Boaz

Portrait of Boaz

Boaz was a wealthy and respected landowner in Bethlehem during the period of the judges, recognized for his faithfulness to Israelite law and customs. When the Moabite widow Ruth arrived with her mother-in-law Naomi, Boaz acted as her kinsman-redeemer by permitting her to glean in his fields, protecting her, and ultimately marrying her after the nearer relative declined the duty, thereby redeeming the family property and securing Ruth's future. Their marriage produced a son named Obed, who became the father of Jesse and grandfather of King David, directly linking Boaz to the royal lineage of Israel. This account in the Book of Ruth illustrates God's providence in using acts of loyalty and redemption to preserve the messianic line despite foreign origins and social marginalization.

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Biography

Occupation
Landowner, Farmer
Tribe
Judah
Father
Salmon
Mother
Rahab
Spouse
Ruth
Children
Obed
Era
Judges (c. 1100 BC)
Nationality
Israelite

Family

Parents
Salmon Rahab
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Boaz โšญ Ruth
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Children
Obed
Old Testament Judges Other Ruth

Did You Know?

1

Boaz is identified in Ruth 2:1 as a "worthy man" (ish gibbor chayil), a phrase also used of military leaders like Gideon, underscoring his high social status and protective role in a lawless era of the Judges.

2

According to the genealogy in Matthew 1:5, Boaz was the son of Salmon and Rahab of Jericho, linking the Moabite outsider Ruth to an earlier Canaanite convert and illustrating unexpected Gentile inclusion in Israel's royal line.

3

Boaz invoked the rare custom of the kinsman-redeemer (goel) from Leviticus 25 by purchasing Elimelech's land and marrying Ruth at the city gate, a public legal transaction witnessed by ten elders that preserved both property and lineage.

4

At the threshing floor, Ruth's bold nighttime proposal invoked the levirate duty (Deuteronomy 25), yet Boaz insisted on first offering the redemption right to a nearer relative, revealing precise adherence to Israelite inheritance law over personal desire.

5

Boaz's six measures of barley given to Ruth (Ruth 3:15) symbolized both generous provision and a legal pledge, a detail that casual readers overlook but which signaled his intent to complete the redemption before the harvest ended.

Key Passages

Boaz Notices Ruth

Ruth 2:4-16

This passage shows how compassionate integrity welcomes the outsider and becomes a channel of God's generous care.

A4nd, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee.

5 Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this? 6 And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab: 7 And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house. 8 Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens: 9 Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn. 10 Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger? 11 And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore. 12 The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust. 13 Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens. 14 And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left. 15 And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not: 16 And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.

Read full chapter: Ruth 2 โ†’

Boaz at the Threshing Floor

Ruth 3:7-15

This passage shows Boaz's integrity and kindness as he steps forward to redeem and protect Ruth, modeling God's caring provision.

A7nd when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.

8 And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet. 9 And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman. 10 And he said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman. 12 And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I. 13 Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsmanโ€™s part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the LORD liveth: lie down until the morning. 14 And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor. 15 Also he said, Bring the vail that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her: and she went into the city.

Read full chapter: Ruth 3 โ†’

Boaz Redeems Ruth

Ruth 4:9-17

This passage reveals how God's redeeming love restores the broken and weaves ordinary lives into his greater story of hope.

A9nd Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelechโ€™s, and all that was Chilionโ€™s and Mahlonโ€™s, of the hand of Naomi.

10 Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day. 11 And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem: 12 And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman. 13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son. 14 And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. 15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him. 16 And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it. 17 And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

Read full chapter: Ruth 4 โ†’

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