Mary Rollielyn Weekley God.

This historical account also illustrates the role of

the kinsman redeemer, an integral part of God’s plan

T he heroine of the Book of Ruth is a Moabite

woman named Ruth. She is one of only two
women to have a book of the Bible named after her.
of redemption.
This account begins with an uncertain time of
(The other is Esther.) The story of Ruth is set during famine in the land of Bethlehem-Judah, also known as
the period of the judges of Israel. Bethlehem Ephratah. An Israelite named Elimelech
traveled with his wife, Naomi, and their two sons,
As we learned in the previous article in this series, Mahlon and Chilion, to reside in Moab. While living in
after Joshua and the elders of his time had died, most Moab, Elimelech died. Naomi was left with her two
of the following generations did not know God or sons. At some time both sons married Moabitish
remember the magnificent signs, miracles, and women: Chilion married Orpah, and Mahlon married
wonders He had done for Israel. Thus, they didn’t Ruth. After about ten years, Naomi’s two sons also
obey God or care for Him (Judges 2:7-10). This died, leaving her with only her two daughters-in-law.
resulted in numerous cycles of moral and spiritual
decline throughout the Book of Judges. Hearing that the famine had ended, Naomi decided
to return home to Bethlehem-Judah. Along with Ruth
The Book of Ruth shines bright because the main and Orpah, she started traveling to Bethlehem-Judah,
characters—Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz—held fast to but on the way she tried to persuade her daughters-
standards of loyalty, integrity, and trust in the true in-law to go back to their people. She advised them to
find rest in a marriage relationship. In this we see the
great affection Naomi had for her daughters-in-law.
Mary Weekley is a graduate of the Orpah was convinced by Naomi’s admonition, so
Forty-third Way Corps.
She and her husband serve as the she kissed her mother-in-law and went back to her
Country coordinators of Australia people and their gods. But not Ruth. She cleaved to
Naomi, for she had utterly determined to go with her.
The Way Magazine/November-December 2024 1/6
Ruth chose to follow Naomi and trust in Naomi’s God, Ruth 2:1-3:
and as we’ll see, God provided Ruth with His full And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a
reward of sufficiency and rest. Let’s follow Ruth on mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech;
her journey. and his name was Boaz.
And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me
Ruth 1:14-18:
now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him
And they [the women] lifted up their voice, and
in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto
wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law;
her, Go, my daughter.
but Ruth clave unto her [Naomi].
And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field
And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back
after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part
unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou
of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the
after thy sister in low.
kindred of Elimelech.
And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to
return from following after thee: for whither thou Here we see Boaz as “of the kindred of Elimelech,”
goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: meaning he was related to Naomi’s husband—a
thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: kinsman. He was also a mighty man of wealth.
Where thou diest, will I die, and Ruth had taken the initiative and
there will I be buried: the Lord do asked for Naomi’s permission to go
so to me, and more also, if ought Ruth’s decision and glean in order to provide for
but death part thee and me.
to leave Moab them. Unaware of whose field she
When she [Naomi] saw that she was gleaning from, Ruth ended up in
[Ruth] was stedfastly minded to reflected her trust
Boaz’s field. We will see that God’s
go with her, then she left speaking in God and provision for Ruth and Naomi came
unto her.
demonstrated by way of Boaz’s generosity. When
Ruth’s words of allegiance assured Boaz came to the field, he took
Naomi that Ruth was fully resolved dedication and loyalty notice of Ruth and inquired of his
to go with her. Ruth’s decision to to Naomi. servant about this “damsel.” The
leave Moab reflected her trust in servant then described Ruth’s
God and demonstrated dedication actions.
and loyalty to Naomi. It was at the beginning of the Ruth 2:6 and 7:
barley harvest when Naomi and Ruth arrived in And the servant that was set over the reapers
Bethlehem. answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that
Once they arrived, Ruth did not focus on herself or came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab:
view herself as a victim of difficult circumstances. And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather
Instead, she unselfishly took care of her mother-in- after the reapers among the sheaves: so she come,
law, recognizing that Naomi’s God—the true and and hath continued
living God (Jeremiah 10:10)—was now her God too. even from the morning until now, that she tarried a
We see Ruth’s care in her diligence to act on what she little in the house.
knew to do to provide for herself and her mother- in-
law: she went to the fields to glean. In Bible times, the After Boaz heard the good report about Ruth from
children of Israel obeyed God’s command to his servant, he instructed her to not go and glean in
deliberately leave a portion of the harvest in the fields another field. Since reapers were likely to be
so the widows, the fatherless, and the strangers could unmannerly to the women gleaning, Boaz charged
reap and be taken care of (Leviticus 19:9 and 10). them to be courteous to Ruth. In addition, he

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instructed them to intentionally leave behind some of kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he
their harvest for her to glean. He showed compassion winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor.
for her and made sure she had enough food and Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put
water. Boaz bestowed his protection and provision for thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the
Ruth as she gleaned in his field. floor: but make not thyself known unto the man,
until he shall have done eating and drinking.
Ruth 2:11 and 12:
And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully Naomi desired to “seek rest” for Ruth so she could
been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy be rescued from her widowhood. This is the rest
mother in law since the death of thine husband: and found in a godly marital relationship (Ruth 1:9).
how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and Naomi’s wise guidance taught Ruth that she had a
the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people right to seek Boaz to be her husband. That night Ruth
which thou knewest not heretofore. followed through on Naomi’s instruction and quietly
The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be went to the threshing floor, where she lay at his feet
given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose as he slept.
wings thou art come to trust. Ruth 3:8 and 9:
Boaz had been made fully aware of Ruth’s selfless And it come to pass at midnight, that the man
care for her mother-in-law. Most of all, he [Boaz] was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold,
acknowledged Ruth’s wholehearted trust in God and a woman lay at his feet.
the full reward God would give for all her acts of And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am
loving service toward Naomi. Ruth thine hand- maid: spread therefore thy skirt
over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.
Ruth 2:17 and 18:
So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out Boaz was startled in his sleep to find Ruth lying at
that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of his feet. In Volume I of Orientalisms of the Bible,
barley. Bishop K. C. Pillai shed some light regarding Ruth’s
And she took it up, and went into the city: and her action: “For her to lie at the feet of Boaz on the
mother in law sow what she hod gleaned: and she threshing floor was symbolic of her humility.” Ruth’s
brought forth, and gave to her that she hod conduct was guided with integrity based on her
reserved after she was sufficed. mother-in-law’s counsel.
Ruth diligently worked with her hands, gleaning in Then Ruth made a request of Boaz to “spread his
the field from morning until evening. She also skirt” over her because Boaz was a near kinsman.
reserved food for Naomi. She was not only concerned “Skirt” in this verse should be properly translated as
for her need being supplied, but she made sure that “mantle,” according to Bishop Pillai. A mantle was an
Naomi’s need was sufficiently met as well. However, approximately four- foot (one and one-quarter meter)
gleaning in the fields was not a long-term solution for length of folded cloth that was worn around the neck.
Ruth’s and Naomi’s needs for provision. Naomi, The mantle symbolized protection. Ruth was asking
seeking Ruth’s well-being, instructed Ruth to seek Boaz for his protection in a marriage relationship
more than grain from Boaz, who was their near because she was the widow of a kinsman. Bishop Pillai
kinsman. Ruth obeyed. further states, “The kinsman redeemer has to have at
least three qualifications: he must be a close kinsman,
Ruth 3:1-3:
he must be able to pay the redemption price, and he
Then Naomi her mother in low said unto her, My
must be willing to do so.”
daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may
be well with thee? And now is not Boaz of our

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 Boaz’s response confirmed his intention and redeemer. The transaction was finalized when the
willingness to be Ruth’s kinsman redeemer. He first nearest kinsman “drew off his shoe” and handed it to
complimented Ruth for not choosing to look for and Boaz before the elders. This meant that something
marry someone young. Rather than seeking a younger intangible, like a right or privilege, was being forfeited
husband than Boaz, either in Israel or her home to another.
country, her selfless concern was taking care of her The matter being resolved, all the witnesses
mother-in-law and then raising up seed to her professed their blessing for Boaz and Ruth.
deceased husband. Then Boaz proceeded to comfort
her with his favorable reply. Ruth 4:11 and 12:
And all the people that were in the gate, and the
Ruth 3:11: elders, said, We are witnesses. The Lord make the
And now, my daughter, fear not; I [Boaz] will do to woman that is come into thine house like Rachel
thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my and like Leah, which two did build the house of
people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman. Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be
Ruth’s choices and actions reflected her quality of famous in Bethlehem:
character, which was evident to others. The people of And let thy house be like the house of Phorez,
the city declared that she was a whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of
virtuous woman, despite her being the seed which the Lord shall give
a stranger in the land. To be a Though Ruth had left thee of this young woman.
virtuous woman meant that she behind her own people, In the land of Bethlehem, Ruth
was a woman of ability, efficiency,
her land of birth the Moabitess went from being a
and moral worth. Ruth certainly courageous foreigner to being a
lived up to that. and its gods, virtuous woman, redeemed from
Though Ruth had left behind her and so much that widowhood.
own people, her land of birth and was familiar to her, Ruth 4:13:
its gods, and so much that was
God provided for her. So Boaz took Ruth, and she was
familiar to her, God provided for his wife: and when he went in
her. However, the story doesn’t end unto her, the Lord gave her
here. Boaz was willing to pay the conception, and she bare a son.
price to redeem Ruth from widowhood, but he was
not the nearest kinsman. He knew that there was a Naomi and Ruth had been confronted by
kinsman who had first right to the inheritance of widowhood and poverty, which were especially
Elimelech and Mahlon. With integrity, Boaz carried challenging circumstances in their culture. Though
out his responsibility to the nearer kinsman. tragic events happened in their lives, trusting in the
true and living God brought deliverance. Naomi’s
Boaz went to the gate of the city, where the elders bitterness was transformed into pleasantness as she
handled public matters. When the nearest kinsman guided Ruth with moral and spiritual integrity to find
came by, Boaz asked him to sit down with him and relief and rest. Boaz took the responsibility to be
ten elders of the city to discuss the details of the Ruth’s kinsman redeemer, and they were blessed by
transaction. With all the stipulations fully discussed, being in the direct ancestral line of Jesus Christ.
the nearest kinsman declined to carry out such a
redemption—to purchase back the land of Elimelech
and marry Ruth, the widow of Mahlon. Then Boaz was
able to take the right and privilege of the kinsman

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 Ruth 4:21 and 22:
And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,
And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.
In these concluding verses of the Book of Ruth, we
see that God was preparing a royal lineage for the
time of kings as well as preserving the lineage of the
savior-king, Jesus Christ. In the royal genealogy of
Jesus Christ from Matthew 1, we find Ruth’s name
listed as an integral part of God’s divine plan of
redemption. The Book of Ruth prophesies of our
savior, Jesus Christ, as the kinsman redeemer for all
mankind.
The story of Ruth inspires us to trust in God. Life’s
day-by-day situations present us with choices and
decisions that can impact our lives and the lives of
others for generations. Ruth made the difficult
decision to leave her past behind in order to turn to
the one true God. We, too, can choose to put God
first in our lives. Our trust in God assures and
guarantees a manifold reward from Him.
Ruth’s great love and loyalty toward Naomi, and
her devotion to the one true God, led to her
deliverance in a seemingly hopeless situation. God
ultimately took care of her with protection, provision,

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and rest by way of her kinsman redeemer, Boaz. trust in God, despite the uncertainties and unknowns
Ruth’s loyalty and dedication to Naomi and to God of what is ahead, He will provide us with the ultimate
paved the way for her to have a home and rest in a sufficiency and rest.
marriage relationship with offspring. As we choose to

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