Main Idea
Ruth 4 reveals the climax of God’s quiet, redemptive work. Boaz fulfills the role of kinsman-redeemer with integrity, Ruth is lifted from poverty to honor, Naomi’s emptiness is filled, and a barren family line becomes part of the lineage of King David—and ultimately Christ. Redemption is God taking what seems hopeless and weaving it into His greater story.
Key Verse
“Boaz said to the elders and to all the people, ‘You are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s… and moreover Ruth the Moabitess… I have bought to be my wife.’” (Ruth 4:9–10)
Commentary
Ruth 4 opens with Boaz going “up to the gate,” the ancient equivalent of a courthouse where legal and civic decisions were made. He has promised Ruth and Naomi that he will settle the matter of redemption that day, and he wastes no time. Boaz is a man who acts with integrity, urgency, and transparency.
At the gate, Boaz meets the unnamed closer-relative—the man who technically has the first right to redeem Elimelech’s land. Boaz presents the situation carefully. First he mentions the land Naomi is selling, and the relative shows interest. But when Boaz adds that redemption also includes marrying Ruth to preserve the family line, the man refuses. He fears jeopardizing his own inheritance. His self-protection becomes Ruth’s doorway to blessing.
The scene then shifts into a formal legal act. Before the elders, the closer-relative removes his sandal—a symbolic, ancient sign of transferring rights—and Boaz publicly announces his intention to redeem the land and marry Ruth. This public declaration protects Ruth’s dignity, restores Naomi’s legacy, and secures the family’s future. Boaz is not just performing a duty—he is embodying covenant faithfulness (hesed), the loyal love of God to His people.
The elders respond with blessing. They invoke the names of Rachel and Leah—the mothers of Israel—and of Tamar, whose boldness preserved Judah’s line. These women were outsiders and underdogs, like Ruth, yet God used them to shape Israel’s future. The blessing is both prophetic and poetic: “May your house be like the house of Perez.” God delights in lifting the lowly and binding them into His redemptive story.
Boaz marries Ruth, and the Lord gives her conception—a notable detail, since the text subtly suggests Ruth had been barren during her first marriage (ten years in Moab with no children). God opens her womb, continuing His long pattern of turning barrenness into blessing. The son born to them is named Obed. His arrival is a turning point not only for Ruth and Boaz, but especially for Naomi.
The women of Bethlehem proclaim, “Blessed be Yahweh, who has not left you this day without a redeemer!” Naomi, who once said the Lord brought her back empty, now holds new life in her arms. Obed becomes “a restorer of life” for Naomi, a living sign that God had never abandoned her. Her bitterness is replaced by joy, her emptiness by fullness, her mourning by comfort.
The chapter concludes with a genealogy—ten generations from Perez to David. What began with famine, death, and despair in chapter 1 ends with royal hope. Ruth the Moabitess becomes the great-grandmother of King David, Israel’s greatest earthly king. Through her line, Jesus Christ—the true Redeemer—ultimately comes. The gospel is already budding in the soil of Bethlehem.
Life Application
Ruth 4 teaches that God’s redemption is both personal and cosmic. He restores individuals—Ruth, Naomi, Boaz—but He also weaves their stories into His grand plan for salvation. When you faithfully obey God in ordinary decisions, you step into a story bigger than your own. Ruth’s courage, Naomi’s returning, and Boaz’s integrity all become part of God’s eternal work.
This chapter also shows the beauty of godly character. Boaz pursues righteousness rather than convenience. He redeems not for personal gain, but for love, faithfulness, and covenant. His life challenges us to honor God in public and private decisions, seeking restoration rather than self-protection.
Ruth 4 reminds us that no one is beyond God’s grace. Ruth was a foreigner, a widow, and a woman with no earthly prospects. Yet God lifted her into a place of honor, making her part of the Messiah’s genealogy. If you feel unworthy or insignificant, Ruth’s story proclaims that God delights in redeeming the overlooked.
Naomi’s restoration offers comfort to anyone walking through bitterness or loss. Her story teaches that God’s silence is not His absence. Even when circumstances seem hopeless, God is already planting seeds of redemption that will bear fruit in time.
Finally, Boaz’s role as redeemer foreshadows Christ. Just as Boaz paid the price to restore Naomi’s family and take Ruth as his own, Jesus paid the ultimate price to redeem us and make us His. Boaz stands on the threshing floor; Jesus stands at the cross. Boaz spreads his garment; Jesus covers us with His righteousness. Boaz brings Ruth into covenant; Jesus brings us into His family forever.
What Can I Do?
Practice redemptive kindness this week—seek to restore, encourage, or lift up someone who feels overlooked or discouraged. Be the “Boaz” in someone’s story.
Reflect on areas where God may be calling you to act with integrity or courage, trusting that He is working through your obedience.
Ask Yourself
Where do I need God’s redeeming work to restore what feels broken, empty, or hopeless?
How can I show Boaz-like integrity in decisions that impact others?
What does Ruth’s inclusion in Jesus’ genealogy teach me about God’s grace toward outsiders, failures, and the overlooked?
When have I seen God turn bitterness into blessing in my own life or someone else’s?
How does Christ’s role as my Redeemer shape the way I live each day?
Guided Prayer
Thanksgiving: Thank God for His perfect redemption—seen in Ruth’s story, fulfilled in Christ, and active in your life. Thank Him for the ways He turns emptiness into fullness.
Intercession: Pray for those who feel abandoned or hopeless. Ask God to bring them a redeemer-like friend, provision, or breakthrough.
Petition: Ask God to help you act with the integrity of Boaz, the courage of Ruth, and the faith of Naomi as you trust His unfolding plan.
Confession: Confess areas where bitterness, fear, or self-protection have held you back from trusting God fully. Ask for a renewed heart of obedience.
Praise: Praise Jesus as your true Kinsman-Redeemer—your Restorer, your Hope, and the One who brings you into God’s family forever.
