For Unto Us is Born a Redeemer-Ruth 4:7-12

Many kinds of events draw crowds. From sports to musical performances, people enjoy gathering together when something exciting is taking place. This is especially true when a decision is involved. Think of the all the shows on TV that involve some kind of competition that comes down the decision of a judge or the audience. Think of the millions who stay up late into the night to watch election results or the finale of the Bachelor. We are people who collect themselves in groups. Such is the case in our next stop in the journey to Bethlehem. Interestingly, this stop has us in Bethlehem, only a few centuries prior to the events of that first Christmas morning. You see, there was a family who happened upon hard times in Bethlehem during a famine. This family packed their things and headed to Moab where they had better luck, at least for a while. The sons of the house married women from this region and all was working as best as could be expected when the father of the house and his two sons died. This left an aging Naomi, Orpah, and Ruth without husbands or sons and in dire straits. With no way to provide for themselves and no ability to continue the family name, Naomi decides to head back home to Bethlehem.  Against her wishes, at first, Ruth accompanies her and the two of them try to pick of the pieces of their lives as best they can and start over. No husband, no prospects, no means of feeding themselves. Starting over would be a tall order.

Tragedy turns into a love story when Ruth “happens” to find herself gleaning in a field for scraps of food. The field, by the way, just “happens” to be owned by a potential suitor—a man by the name of Boaz—who just so “happens” to be a potential “kinsmen.” You see, when a man died and left a widow, it was up to the man’s brother or close male relative to marry the widow, provide for her well-being, and produce an heir that would inherit what originally belonged to the deceased. After Ruth’s gleaning and some very generous gestures extended by Boaz, Ruth returns home to Naomi encouraged.

Naomi finds out about all of this, realizes the possibilities before Ruth (and her) and goes from mourning to matchmaker. She hatches a late-night proposal in which Ruth would approach Boaz, reveal who she is, and, in no uncertain terms, let it be known that she is available and in need of a kinsmen to come to her rescue. The plan works and Boaz agrees to step in for her and Naomi—it seems he has taken a liking to this Moabite women gleaning in his field.

However, as with any good love story, there is a slight hitch. There is a nearer kinsmen that really has first rights to Ruth (sorry ladies, this is how it worked in the ancient world). So insignificant is this other guys that the Bible doesn’t even name him (it actually in a round-about way refers to him as Mr. So-and-so). By now Ruth and Boaz are an item, would this Mr. So-and-so stand in their way? Boaz was determined to find out and has a meeting with the guy the very next day.

After exchanging pleasantries, Boaz lays it all on the table and asks to take the man’s place as Ruth’s kinsman and redeem her out of her desperate plight. This is where we enter the story. By now, the gossip has hit the small town, people know about the budding romance and all of the important implications thereof, and a crowd has gathered in an effort to hear the decision that was made between Boaz and Mr. So-and-So. Interested in the outcome of this decision, the group has grown to many onlookers who, in their passing by, have decided to tune in and hear the result of the decision that has been made between these two men. Let us take our place among them and examine three results of the decision made between the two and how it foreshadows the greatest ever kinsmen redeemer—Christ—who comes to purchase lost sinners out of their desperate plight.

a. RESULT #1: The Practice of the Custom-4:7-8

Verses 7-8 interrupt the meeting that is taking place and draw attention to the gestures that would have accompanied the decision that was made earlier (cf. 4:6)—“Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning the redemptions and the exchange of land to confirm any matter: a man removed his sandal and gave it to another and this was the manner of attestation in Israel” (4:7). The removal of a sandal in ancient customs was a symbolic act declaring his abdication of his own rights as the redeemer and their transfer to the next in line. In those days, the sandal was the most common form of footwear, generally made of leather and fastened with straps or laces. The act of removing the sandal and handing to another was symbolic of an exchange or transfer of goods or rights. The purpose of this legal gesture is defined with two expressions, “to put any matter into effect,” (translated, “confirm any matter”) that is to make legally binding, and “now this is/was the form of attestation/legalization in Israel,” that is to bear witness. Inasmuch as a transfer was made and inasmuch as this transfer was made among a crowd of witnesses, this seems to describe what this gesture meant in this context. Therefore, the act makes concrete the transfer of rights from one person to the next. The transfer of the sandal would have been more meaningful in that culture than it would be today. Sandals were important footwear and many did not have but one pair. To give up a sandal meant giving up half of your closet footwear, leaving you barefoot on one foot until you could acquire another. Not only was this personally taxing, it would have been publicly observed. Anyone, for the remainder of that day at least would have been able to see Mr. So-and-so wearing only one sandal or carrying only one in his hand and would have been able to understand that a legally binding deal had been made.

This gesture was accompanied by a verbal declaration “Acquire for yourself” (4:8-a recapitulation of the statement made in verse 6). With the transfer of the sandal as the final legal gesture, the official court proceedings were complete. The rights and responsibilities of redemption (concerning the deceased estate) had been officially transferred to Boaz, and he was legally recognized as the redeemer. While Boaz grows more important to us in the story with this new distinction, Mr. So-and-so, disappears from the scene almost as quickly as he appeared, heading home to live an unchanged and normal life.

b. RESULT #2: The Proclamation of the Conclusion-4:9-10

With a bit more pep in his step than earlier, Boaz closes the meeting with a passionate speech. This speech defines the significance of what just took place for everyone around him and calls attention to what they observed. Although originally Boaz called just ten elders around to bear witness, since the meeting began, many walking through the city gates had remained to watch as the business was conducted. This is why the author says, “to the elders and all the people, ‘You are witnesses today that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon…” (4:9).  

Boaz’s concluding speech begins and ends with the same clause, “your are witnesses.” With this declaration, Boaz affirms that if ever in the future there would be any question of what had transpired between him and so-and-so, many would be able to remember what had happened and bear witness. With this in mind, Boaz summarizes two actions that had transpired. The first being the transfer of the estate of Elimelech. He had obtained the right to purchase it from whomever held it presently. In so doing, he would restore the land back to whom it originally belonged.

In the second portion of his summary, Boaz declared that he had also acquired the rights of Ruth—“moreover, I have acquired Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Maholon, to be my wife” (4:10a). He mentions the land first because his right to Ruth was contingent upon gaining the right to the property. However, it is obvious from the construction of the sentence that Ruth was his primary goal. Literally, it reads, “and also Ruth, the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, I have acquired for myself.” From this clear reference, it is obvious that Ruth’s foreign status was no barrier for Boaz. Instead, it almost appears as though, because of her glowing reputation throughout Bethlehem, he relishes the idea of marrying this foreigner.

This is not unlike Christ’s redemption for the believer. Although foreigners to His kingdom because of our sin, Jesus is pleased, if not, proud, that He is able to Redeem those of the world. He has the rights to do so and is absolutely willing.

The remainder of Boaz’s speech explains the reason and motivation behind the preceding meeting. Again, it is obvious that although the estate made up the majority of the deal, Boaz’s primary consideration was for Ruth. The addition of “for my wife” creates the initial impression that his motives are purely personal. However, what he reveals next is that so much more is going on here—God is up to something bigger.

“In order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance, so that the name of the deceased will not be cut off from his brothers or from the court of his birth place; you are witnesses today’…” (4:10b). In Boaz’s explanation of his motivation in the foregoing legal efforts he used three significant expressions. His first goal was to establish the name of the deceased on through his own inheritance. Boaz’s second goal was to prevent the name of the deceased from being “cut off from his brothers.” This expression represents one of several for annihilating one’s honor and reputation and preventing one’s post-death existence. Boaz’s third goal is to prevent his name from being cut off from “the court of his birth place.” This decision by Boaz is intended to guarantee Elimelech/Mahlon the right to representation in the gathering of the town council. In the end Mr. So-and-so will disappear without a name, but the security of Mahlon’s and Elimelech’s (the dead) names is guarded.

Again, Boaz closes his speech as he opens it, calling those around to bear witness. He does this because he wants to remind them of their responsibility and he also wants them to take that responsibility seriously. Repetition leads to Retention. 

c. RESULT #3: The Prayer of Blessing-4:11-12

“All the people who were in the court, and the elders, said, ‘We are witnesses…” (4:11a). Interestingly, there is no word for “yes” in the Hebrew language. In order to affirm something or agree, the Israelites repeated that which they conceded. Here, they say, “we are witnesses.” By affirming this role, they agree to the legal and popular obligations that Boaz had gave them through his speech and state here that they will be the witnesses he has called them to be concerning this case. However, this is not the end of their input after the covenant has been made.

With unanimous spontaneity, the crowd (made up of the ten and the many others who had gathered) erupts in a hymn of blessing that consists of three parts. First, they express their concern for Boaz by praying that Ruth be fertile—“ May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel” (4:11b). The expression “who is coming into your home” derives from the ancient customary practice of the wedding party proceeding to the home of the groom after the marriage ceremony and him formally ushering the bride into his house.

The crowd continues and prays that Ruth take her place among the matriarchs of Israel along with Rachel and Leah. This would have been absolutely unprecedented for the original readers to see a foreign woman granted such status among Israel’s finest feminine figures. As is well known, Rachel and Leah were the daughters of Laban whom Jacob married and who became the founding mothers of the twelve tribes of Israel. Leah is mentioned second in order for her name to stick in your mind and draw attention to the tribe of Judah who was associated with Bethlehem (their present setting) and was a descendant of this famous mother. Just as Rachel and Leah had built up the house of Israel, so, they pray, may Ruth build up the house of Boaz.

As the prayer continues, the crowd asks that God all Ruth, Like Rachel and Leah before her, ”to build a house” (4:11b). This phrase is an idiom which means “to have progeny, descendants, to establish a family.” The people’s invocation of Yahweh to make this possible is in keeping with the psalmist’s notion that “unless the LORD builds a house, they labor in vain who build it” (Ps. 127:1).

The second blessing the crowd voices was directed to Boaz and is constructed with two parallel lines.

“May you prosper in Ephrathah

And may a name be called in Bethlehem” (4:11c).

Because of the wide range of meanings that may be ascribed to hayil (prosper), this first line is difficult to pin down. The word can mean “to act valiantly,” “to perform honorably,” or “to show great strength,” but “to make wealth,” seems to be most appropriate in the context of a blessing associated with marriage.

Typical of Hebrew parallelism, the second line builds on the first. The phrase “become famous” (lit. “to call a name”), means to keep that name alive. It also perceives the person as living on in his descendants in the place named, which is Bethlehem here. The ancients believed that when a person’s name is never mentioned after his death, he ceases to exist.

The third blessing the witnesses prayed was that Boaz would become like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah—“ Moreover, may your house be like the house of Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah through the offspring which the Lord will give you by this young woman” (4:12). This reference to Tamar, Judah, and Perez reinforces the impression that the narrator has been writing the story of Boaz and Ruth with Genesis 39 in the back of his mind. What does that say? This most celebrated example of levirate obligation and betrayal also involved a widow whose husband, Er, had died without producing

and heir. Failing to get Er’s brother Onan, to fulfill his levirate obligation and despairing of waiting for Shelah, another younger brother to grow up, Tamar pretended to be a prostitute and tricked Judah, her own father-in-law, into a sexual relationship . She conceived and eventually bore twin sons, Perez and Zerah. Together they became the ancestors of the tribe of Judah.

The point of comparing Boaz to Judah and Ruth to Tamar is to draw attention to the common levirate quality to their unions.  Through Tamar, whose husband had died childless, Judah had fathered Perez, who became the ancestor of a host of clans. Through Ruth, whose husband had died childless, the people prayed that Boaz might father a child who would birth a multitude as well. However, if one considers the common rabbinic hermeneutic of arguing from greater to the lesser, the reader cannot help but think that if Yahweh had given immoral Judah a double blessing in the birth of twins and if Judah flourished through Perez, how much greater are the prospects  for Boaz and Ruth. These two have been presented from the beginning to the end as persons with as people of steadfastness and uprightness.

The people that proclaimed this three-fold blessing could not have imagined how prophetic it would prove to be. Collectively inspired by the Spirit of God, they join here in a pronouncement that will eventually transpire before their very eyes. Had they been around long enough to see the fulfillment of their prayer, they would have observed the establishment of a name and a house far greater than Perez.

So What?

We catch a glimpse of this in the rest of Ruth.

So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife, and he went in to her. And the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed is the Lord who has not left you without a redeemer today, and may his name become famous in Israel. May he also be to you a restorer of life and a sustainer of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her lap, and became his nurse. The neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi!” So they named him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David. (Ruth 4:13-17)

Here in Bethlehem the line of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Judah is allowed to continue after being thrown into jeopardy because a godly man was able and willing to redeem a young Moabite woman. Because of his heroism, she gave birth to a son, and with that, obtained security for her and Naomi’s future. However, she also is used of God to continue the Messianic line on through David—future King of Israel—and an even greater figure thereafter—Jesus Christ—who would be born in the very same small town. This same Jesus, born in Bethlehem, would redeem lost sinners like you and me. For unto us is born a Redeemer! He loved us when we were at our worst, lost and helpless, foreign and broken. Have you entered a relationship with him? Are you living in the joy that comes from being saved from your former plight?