the fruitful and faithful home of Boaz and Ruth would not only provide children but this would enhance his reputation as a “mighty man of excellence.”

As we turn to verse 12, which is where we’re going to end today. We learn that “the elders and all the people surrounding the elders” offered another prayer for Boaz, and for Ruth. It was another prayer that was rooted in the history of Israel. The prayer went like this, verse 12:
“Moreover, may your house be like the house of Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah, through the seed which Yahweh will grant you by this young woman.”
Now, the story of Judah and Tamar is told back in Genesis 38 and we won’t go there right now. The story is sorted, to say the least. Judah is one of the twelve sons of Jacob, representing the twelve tribes of Israel. Judah had a son named Er. Er was married to a woman named Tamar.
Genesis 38:7 says that Er “. . . was evil in the sight of Yahweh, so Yahweh put him to death.”
Well, when Er died, his brother, Onan, was called to “rise up” by the Law of Moses, and “raise up a seed” on behalf of his own brother, his deceased brother. Very similar to what we see happening in Ruth. Well, Onan failed to do what he was supposed to do. So, God puts Onan to death, as well. Now, through some trickery and some outright sin, Judah, the patriarch of that family ends up having sexual relations with Tamar. Who had disguised herself as a prostitute. Tamar ends up becoming pregnant with twin boys. One of whom is Perez.

Not a proud moment in Israel’s history. So, why in the world are these three individuals mentioned here, in Ruth 4:12? Well, certainly not for moral reasons. You know, these folks, Judah and Tamar in that scene are not being held up as any kind of paragon of virtue. But instead, what is happening here is to draw comparisons on another ground. Because in both accounts, you have a union of an Israelite and a foreigner. In Genesis 38, that was Judah and Tamar. Tamar was the foreigner. While in the Book of Ruth, we have Boaz and Ruth. With Ruth being the foreigner. Also, this story is being highlighted here, the Genesis 38 account, to highlight how God worked through these ancient Israelite marriage practices, where when the husband died, leaving his wife widowed, God would supply another relative to supply a seed to keep the line going.

Now, the circumstances are totally different. You know, the Judah-Tamar relationship has all sorts of immorality going on. In the Boaz-Ruth relationship, you have these people of virtue. These people of excellence involved. But the outcome was the same. The outcome was the same in that there was redemption involved. God redeemed these unions that showcased a different way of bringing about fruit, through the line. So, the prayer that’s being offered by “the elders and people” gathered around in verse 12, was rooted in the hope, ultimately, that just as God had redeemed what had happened in the Tamar-Judah union He would do the same here in the Boaz-Ruth relationship. Blessing this relationship with faithfulness and fruitfulness with a son being born to them, through whom God would carry out His purposes and His plans. All of that is wrapped into these words in verse 12:
“Moreover, may your house be like the house of Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah, through the seed which Yahweh will grant you by this young woman.”

Well, as “the elders and all the people” prayed these prayers, especially in verses 11 and 12 here for Boaz and for Ruth. They couldn’t have known that the “seed” that they had just prayed for would ultimately be the grandfather of who would be King David, through whom Israel’s long-hoped, and long-promised Messiah and Savior would come. That’s what we’re going to get into next Sunday morning, as we inch our way to Christmas. And as we spend more time considering what the Book of Ruth has been pointing us to all along, namely, that connection between Boaz and Ruth. To the line of David through whom the Messiah of Israel, the Savior of the world the Lord Jesus Christ, would come.
That is it for this morning. We will see you next week, as we pick up the rest of the account in Ruth 4.

Let’s pray.
Father, thank You for a chance, yet again, to dive deep into this Old Testament narrative account. Of really a different land and a different people and different customs and culture. But one, ultimately, that You used and have used to bring out Your perfect plan of salvation and redemption, through Your Son, the Lord Jesus. I do know that right now, as we consider these matters of history. From really, thousands of years ago now, it can seem a little foggy and a little grainy, in terms of the relevance to today. But we do know and affirm that all scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for instruction and training in righteousness. We do know, especially as we’ll see next Sunday morning, that this story connects directly to the lineage of our Savior, Jesus Christ. So, I pray that we would hold on to that cord and that thread of redemption, ultimately, that’s found in Jesus. As we consider Him coming, as we consider Him dying, and as we consider Him rising. I pray that who we are, in Christ, would be our anchor and our ballast all week long. Thank You for this time in Your Word. May You do a work in our hearts this week, through it. In Jesus name we pray. Amen