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Ruth 4

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REVIEWED OVERVIEW

Ruth 4 Overview

Boaz goes to the city gate, gathers elders, and presents the redemption matter to the nearer kinsman. The man is willing to redeem the land until he learns that doing so includes Ruth and the duty to preserve the dead man’s name; he then yields his right to Boaz. The transaction is publicly witnessed, Boaz marries Ruth, and the LORD gives conception. Their son Obed becomes the grandfather of David, and the book closes with the genealogy from Pharez to David.

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Before you read Ruth 4

Coming from

Chapter 3 ended with Boaz promising to redeem Ruth if the nearer kinsman would not and Naomi confident he would settle the matter promptly.

In this chapter

The redemption is resolved publicly and lawfully, transforming Naomi’s emptiness and Ruth’s widowhood into a restored household whose descendants lead directly to David.

Leads into

1 Samuel begins the next major stage of Israel’s history, moving from the end of the judges period toward the monarchy; Ruth’s genealogy has already introduced David’s family line before David appears in that history.

Key understandingExplore deeper

The city gate is the public legal setting where Boaz acts before witnesses. The unnamed nearer kinsman is not portrayed as violating a direct command simply because he declines; he relinquishes his right, and Boaz accepts it openly. The sandal custom confirms the transfer according to the practice described in the chapter. The women’s blessing brings Naomi’s story full circle: she entered Bethlehem saying she was empty, but now she holds the child through whom the family line is preserved. The genealogy reveals that this local family story belongs to the larger history leading to King David.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Truth 1

Boaz’s redemption is carried out publicly, lawfully, and with concern for the family name rather than by secret possession.

Truth 2

The LORD’s providence turns Naomi’s earlier emptiness into renewed family hope without denying the reality of her previous grief.

Truth 3

Ruth the Moabitess is fully woven into Israel’s covenant community and into the ancestral line of David.

Truth 4

The book’s final genealogy shows that ordinary faithfulness in one household can have significance far beyond what the participants could see.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Connection 1

Genesis 38 records the earlier history of Judah, Tamar, and Pharez, whose line appears at the beginning of Ruth’s closing genealogy.

Connection 2

1 Samuel 16 introduces David as the son of Jesse; Ruth 4 explains the family line from Boaz and Ruth through Obed and Jesse to David.

Connection 3

Matthew 1:5–6 explicitly places Boaz, Ruth, Obed, Jesse, and David in the genealogy of Jesus Christ.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Keep this clear 1

Boaz genuinely functions as a redeemer in Ruth, and Scripture later presents Christ as Redeemer in a greater sense; nevertheless, do not turn every procedural detail in Ruth 4 into an unstated one-to-one prophecy.

Keep this clear 2

The nearer kinsman’s decision should be described according to the text: he fears marring his own inheritance and yields the right. Do not invent motives the narrative does not state.

Keep this clear 3

The genealogy’s movement to David is essential to the book’s purpose. Ruth is not merely a romance; it is also an important bridge in Israel’s redemptive history.

Read Ruth 4 watching for…

Where Boaz conducts the legal proceeding and who witnesses it.

What changes the nearer kinsman’s willingness to redeem.

How the transfer of redemption rights is confirmed.

The women’s words to Naomi after Obed is born.

The final genealogy and its destination in David.

Chapter outline4 sections

1-6Boaz presents the redemption to the nearer kinsman, who declines 7-12The redemption is witnessed, and the people bless Boaz and Ruth 13-17Ruth bears Obed, and Naomi receives joy through the child 18-22The genealogy runs from Pharez to David

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.

And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.

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:

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.

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.

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.

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.

Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe.

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.

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.

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 Bethlehem:

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.

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.

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.

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.

And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.

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.

Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron,

And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab,

And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon,

And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,

And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.

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Ruth 4:2

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