“Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the kinsman-redeemer he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down.” Ruth 4:1
Boaz went to the town gate where business transactions were carried out and where he was apt to find the kinsman he had mentioned to Ruth.
I can imagine how anxious Boaz, Naomi and Ruth were. It is like waiting for an answer in the buying of a house – you know what you want and are waiting for all the factors to come into place. When one of these factors is the approval of another person, it makes the outcome more uncertain. We can see that God was even considering this and also making His will very clear because the other kinsman came along just as Boaz sat down.
“Boaz took ten of the elders of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so. Then he said to the kinsman-redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek. I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.”
“I will redeem it,” he said.” Ruth 4:2-4
“Ten men — To be witnesses: for though two or three witnesses were sufficient, yet in weightier matters they used more. And ten was the usual number among the Jews, in causes of matrimony and divorce, and translation of inheritances; who were both judges of the causes, and witnesses of the fact.” John Wesley Commentary
How simple business transactions were then! All Boaz had to do was find ten elders. He knew these men and Israel business well. In fact, he could have been the chief elder in Bethlehem. He explains his request. The men would have quickly understood:
“If one of your fellow Israelites becomes poor and sells some of their property, their nearest relative is to come and redeem what they have sold.” Leviticus 25:25
“It is difficult to determine the nature of Naomi’s sale of land. She may have been selling the property rights to some land owned by her husband, Elimelech (10 years had elapsed). However, it is more probable that she held only the right to use the land until she remarried or died. Since she held the right to use the land, she had the right to buy it back from the present owner.” Verse by Verse Commentary Dr. Grant Richison
Boaz knew Naomi wasn’t able to buy back the land so would give that right to the next of kin. Naomi (through Ruth) had approached Boaz instead of the closer kinsman because she and Ruth knew Boaz was an honorable man who would take care of them. He showed that he would do all he could by sending her the gift of six measure of barley (as explained in the quote by rondaniel.com in chapter 3); he would not only marry Ruth (as requested), he would buy back the land for Naomi’s family.
The other kinsman had a less noble motive for buying the land:
"I WILL REDEEM IT,’ HE SAID: "Yes, he would redeem the land’ he was willing enough to buy it, and add it to his own inheritance until the year of jubilee restored it to the family which originally owned it. He was the more willing to do this since there was no immediate prospect that there would be any other heir upon whom the property might devolve; so there was a fair chance that it might become his for good" (WJR). Agora Bible Commentary (internet)
The year of Jubilee is explained in Leviticus 25 and Numbers 36:4.
It is possible Boaz could have purchased the land without telling the other kinsman-redeemer, yet he did everything with integrity and honesty. He used wisdom (like Daniel in Daniel 1). He mentioned Naomi’s name (although it involved Ruth) when making the request because she directed the negotiations. Because the other kinsman said yes to redeeming the land, Boaz clearly presented the stipulation of marrying Ruth the Moabite, the dead man’s widow.
“Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.”
At this, the kinsman-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.” Ruth 4:5-6
Marrying Ruth was an inconvenience for the other kinsman so he changed his mind and declined the offer. He readily understood what marrying Ruth would involve:
“If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother shall take her and marry her and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her. The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.” Deuteronomy 25:5-6
“Mar — Either because having no children of his own, he might have one, and but one son by Ruth, who, though he should carry away his inheritance, yet would not bear his name, but the name of Ruth’s husband; and so by preserving another man’s name, he should lose his own. Or, because as his inheritance would be but very little increased by this marriage, so it might be much diminished by being divided amongst his many children, which he possibly had already, and might probably have more by Ruth.” John Wesley Commentary
“Lest I ruin my own inheritance: Probably, the man had grown sons that had already received their inheritance of lands. The problem of dividing that inheritance among future children he would have with Ruth was more than he wanted to deal with.
Also, no doubt, the man was married – and knew it would be awkward (at best!) to bring home Ruth as wife number two. “ David Guvik’s Commentary
“(Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption and transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandal and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalizing transactions in Israel.)
So the kinsman-redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it yourself.” And he removed his sandal.” Ruth 4:7-8
Since Boaz had already mentioned that he would redeem the land and the ancestry of Naomi, it was not such a stigma on the other kinsman because he refused. It was mainly to legalize the transaction that he removed his sandal:
“However, if a man does not want to marry his brother’s wife, she shall go to the elders at the town gate and say, “My husband’s brother refuses to carry on his brother’s name in Israel. He will not fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to me.” Then the elders of his town shall summon him and talk to him. If he persists in saying, “I do not want to marry her,” his brother’s widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals, spit in his face and say, “This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother’s family line.” That man’s line shall be known in Israel as The Family of the Unsandaled” Deuteronomy 25:7-10
“Gave it — He who relinquished his right to another, plucked off his own shoe and gave it to him. This was symbolical, and a significant and convenient ceremony, as if he said, take this shoe wherewith I used to go and tread upon my land, and in that shoe do thou enter upon it, and take possession of it.“ John Wesley Comentary
The unnamed kinsman didn’t know what he was missing. Matthew Henry mentioned in his commentary that the name of the other kinsman-redeemer was not mentioned because he had no significance in history having refused to marry Ruth. Like Orpah he was willing to go part way but his own desires kept him from going the full way. In this way Ruth and Boaz are contrasted to Orpah and the other kinsman.
“Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon. I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from his hometown. Today you are witnesses!”
Then the elders and all the people at the gate said, “We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the family of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. Through the offspring the LORD gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.” Ruth 4:9-12
Boaz clearly announced the legal requirement and his intentions. The people understood what he was doing as shown by the respect and blessings they gave him.
Rachel and Leah were the wives of Jacob – God calls Himself the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob several times in both the Old and New Testament. Jacob (God changed his name to Israel) had twelve sons so built up his family and the nation of Israel.
“Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob (supplanter), but Israel (triumph with God, who prevails with God), because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.” Genesis 32:28
Perez was born to Tamar who like Ruth was not originally a Jew, but like Ruth acted in great courage to fulfill the laws of Israel (Genesis 38).
“So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the LORD enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the LORD, who this day has not left you without a kinsman-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.”
Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed (servant). He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.” Ruth 4:13-17
Isn’t it wonderful that the women of Bethlehem praised God, recognizing Him as the giver of life. They knew what Obed would mean for Naomi. He would give her hope for the present and for the future. Also unknown to Naomi is that she would have a part in the birth of Jesus. Surely God had given her “…immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine…” Ephesians 3:20
The women of Bethlehem were giving Ruth the highest compliment when they told Naomi Ruth “is better to you than seven sons”.
There are several examples of the number seven represented in Jewish history – “…7 represents wholeness and completion.” Ask the Rabbi
“Seven is one of the greatest power numbers in Judaism, representing Creation, good fortune, and blessing.” Judaism & Numbers
The character of Ruth is shown in Proverbs 31:
“A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.
She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family (she has shown that she would take care of Naomi) and portions for her female servants. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks (she had shown her desire and ability to work hard). She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy (she knows what it is to be poor and already shown her care for Naomi). When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land (Boaz is a respected elder, and will be free to manage the affairs of the city and perhaps even more outreaching with Ruth as his wife). She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come (she has shown her faith in God). She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness (she does more than her share).
Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised (we don’t know what Ruth looked like – in God’s eyes all who love Him are beautiful). Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate (the women have already praised her at the city gate). Proverbs 31:10-31
What Ruth has not already shown (because of circumstances) would have been, no doubt, fulfilled in the rest in her lifetime.
Ruth was the great grandmother of King David who was the ancestor of Jesus:
“…Ruth herself, who forsook the gods of her people to become a child of the true God is, indeed, better than seven sons. Through her would come the greatest blessing the world will ever know.” Head and Heart
“This, then, is the family line of Perez: Perez (whose mother was Tamar – Genesis 38) was the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon (the husband of Rahab – Joshua 6), Salmon the father of Boaz, Boaz the father of Obed, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David.” Ruth 4:18-22
Ruth and Boaz were ancestors of Jesus. Jesus, along with the Jewish people, would have known the story of Ruth well. It was part of His heritage:
“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” Luke 2:52
Jesus was fully God, but He was also fully man.