C. Ruth Relates These Events to Naomi (2:18-23)

Upon seeing Ruth’s ephah of barley and her leftovers from lunch, Naomi was anxious to know the human source for such unexpected blessings (vv.18-19). When she understood that her close relative, Boaz, was responsible, she broke out in praise of Yahweh, who is consistently the great moving force behind the events of this story. Boaz is identified as a kinsman-redeemer (gō'ēl). This is the designation used for the kinsman who was responsible for, among other things, insuring family property. In Israelite society, all real property belonged ultimately to Yahweh; it was not possible legally to purchase another family’s land. But in hard times, one could sell the land temporarily (i.e., as a sort of lease). It was the responsibility of the gō'ēl to redeem the property and restore it to the original family owner or the heir. This responsibility naturally merged with the institution of levirate marriage (see above at 1:11-13), whereby the gō'ēl married his dead brother’s widow if she was childless. The events of ch. 4 imply that it had become customary for the kinsman-redeemer also to marry the widow in fulfillment of levirate requirements, in order to insure a family line (see discussion there).

Naomi’s comment that Yahweh had “not stopped showing his kindness to . . . the dead” (v.20) may indicate that she already had hopes that Boaz would fulfill the duties of the gō'ēl and preserve the line of Elimelech and Mahlon.

Although Ruth continued to work in the fields of Boaz during the barley and wheat harvests, the author is careful to state that she continued to live with Naomi (v.23). This serves as a reminder of her absolute and undivided loyalty to her mother-in-law. Although some modern readers would be skeptical about Ruth’s sincerity and suspect ulterior motives, the text gives no indication of this. In fact, Hebrew narratives do not generally employ characters with hidden agendas unexposed to the reader. Every indication is that the author is describing ordinary people moving in and out of the complexities of life in an exemplary fashion. Boaz the local farmer, the bereaved Naomi, and her daughter-in-law recently returned from Moab all behave in a manner worthy of emulation. This is especially important for a proper understanding of ch. 3.