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👤 Boaz בֹּעַז

📋 Kinsman-Redeemer | Wealthy Landowner
Profile Depth:
Moderate: 3 chapters (Ruth 2–4)

Overview

Scripture: Ruth 2:1–4:22
Hebrew: בֹּעַז (Bōʿaz) "in him is strength"
Etymology: בּוֹ (bō = "in him") + עַז (ʿaz = "strength/might")
Role: Wealthy landowner, kinsman-redeemer (גֹּאֵל)
Setting: Time of the Judges; Bethlehem in Judah

Tags: Redeemer Landowner Bethlehem Covenant Loyalty Davidic Line

Summary: Boaz, a wealthy and righteous landowner in Bethlehem, exemplifies covenant faithfulness through his role as kinsman-redeemer for Naomi and Ruth. His integrity in following Torah commands regarding the poor and his willingness to marry Ruth the Moabite establish him as a model of חֶסֶד (loyal love). Through his union with Ruth, he becomes the great-grandfather of King David, placing him in the messianic lineage.

Theological Significance: Boaz embodies God's redemptive character, demonstrating how divine providence works through human faithfulness. His inclusion of Ruth the Moabite anticipates the gospel's embrace of all nations, while his role as גֹּאֵל prefigures Christ as humanity's ultimate Redeemer.

Narrative Journey

Introduction as Man of Substance (Ruth 2:1): Boaz is introduced as a גִּבּוֹר חַיִל (gibbōr ḥayil), "mighty man of wealth/valor," from Elimelech's clan. This establishes him as both prosperous and of noble character, positioned to be God's instrument of redemption.
Providential Meeting with Ruth (Ruth 2:5–16): Boaz notices Ruth gleaning in his fields and shows extraordinary kindness, ensuring her protection and provision. He recognizes her חֶסֶד toward Naomi and invokes Yahweh's blessing, praying she find refuge under God's "wings" (כָּנָף).
Threshing Floor Encounter (Ruth 3:7–15): When Ruth appeals to Boaz as redeemer at the threshing floor, asking him to spread his כָּנָף (wing/garment edge) over her, Boaz praises her loyalty. He promises to act but reveals a nearer kinsman exists, demonstrating legal integrity even in a potentially compromising situation.
Redemption at the City Gate (Ruth 4:1–12): Boaz cleverly negotiates with the nearer kinsman (פְּלֹנִי אַלְמֹנִי, "so-and-so"), who declines when learning redemption includes marrying Ruth the Moabite. Boaz publicly acquires Elimelech's land and Ruth as wife, with the elders blessing him to build up Israel like Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.
Father of Obed, Grandfather of Jesse (Ruth 4:13–22): Through his marriage to Ruth, Boaz fathers Obed, who becomes the grandfather of King David. The book concludes with this genealogy, revealing how ordinary faithfulness participates in God's messianic purposes.
Pattern Recognition: Boaz consistently responds to need with abundance, mirroring God's generous character. His journey from noticing Ruth to redeeming her follows a pattern of recognition → protection → commitment → redemption, embodying divine חֶסֶד through human action.

Literary Context & Structure

📚 Position in Book

Boaz appears in chapters 2–4, absent from the tragedy of chapter 1 but central to the restoration. His late entrance emphasizes God's providential timing in redemption.

🔄 Literary Patterns

Parallels with Ruth as אֵשֶׁת חַיִל (3:11) to his גִּבּוֹר חַיִל (2:1). The כָּנָף wordplay (2:12 → 3:9) links divine and human refuge. His actions mirror Abraham's hospitality and Judah's eventual righteousness.

🎭 Character Function

Boaz serves as the human agent of divine redemption, the righteous Israelite who recognizes true faith in a Moabite, and the legal means through which Naomi's emptiness becomes fullness.

✍️ Narrative Techniques

The narrator uses dialogue to reveal Boaz's character, legal precision to show his integrity, and genealogy to unveil his ultimate significance. His nameless rival (4:1) highlights Boaz's memorable faithfulness.

Abrahamic Echo: When Boaz commends Ruth for leaving "your father, mother, and land of your מוֹלֶדֶת (mōledet, birthplace)" (2:11), he directly echoes God's call to Abraham in Genesis 12:1. This deliberate parallel frames Ruth's loyalty as covenant faith and Boaz's recognition as prophetic insight into God's inclusive purposes.

🔍 Major Chiastic Structure

A   Boaz introduced as גִּבּוֹר חַיִל (man of substance) (2:1)
B   Boaz provides for Ruth in the fields (2:5–16)
C   Naomi identifies Boaz as גֹּאֵל (redeemer) (2:20)
CENTER: Threshing floor - Ruth appeals, Boaz commits to redemption (3:7–13)
C′  Boaz acts as גֹּאֵל at the city gate (4:1–10)
B′  Boaz marries Ruth, provides permanent security (4:11–13)
A′  Boaz named in David's genealogy (4:17–22)

Literary Significance

The chiastic structure centers on the threshing floor encounter, where divine providence and human initiative converge. The movement from temporary provision (gleaning) to permanent redemption (marriage) mirrors the larger biblical narrative of God's redemptive plan. Boaz's transformation from observer to redeemer parallels how God moves from watching over his people to actively redeeming them.

Major Theological Themes

🌱 Redemption (גְּאוּלָּה)

Boaz embodies the גֹּאֵל role, restoring land, lineage, and life to Naomi's family, prefiguring Christ's redemptive work.

⚖️ Torah Obedience

His treatment of Ruth follows Leviticus 19:9–10 and Deuteronomy 24:19–21, showing righteousness through practical mercy.

💡 Divine Providence

Boaz becomes God's answer to Naomi's emptiness through "chance" (2:3) that reveals divine orchestration.

🔥 Covenant Loyalty (חֶסֶד)

Both Boaz and Ruth demonstrate חֶסֶד, with human loyalty reflecting and mediating divine faithful love.

🕊️ Inclusive Grace

Boaz's acceptance of Ruth the Moabite challenges ethnic boundaries and anticipates gospel inclusion.

👑 Davidic/Messianic Line

Through Obed, Boaz enters the royal lineage, connecting ordinary faithfulness to cosmic redemption.

Ancient Near Eastern Context & Biblical Distinctives

📜 ANE Parallels

  • Levirate Marriage: Common practice across ANE cultures to preserve family lines and property
  • Gleaning Rights: Some ANE law codes mention provision for the poor, though less systematic than Torah
  • City Gate Legal Proceedings: Archaeological evidence confirms gates as judicial centers throughout the ancient Near East
  • Land Redemption: Family land preservation appears in Nuzi texts and other ANE documents

⚡ Biblical Distinctives

  • Motivated by חֶסֶד: Unlike purely legal obligation, Boaz acts from covenant love
  • Inclusion of Foreigners: Remarkable acceptance of a Moabite contradicts Deuteronomy 23:3–6, showing grace triumphing over law
  • Woman's Agency: Ruth's initiative and Naomi's planning show unusual female empowerment
  • Redemptive Purpose: Links individual story to cosmic redemption through Davidic line

Creation, Fall & Redemption Patterns

🌍 Eden Echoes / Creation Themes

  • Boaz as "new Adam" providing for and protecting Ruth in the "garden" of his fields
  • Restoration of fruitfulness after famine (creation blessing renewed)
  • Marriage reflecting original creation design for partnership
  • The threshing floor as sacred space where heaven and earth meet

🍎 Fall Patterns Reversed

  • Where Judah failed with Tamar through deception, Boaz succeeds through integrity
  • The "craftiness" (עָרוּם) feared at the grain heap (עֲרֵמָה, 3:7) yields to righteousness
  • Death and barrenness in chapter 1 reversed through redemption
  • Moabite "curse" transformed to blessing through חֶסֶד
Redemption Through Ordinary Faithfulness: God works redemption not through miraculous intervention but through Boaz's integrity, Ruth's loyalty, and Naomi's wisdom. The story demonstrates how human faithfulness becomes the vehicle for divine restoration, with Boaz's wings becoming Yahweh's wings of refuge.

Messianic Trajectory & New Testament Connections

Kinsman-Redeemer Typology: Boaz as גֹּאֵל prefigures Christ who redeems humanity. Like Boaz who had the right, resources, and willingness to redeem, Jesus possesses all three qualifications to redeem humanity from sin and death.
Inclusive Redemption: Boaz's marriage to Ruth the Moabite anticipates Christ's breaking down of the dividing wall between Jew and Gentile (Ephesians 2:14), showing God's redemptive plan always included all nations.
Davidic Lineage Established: Through Obed, Boaz becomes David's great-grandfather, establishing the royal line from which the Messiah comes. Matthew 1:5 explicitly names Boaz and Ruth in Jesus's genealogy.
Costly Grace: Boaz's redemption costs him resources and reputation (marrying a Moabite), prefiguring Christ's costly redemption that required his life as ransom (Mark 10:45).

📖 OT Connections

  • Genesis 38: Reverses Judah-Tamar narrative through righteousness
  • Leviticus 25: Fulfills redemption laws with gospel grace
  • Deuteronomy 25:5–10: Levirate marriage pointing to greater redemption
  • 2 Samuel 7: Davidic covenant rooted in Boaz's faithfulness

✨ NT Fulfillment

  • Matthew 1:5: Boaz in Messiah's genealogy
  • Luke 1:32–33: Jesus as David's heir through Boaz
  • Ephesians 2:12–19: Gentile inclusion prefigured in Ruth
  • Revelation 5:9: Redemption for every tribe and tongue

Old Testament Intertext

ReferenceConnection & Significance
Genesis 12:1 Boaz recognizes Ruth's Abrahamic faith in leaving homeland
Genesis 38 Judah-Tamar story redeemed through Boaz's righteousness
Leviticus 19:9–10 Boaz exceeds gleaning laws in generosity to Ruth
Leviticus 25:25–55 Kinsman-redeemer laws fulfilled and exceeded
Deuteronomy 23:3–6 Moabite exclusion overcome by grace through Boaz
Judges 21:25 Boaz as righteous exception in lawless era

New Testament Intertext

ReferenceConnection & Significance
Matthew 1:5–6 Boaz and Ruth named in Jesus's genealogy
Luke 3:32 Boaz in Luke's genealogy of Christ
Romans 3:29–30 God of Gentiles too, prefigured in Boaz accepting Ruth
Galatians 3:28 No Jew or Greek in Christ, anticipated in Ruth's inclusion
Ephesians 2:14–19 Breaking down dividing walls, modeled by Boaz
1 Peter 1:18–19 Redemption through precious blood, typified in kinsman-redeemer

Related Profiles & Studies

→ Ruth (Moabite daughter-in-law) → Naomi (Mother-in-law) → Judah (Ancestor, parallel narrative) → David (Great-grandson) → Redemption Theme Study

Application & Reflection

Personal

  • Practice radical generosity toward the vulnerable, exceeding mere legal requirements
  • Recognize divine providence in "chance" encounters and respond faithfully
  • Value character over ethnicity, status, or background in relationships
  • Act with integrity even when no one is watching (threshing floor scene)

Community

  • Create systems that protect and provide for immigrants and the marginalized
  • Challenge ethnic and social boundaries that exclude people from God's family
  • Recognize how ordinary faithfulness participates in God's cosmic purposes
  • Honor those who show חֶסֶד regardless of their social position
Contemporary Challenge: Boaz challenges modern individualism by taking costly responsibility for others' wellbeing. His story asks: Will we be kinsman-redeemers who spread our wings of protection over the vulnerable, or will we, like "So-and-so," protect our own interests?

Study Questions

  1. How does Boaz's treatment of Ruth demonstrate the relationship between divine providence and human responsibility?
  2. What does the כָּנָף (wing) wordplay between 2:12 and 3:9 teach about how God provides refuge through human agents?
  3. How does Boaz's acceptance of Ruth the Moabite challenge both ancient and modern boundaries of inclusion?
  4. In what ways does the Boaz-Ruth story reverse and redeem the Judah-Tamar narrative?
  5. How does Boaz's role as גֹּאֵל (kinsman-redeemer) illuminate Christ's redemptive work?
  6. What does the contrast between Boaz and "So-and-so" (פְּלֹנִי אַלְמֹנִי) teach about the cost of redemption?
  7. How might the story's movement from famine to harvest, emptiness to fullness, speak to experiences of loss and restoration today?
  8. What does Boaz's careful legal process at the city gate teach about the relationship between love and law, grace and justice?
📚

Bibliography & Sources

Academic references for the study of Boaz in Ruth 2–4

Primary Sources

Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1997.
All Sections Ruth 2–4 for Hebrew text, particularly גִּבּוֹר חַיִל and גֹּאֵל terminology

Major Commentaries

Block, Daniel I. Judges, Ruth. NAC 6. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1999.
Narrative Journey, Themes, Biblical Theology Theological interpretation, covenant loyalty theme, redemption theology
Bush, Frederic W. Ruth, Esther. WBC 9. Waco: Word Books, 1996.
Literary Context, Hebrew Analysis, ANE Context Detailed philological analysis, literary structure, ANE legal background
Hubbard, Robert L., Jr. The Book of Ruth. NICOT. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1988.
All Sections Comprehensive analysis, redemption theology, literary artistry
Lau, Peter H.W., and David W. Baker. Ruth. ZECOT. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2015.
Biblical Theology, Messianic Trajectory Biblical theological approach, redemptive-historical connections
Sakenfeld, Katharine Doob. Ruth. Interpretation. Louisville: John Knox Press, 1999.
Application, Gender Dynamics Pastoral application, women's roles, contemporary relevance

Literary & Narrative Analysis

Alter, Robert. The Art of Biblical Narrative. Revised ed. New York: Basic Books, 2011.
Literary Context, Narrative Techniques Type-scene analysis, dialogue patterns, characterization of Boaz

Theological & Thematic Studies

The Bible Project. "Book of Ruth Overview." Video and Transcript. 2020.
Overview, Themes, Biblical Theology Visual narrative summary, providence theme, character analysis
The Bible Project. "Redemption E4: Ruth." Podcast Transcript. 2024.
Themes, Biblical Theology, Messianic Trajectory Redemption theology, גֹּאֵל concept, cosmic redemption themes

Reference Works

Brown, Francis, S.R. Driver, and Charles A. Briggs. The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon. Peabody: Hendrickson, 2014.
Etymology, Word Studies Hebrew root analysis for בֹּעַז, גֹּאֵל, חֶסֶד terminology

Note on Sources:

This bibliography focuses on sources that illuminate Boaz's character, his role as kinsman-redeemer, and the book's redemptive theology. Special attention has been given to works exploring the חֶסֶד theme, the chiastic structure of Ruth, and the messianic trajectory through the Davidic line.

Section Tag Key:

  • All Sections: Source used throughout the profile
  • Narrative Journey: Story progression and events
  • Literary Context: Position in book, literary patterns
  • Themes: Major theological themes
  • ANE Context: Ancient Near Eastern background
  • Biblical Theology: Creation/Fall/Redemption patterns
  • Messianic Trajectory: Connections to Christ and NT
  • Etymology: Name meaning and word origins
  • Word Studies: Hebrew language analysis

Citation Format: Chicago Manual of Style, 17th edition