RUTH LESSON 4


     We will begin this lesson in Ruth 4:1 "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."

     The penman decided not to name the near-kinsman redeemer here. It
might be that he never knew his name, or it could be that he did not
want to give it for shame to the man. Boaz deliberately went to the
city gate to wait for him. He knew that he would go through this gate,
because it was the only one out of the city at the time. When Boaz
calls to him, he comes over to see what Boaz wants.

     Ruth 4:2 "And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and
said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down."

     Boaz had these men as witnesses to what he was about to do. They
were not aware they were there for a witness, however. Ten speaks of
world government. Boaz was keeping the law of the land.

     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:"

     Boaz and Ruth had discussed all of the business of Naomi. Boaz
knew that Naomi was poor. She, perhaps, had to sell the land for a
living. This other near kinsman was, possibly, the older brother of
Boaz, since he says, our brother Elimelech. That would answer why the
other man had the first right as the near-kinsman redeemer.

     Ruth 4:4 "And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy [it]
before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou
wilt redeem [it], redeem [it]: but if thou wilt not redeem [it, then]
tell me, that I may know: for [there is] none to redeem [it] beside
thee; and I [am] after thee. And he said, I will redeem [it]."

     The land was not to be sold to a stranger. Either Boaz, or his
brother, would have to buy it to keep it in the family name. This is
said before these witnesses, so there will be proof later. The man
immediately says he will redeem it, because he wants the land.

     Ruth 4:5 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.

     Now, there is a new twist to the circumstances. The other man has
to marry Ruth, to be able to redeem the land. Boaz reminds him that
Ruth is a Moabitess. He does not stress the fact that she is a Hebrew
by marriage to a Hebrew. His first child will belong to Ruth's dead
husband.

     Ruth 4:6  "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]."

     It seems, he already had a family, and his inheritance would have
been divided into so many pieces, it would be almost lost for the
family. He does not love Ruth, as Boaz does, or nothing would stop
him. He says in front of all the witnesses, that Boaz can redeem the
land and Ruth.  This is just what Boaz wanted to hear.

     Ruth 4:7 "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."

     We see by this that, the "taking off of one's shoe and giving it
to someone" gave them the right to walk on the land they were
unwilling to walk on. When the man gives Boaz his shoe, he is giving
his right as near kinsman to Boaz.

     Ruth 4:8 "Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy [it] for
thee.  So he drew off his shoe."

     The proof that Boaz is free to buy the land and to marry Ruth, is
shown when the man takes his shoe off, and gives it to Boaz. The
transaction is sealed with witnesses.

     Ruth 4:9  "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."

     We may assume, that Naomi either went with Boaz to transact this,
or she came up later, and sold the land to Boaz. Naomi knew that she
would be welcome to live with Ruth and Boaz. After all, she was the
one who planned all of this.

     Ruth 4:10 "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."

     Boaz has accomplished exactly what he set out to do. Now, he can
marry Ruth. He has become her near-kinsman redeemer, by the other man
forfeiting his rights in front of witnesses. He bought the land, and
will give his first child to the memory of Ruth's dead husband. Boaz
has fulfilled the law. The son will be able to inherit Mahlon's land
through Elimelech.

     Ruth 4:11 "And all the people that [were] in the gate, and the
elders, said, [We are] witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come
into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the
house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in
Beth-lehem:"
     We must remember in all of this that, it was legal in God's sight
for Boaz to marry Ruth, because she was a Hebrew by marriage. Her
first husband sinned in God's sight, because she was a Moabite. Now,
she is Hebrew. It is legal for Boaz to marry her, and be blessed of
God.  The elders witnessed the whole thing. Boaz had done everything
decently and pleasing to God. Boaz had kept the law. Rachel and Leah
had been the mothers of the tribes of Israel. They were honored women.
This is saying that, Ruth is indeed a Hebrew of high morals.

     Ruth 4:12 "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."

     They were wishing that Boaz and Ruth would have a large family.
This marriage is pleasing unto the LORD. In a good marriage, the
husband feels for the wife as Jesus did for the church. Jesus was,
also, the near-kinsman redeemer of His bride {all believers in
Christ}.  The wife feels toward her husband as the church does toward
Christ.  The seed that comes is speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ. He
will be descended from both Jew and Gentile.

     Ruth 4:13  "So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he
went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son."

     Boaz and Ruth became husband and wife. Their love for each other
produced a son. Notice, this son comes from the LORD's blessings on
this marriage.

     Ruth 4:14 "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."

     Ruth's son is Naomi's grandson. He is now her near-kinsman
redeemer through Ruth. His name will be very famous as an ancestor of
David, king of Israel, and the fact that he is in the direct lineage
of Jesus.

     Ruth 4:15 "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 borne him."

     It is true that, Ruth had been better to Naomi than any son could
have been. She will have her hopes renewed in this grandson. She had
lost hope, when her husband and two sons died. Now, she is renewed.
The new baby, Obed, will revive her spirit.

     Ruth 4:16 "And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom,
and became nurse unto it."

     Naomi was not a grandmother, who has little to do with raising
her grandbabby. This boy is like her son. She helps with the care and
training of this baby from the beginning. Ruth wants it that way. She
loves Naomi, and wants to share the baby with her.

     Ruth 4:17 "And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying,
There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he [is]
the father of Jesse, the father of David."

     "Obed" means worshipper. Another meaning of the name is serving,
or servant. I like the first one best. The ladies in the neighborhood
gave him his name. The neighbors felt as if God had given this baby to
Naomi to replace her son. This book is obviously penned a little
later, because of the mention of Jesse and David, here. This would be
entirely possible, if Samuel was the penman.

     Ruth 4:18  "Now these [are] the generations of Pharez: Pharez
begat Hezron,"  Ruth 4:19 "And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat
Amminadab,"  Ruth 4:20 "And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat
Salmon," Ruth 4:21 "And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,"  Ruth
4:22 "And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David."

     This is the same genealogy as in the New Testament, except for
slight variations in the spelling of their names. The name is spelled
differently in Greek. We see in this book that, Jesus is, indeed, the
God of the Gentiles, as well as the Jews.



     Thank you for taking your time to study with me through the
books of Joshua, Judges, and Ruth. May God richly bless you in the
study of His Word.


                                       Your Friend in Christ


                                       Louise Haney





















                          Ruth 4 Questions


1.  Where did Boaz go to try to catch the kinsman of Ruth and Naomi?
2.  What did Boaz do, when he saw him?
3.  Who did Boaz take with him to the gate?
4.  Why had Boaz brought them?
5.  What does the number "ten" speak of?
6.  What did Boaz tell the kinsman that Naomi was doing?
7.  Who had told this to Boaz, most probably?
8.  Why does the author believe the kinsman is Boaz's older brother?
9.  Why is Boaz saying this in front of the ten men he brought with
    him?
10. When the kinsman heard about the land, what did he want to do?
11. When did he change his mind?
12. What makes it legal, in the sight of God, for Boaz to marry Ruth?
13. He does not love Ruth as ________ does.
14. What does the kinsman say in front of the witnesses?
15. What did it mean for him to "take off his shoe and give it to
    Boaz"?
16. What does Boaz say to the elders, after he receives the shoe of
    the kinsman?
17. How did Naomi feel about this?
18. In verse 10, Boaz says he purchased Ruth to be his _______.
19. The first child of Ruth and Boaz will belong to whom?
20. How would Ruth be like Rachel and Leah?
21. Quote Ruth chapter 4 verse 12.
22. In a good marriage, how does the husband feel about the wife?
23. How does the wife feel about the husband?
24. The LORD gave Ruth conception, and she had a ______.
25. What is this grandson to Naomi?
26. Who helped Ruth raise the child?
27. Who named the son?
28. What does "Obed" mean?
29. He was the father of _______, who was the father of ______.
30. How does the genealogy here, and in the New Testament, vary?