"The Redemption of the Inheritance" Ruth 4

July 1, 2007
by C.W. Powell

There is great instruction for us in this third chapter of the book of Ruth. As we say, these events occurred in “the days when the judges ruled.” Not a good time, as we saw, for every man did that which was right in his own eyes. But the bi-ble is only secondarily an account of the works of men. It is first and foremost an account of the works of God. The story of Ruth and the account in I & 2 Samuel that follows, is the account of God’s workings to accomplish the plan of redemption which he conceived in His mind from the foundation of the world.

But even though men did that which was right in their own eyes, yet there were the godly in Israel, and we saw that God had not forgotten His promises, but was stirring the heart of a young woman in the land of Moab, Ruth, who would place herself under the wings of Jehovah. God had plans for her that would bring about the blessing that God had promised to the world in His revelations of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

But to be under the wings of Jehovah is to live in the order that he has established. In chapter 3, we find Ruth submitting to that order and bringing her petition to Boaz to redeem her inheritance. She did this by faith, for there is far more here than simply a widowed woman desiring to have some financial security.

The immediate context of chapter three is this: Ruth had gone out to glean in the fields and by providence she came to glean in the fields of Boaz, and elderly man of some wealth. He was also a near relative of Naomi and Elemelech. This might not be surprising, for Bethelhem was a small village, and probably the inhabitants all had some relation to each other. But Naomi seems to be unaware of every relationship to herself in Bethlehem. But she counseled Ruth very wisely, so that Ruth acted with utmost decorum and wisdom in the establishment of her legal claims with regard to the inheritance of Elemelech that Naomi had sold in the extremity of her poverty.

Naomi proceeded on the basis of Deuteronomy 25. This practice was known as the Levirate marriage. There was an economic reason for this, that the ownership of the land not be consolidated in the hands of the rich and powerful, but that it remain distributed among the whole population. The land had been divided up by lot in the time of Joshua after the conquest, and no inheritance could be forever aliened from the families.

This meant that if the land was ever sold, it was not sold ‘forever” but just unto the time of the year of jubilee which took place every fifty years. If the man were deceased, a kinsman could redeem the land for his relative, if he chose to do so. But it also meant that the kinsman would have to assume any obligation that was on the land, including the Levirate mar-riage with a surviving widow. This right and obligation came first to the nearest relative and if he refused, to others in terms of the nearness of their relationship to the deceased.

Boaz agreed to assume the right to the land of Elimelech, including marriage to Ruth, and the first thing in the morning, he moved energetically to perform the legal work. The result of his energy we find here in chapter four. Let us look at the words and then make some application.

I. The Suit of Boaz. Ruth 4:1-2:

1 Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down. 2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.

a. The custom was to have legal hearings at the gate of the city. Israel had a form of simple government. How simple this was. No law firms of Doem, Cheetem, and How. Ruth would be an old woman and Boaz would be long dead probably in today’s modern courts.
b. Details:

i. Boaz were to the gate.

ii. When the kinsman of Naomi came out to go to the fields, Boaz called him to sit down with him

iii. Boaz called then elders of the city as adjudicators, and they all sat town, and the case began.

iv. Probably ten were required because of the paucity of written records, although it may very well be that a record of some time was made and documents kept by the parties to the suit.

II. The Pressing of Boaz’s case Ruth 4:

3 And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech’s: 4 And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it be-fore the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.

a. “Brother” means kinsman. Boaz sets out the nature of the case very simply. The facts of the case are not disputed. The other man, whose name is not known, is at first disposed to buy the land, as is his right.

b. In her poverty, Naomi had sold the land, to whom we do not know. The title was somewhat complicated. At the death of Elemelech title would pass to his sons; but they are dead. Because Naomi had the right to sell the land, which right is not disputed, it must indicate that widows could exercise real estate rights in Israel, especially if their sons were dead. But rights would pass to Ruth after the death of Naomi. The deed is “clouded” as they now say.

c. The relative of Boaz is willing to buy it and clear the title. He is evidently unaware that there is another cloud on this deed. But Boaz informs him. Boaz, of course, can do nothing about this land or Ruth at this point for the rights of this kinsman are ahead of Boaz’s rights.

III. The Complication Ruth 4:5-6

5 Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance. 6 And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it.

a. If you buy it from Naomi, you must buy it from Ruth, to raise of the name of the dead upon his inheri-tance. The Levirate law was tied to the law of redemption if there is a widow.

b. Either the kinsman was already married, or he did not feel financially secure enough to take on this debt and another wife and family.

IV. The Public Witness and abrogation of right. Ruth 4:7-8:

7 Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a testimony in Israel. 8 Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe.

a. In the case a man refused the Levirate marriage, the widow was to spit in his face to shame him, but either the man’s excuse was deemed sufficient or the practice had fallen into disuse. The casting of the shoe had evidently been discontinued even at the time of this writing, for it is re-counted as an antique custom even then.

b. In the old days, man took possession of his land title by walking around it, that is, with his shoes. So abrogation of land title involved a ceremony with your shoes. A similar thing was found in the culture of a number of nations, not only in the Middle East.

V. Recording the Transaction. Ruth 4:9-12:

9 And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, of the hand of Naomi. 10 Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day. 11 And all the people that were in the gate, and the eld-ers, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem: 12 And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman.

a. The ten elders and the others who stood there affirm the legal proceedings.
b. The blessings upon the engagement of Boaz to Ruth
c. The wise woman builds her house, Proverbs says, and is to be honored in the church.

VI. The Marriage of Boaz and Ruth Ruth 4:10-16

13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her concep-tion, and she bare a son. 14 And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. 15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him. 16 And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.

Thus the fortune of Naomi is change. Her inheritance is restored in Ruth and Boaz, and the name of her dead husband and sons is preserved. She is content, with her grandson upon her knee. Her daughter-in-law loved her, better to her than seven sons, as the women said.

VII. The meaning of it all. Ruth 4:17-22:

17 And the women her neighbors gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David. 18 Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron, 19 And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab, 20 And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon, 21 And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed, 22 And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.”

a. This was to record the providential work of God in the preparation of Israel for the coming of the Lord Jesus, who would be of the house and lineage of David. Naomi and Ruth did not know this, of course, and neither did the Jews of Jesus’ day, for their hearts were blinded by unbelief.

b. The true meaning of the nation of Israel is the promise of Messiah and the Lord’s working to prepare the world and bring Him into the world.

c. We are not to despair if God’s promises are slow in coming, for he may be doing a great many other things than we know of.

d. The figure of redemption and marriage appear again in Scripture with a clear reference to the world and to the book of Ruth.

i. Revelation 4: None is worthy to open the scroll and to open the seals.
ii. The redemption of the earth, and the removal of claims against it.
iii. The marriage of the Lamb, after the redemption of the inheritance.
iv. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth: Ruth is a figure of the church; Boaz of Christ; theinheritance of eternal glory and joy with God forever.

May God bless you.

Amen and Amen.