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The "Kinsman-Redeemer" played an important part in the Hebrew economy and is
referred to in Lev. 25:, where we find the first statement of the law concerning the
redemption of land. Under the law of Moses it was not possible for a man to sell the land
that formed part of his true possession "in perpetuity". In every transaction with regard
to the sale of land, it was compulsory to "grant a redemption" (Lev. 25: 23, 24). If a
man had "sold away" any part of his possession, on account of poverty, his "next of kin"
had the right to redeem it. A special provision was made for the safeguarding of the
inheritance to the rightful family, which is set out at length in Deut. 25: 5-10:
"If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the
dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall take her to him
to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her. And it shall be, that the
firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that
his name be not put out of Israel. And if the man like not to take his brother's wife, then
let his brother's wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband's brother
refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of my
husband's brother. Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if
he stand it, and say, I like not to take her: then shall his brother's wife come unto him in
the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from his foot, and spit in his face, and shall
answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother's
house. And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe
loosed."
This law was certainly in the minds of Naomi, Ruth and Boaz, and its recognition
makes the reading of Ruth 2:-4: vivid and plain. Before turning to Ruth, however, we
must mention the other aspect of the Kinsman-Redeemer's work--that of the "avenger of
blood". The word Goel or Gaal is translated "avenger" or "revenger" in thirteen
passages, and we are told in Numb. 35: that cities of refuge were provided so that a
man could get a hearing and a trial in the event of having slain another without
premeditation. This aspect of the Kinsman's duty does not, however, come into the story
of Ruth.
With the information we have gathered, both as to the various words used for kinship
and the law concerning the kinsman and his brother's widow, let us return now to Ruth
and read the story again in the light of these facts. First of all let us see the structure of
the passage.