Boaz, Ruth, And The Law: A Biblical Analysis

The Book of Ruth is often described as a love story between Ruth and Boaz, but it is also about God's love for all humankind. The story is set during the period of the judges, about a century before David became king of Israel. It begins with an Israelite family—Elimelech, Naomi (his wife), and their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion—living in Moab. After Elimelech's death, both of Naomi's sons married Moabite women, including Ruth, who married Mahlon. When Mahlon and Chilion died, Ruth chose to put her faith in Naomi's God and return to Israel with her. There, Ruth asked Boaz, a near kinsman, to marry her. Boaz followed the law of Moses by first inviting a nearer kinsman to fulfil his duty to marry Ruth. When that kinsman declined, Boaz married Ruth. However, some have questioned the legality of their marriage, as Ruth was a Moabite and Deuteronomy 23:3-4 states that An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the YHWH; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of YHWH forever.

Did Boaz need to buy Naomi's land to marry Ruth?

The story of Boaz, Ruth, and Naomi is a powerful example of loyalty, love, and redemption. However, the question of whether Boaz needed to buy Naomi's land to marry Ruth is complex and has been the subject of much discussion and interpretation.

Some argue that Boaz did not need to purchase Naomi's inheritance to marry Ruth. According to Deuteronomy 25:5-6, known as the Levirate marriage provision, any kinsman purchasing Naomi's inheritance would also have to marry Ruth, as she was a widow and her husband, Mahlon, had died without any children. This provision ensured the continuation of the family line. Thus, it was Ruth's status as a widow, rather than land ownership, that made the marriage possible.

Furthermore, as a Moabite, Ruth's initial marriage to Mahlon was illegal according to Deuteronomy 23:3-4. By acquiring Naomi's inheritance, Boaz made Ruth a legal member of the house of Judah. This step was necessary to legitimize their marriage and ensure that their offspring, Obed, was a legal member of the House of Judah. This was particularly important because the Messianic line of Jesus Christ traces back to David, who was Obed's great-grandson.

On the other hand, some interpretations suggest that Boaz connected the land and marriage to secure the inheritance for himself and his future children with Ruth. In Ruth 3:12-13, Boaz mentions that he must first offer the opportunity to the nearest kinsman, which he does in accordance with the law of Moses. When the nearest kinsman accepts but then backs out upon learning that he would need to marry Ruth, Boaz takes on the responsibility of both purchasing the land and marrying Ruth.

In conclusion, while Boaz did not need to buy Naomi's land to marry Ruth due to the Levirate marriage provision, he did so to legitimize the marriage and ensure the legal status of their future children. This two-step redemption also served to clear David and his descendants of Moabite lineage, which was crucial for his eligibility to be king of Israel.

Was Ruth's initial marriage to Mahlon illegal?

The legality of Ruth's initial marriage to Mahlon is unclear and a matter of debate among scholars. On the one hand, some argue that the marriage may have been illegal under Torah law as Mahlon, a Jew, married Ruth, a Moabite woman. During the time of the judges, Israelites were discouraged from marrying foreigners due to concerns about religious influence.

However, others justify the marriage by noting that there was no explicit law in the Torah prohibiting marriages with women from Ammon or Moab, as there was with the women of Canaan. Additionally, the necessity of living in a foreign land during a famine may have further justified the union.

It is worth noting that Mahlon's marriage to Ruth was likely considered pushing the rules, and some Jewish writers attribute Mahlon's early death to divine punishment for this unlawful connection. Nonetheless, the ultimate legality of the marriage remains uncertain.

Did Boaz follow the law of Moses?

The story of Ruth and Boaz is a well-known romance in the Bible, but it is also about God's love for all humankind. The story unfolds during a time of hardship and loss, focusing on loyalty and faithfulness that contrast with the pagan Moabite culture from which Ruth originated.

Ruth and Boaz's marriage was in accordance with the law of Moses. Boaz followed the procedures of the law of Moses by first inviting a nearer kinsman to fulfil his duty to marry Ruth. When that kinsman declined, Boaz married Ruth. This was in line with the customs and cultural laws of the Israelites, which dictated that if a husband died childless, it was the duty of the husband's brother or nearest male relative to marry the widow and raise children in the dead man's name.

However, there is a detail that complicates the story: Ruth was a Moabite. According to Deuteronomy 23:3-4, an Ammonite or Moabite was not allowed to enter the congregation of the Lord, even to their tenth generation. This meant that Ruth's initial marriage to Mahlon, Naomi's son, was illegal.

To resolve this, Boaz had to perform a two-step redemption. He first acquired Naomi's inheritance, which made Ruth a legal member of the House of Judah under Boaz. As a legal member, Ruth could then be married to Boaz, who performed the levirate duties of a kinsman. This ensured that the child of Ruth and Boaz, Obed, was a legal member of the House of Judah and cleared the lineage of any Moabite blood.

In conclusion, Boaz followed the law of Moses in his marriage to Ruth, but he also had to perform additional steps to ensure that their union was legally valid and that their child was eligible to be the ancestor of King David and, eventually, Jesus Christ.

Did Ruth choose Boaz?

The book of Ruth is often described as a love story, but it is also about God's love for all humankind. The story of Ruth and Boaz is one of the most moving accounts in the Bible.

Ruth was a Moabite woman who had come to Israel as the widow of an Israelite man. She had returned with her mother-in-law, Naomi, who had also lost her husband. They lived together in humble circumstances, and Ruth would go to the fields each day to glean food during the harvest.

Boaz was a wealthy landowner and a relative of Ruth's late husband. When Ruth came to his fields to find grain, he told his workers to leave plenty for her and offered her food and protection. He was kind and compassionate towards her, and this was not lost on Ruth, who recognised God's providence in Boaz.

Naomi encouraged Ruth to go to Boaz and present herself as willing to accept a marriage proposal from him. When she did, Boaz was pleased but noted that there was a closer relative with a prior claim to marry Ruth. This relative turned down the offer, and so Boaz publicly committed to taking Ruth as his wife.

Ruth's decision to remain with Naomi and accompany her to Bethlehem, rather than return to her family, was an act of profound loyalty and faithfulness. Her declaration to Naomi, "Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God", demonstrated her willingness to embrace another culture and religion.

Ruth's character and actions predisposed Boaz to kindness and affection towards her. In turn, Boaz's treatment of Ruth was an example of "hesed", a Hebrew word meaning love, mercy, faithfulness, loyalty, goodness, and loving-kindness.

Ruth's choice to approach Boaz and accept his marriage proposal was an act of trust in God's providence and an embrace of a new future.

Was Ruth's marriage to Boaz legal?

The marriage between Ruth and Boaz was legal, but it required a series of steps to be so. Firstly, Ruth was a Moabite, and her initial marriage to Mahlon (Naomi's son) was illegal under Deuteronomy 23:3-4. This meant that for her subsequent marriage to Boaz to be legal, she had to become a legal member of the house of Judah.

After Mahlon's death, Ruth and her mother-in-law Naomi returned to Bethlehem, Judah, where they were assisted by Boaz, a relative of Ruth's deceased husband. Naomi suggested that Ruth marry Boaz, and Ruth followed Hebrew customs to signal her interest. Boaz, however, was not the nearest kinsman, and so he first invited the nearer relative to fulfil his duty to marry Ruth. When that kinsman declined, Boaz was able to marry Ruth.

The marriage was made legal by Boaz acquiring Naomi's inheritance, which also made Ruth a legal member of the house of Judah. This was important because, as a foreigner, Ruth's Moabite lineage would have otherwise disqualified her from being part of the Messianic line of Yeshua (Jesus Christ).

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