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So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of
wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother-in-law" (2: 19-23).
Ruth gives an account of the events of her day, and doubtless with quiet satisfaction of
the especial attention the great man Boaz had paid to her. We can only wonder at
Naomi's feelings when she heard that Ruth had, quite by chance, happened to have asked
to glean in one of the fields belonging to her husband's nearest relative. Boaz must have
been considerably younger than Elimelech, having been born to his parents very late in
their lives.
As Naomi puts it "one of our next kinsman", and the margin reads "one that hath right
to redeem". Here is the word "GOEL" or "Kinsman-Redeemer" which so beautifully
illustrates the work of Christ as our Redeemer. It also explains the reason why it was
necessary for God to take upon Himself the form of a man, i.e. flesh and blood, in order
to make salvation possible for the sinful human race. Here in this tiny Book of Ruth, the
Moabitess, we find the type revealed of the One Who was to come: God our Saviour.
The "Kinsman-Redeemer" played an important part in the Hebrew economy. It is
referred to in Lev. 25: 23-28. Here we find the first statement of the law concerning
the redemption of land, i.e. an inheritance. 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. If a
man had sold away any part of his inheritance on account of poverty or debt, his "next of
kin" had the right to redeem it. In addition to this a special provision was made for the
safe-guarding of the inheritance to the rightful family, which is set out in Deut.xxv.5-10.
All this is implied in Naomi's words "The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next
of kin". "One who has the right to redeem".
When Naomi heard that Boaz had instructed Ruth to continue to glean in his fields to
the end of the barley and the wheat harvesting, and not to go anywhere else, she realized
that Boaz was very much more than a little interested in her daughter-in-law.
The position was that Elimelech when he had taken his family into the land of Moab,
had sold his possessions. The only way to get this inheritance back was by another
member of the family being willing to buy it back from the person who had bought it, and
at the same time be willing and able to take Ruth for his wife.