Ruth
Chapter 4
The Wedding
Meanwhile, Boaz went to the town gate and waited for the close relative he had spoken to Ruth about. When he saw him approaching, he called him by name and said: “Come here and sit down.” And so he did.
Boaz picked out ten from the city elders and asked them to sit with them, which they did.
Then he said to the other man who also had a right of redemption: “Naomi, who has returned from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our brother Elimelech.
I considered bringing this matter to you first, as the closer kin, since you have a stronger right to claim it. But if you don’t want to redeem it, just let me know because I am next in line. ”The man replied: “I am willing to put in my claim. I will redeem it.”
Boaz continued: “If you purchase the land from Naomi, you will also need to take the Moabite Ruth, widow of the late heir, and her sons will inherit the name and land of the deceased.”
?The man said: “Then I can’t redeem it because I might jeopardize my estate. Redeem it yourself.”
It used to be customary in Israel that for a redemption or exchange contract to become binding, one party had to remove his sandal and give it to the other. This act legitimized the transactions.
?So the man took off his sandal and said to Boaz: “Buy it yourself.”
?Boaz turned to the elders and all those present: “Today, you are witnesses that I buy from Naomi all the holdings of Elimelech, Chilion, and Mahlon.
I also take Mahlon’s widow, Ruth the Moabite, as my wife to raise a family for her late husband so that his name and inheritance may be restored and he may be remembered among his brothers when they gather at the town gate. Do you witness this today?”
The elders and all those at the gate answered: “We witness. May the Lord make the woman who enters your house like Rachel and Leah, who built up the house of Israel together. May you prosper in Ephrata and be well regarded in Bethlehem.
And through the offspring the Lord gives you through this woman, may your house become like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.”
So Ruth was taken by Boaz and became his wife. The Lord made her conceive and give birth to a son.
The women said to Naomi: “Blessed be the Lord who has blessed you with an heir today. May he become well-known throughout Israel!
He will be your comfort and support in your old age, for he is born of a daughter-in-law who loves you and is worth more than seven sons.”
Naomi adopted the child as her own and became his caregiver.
The neighborhood women gave him his name, saying: “A son has been born for Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, who was the father of David.
This, then, is Perez’s family line: Perez was the father of Hezron,
Hezron of Ram, Ram of Amminadab,
Amminadab of Nahshon, Nahshon of Salma,
Salma of Boaz, Boaz of Obed,
Obed of Jesse, and Jesse, the father of David.
Commentaries
The Wedding.
This final chapter resolves the legal case discussed earlier, marks the climax of the romance, and shows the overall outcome of the story between Naomi and Ruth. The events happen in the town square and are part of an official ceremony. Afterwards, the marriage of Boaz and Ruth and the birth of their son Obed are described. The book ends with the genealogy of David.
Boaz aims to act legally, so he calls ten elders from the community to serve as qualified witnesses to the upcoming public act. Boaz wisely begins by discussing the field that needs to be redeemed, avoiding mention of the “Moabite woman.” The relative, who has the right to redeem the field, initially agrees to buy it but then withdraws because the Moabite woman could threaten his interests and those of his family. As a symbolic act of relinquishing his rights, the relative removes his sandal and hands it to Boaz (Dt 25:7-10). Boaz then solemnly declares before the witnesses that he accepts all responsibilities. The elders bless Boaz for his generosity and invoke the matriarchs of Israel: Rachel and Leah. They also mention Tamar, possibly because she is a foreigner like Ruth. According to the Hebrew Scriptures, only Tamar and Ruth fulfill the law of levirate marriage.
The chorus of women who spoke at the beginning (1:19) to express Mara’s grief and desolation now does so to honor the God of widows and foreigners, for He has resolved all difficulties. Thus, the story of Ruth and Naomi concludes; despite the atmosphere of indifference and helplessness surrounding them, they remain a model for our Christian community.