Friday 7 June 2024
“I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, to be my wife.” (v. 10)
Background
Yesterday’s reading ended with Ruth and Boaz wanting to get married.
Today we read in verse 3 that Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi is selling land that had belonged to her husband Elimelech. In rules set out in Leviticus 25:8-17, land was not to be permanently relinquished, but returned every 50 years to the original family group. In verse 2, Boaz, witnessed by 10 elders, is talking to the man who is closest in terms of kinship to Elimelech, and therefore has first claims on this land. Boaz asks him about his intentions: is he going to redeem it? (v. 4) And with the land apparently he will also “acquire Ruth the Moabite”. The man however does not want to damage his inheritance (v. 6) which some commentators think might imply that he is already married with offspring and marrying Ruth and having more children would complicate things.
By withdrawing, the man leaves Boaz free to buy the land and marry Ruth. Taking off a sandal to indicate relinquishing a responsibility (v. 8) seems to have been a long-established tradition (see Deuteronomy 25:5-10). The witnesses call out blessings on the couple, hoping that Ruth, like Rachel and Leah (who had eight sons between them) will have many children to build the house of Israel and that Ruth and Boaz will build a dynasty like that of Perez, one of the ancestors of Judah.
To Ponder:
- Ruth and Naomi live in a world where women were defined by their relationship to a man: they were a mother, a wife, a widow, and so on. But in God’s plan, everyone is valued as an individual. Reflect on what it must be like to live in a society where women have little agency or power.
- Do you think the story of Ruth is little more than a Cinderella fable? A woman fallen on hard times finds a man to take care of her. Or can you see this week's theme ('faith in providence') at work?