And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.
Parallel translations
- WEB Naomi had a relative of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech, and his name was Boaz.
- BSB Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side, a prominent man of noble character from the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz.
- NKJV There was a relative of Naomi’s husband, a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech. His name was Boaz.
- NASB Now Naomi had a relative of her husband, a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz.
- NLT Now there was a wealthy and influential man in Bethlehem named Boaz, who was a relative of Naomi’s husband, Elimelech.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The narrator introduces Boaz, a worthy and wealthy kinsman of Elimelech. His arrival signals the coming agent of redemption.
Overview
Boaz is described as a 'mighty man of wealth' and a relative of Naomi's late husband—two facts essential to the plot. As a near kinsman he is a potential 'redeemer' (goel) able to rescue the family. His introduction here, before Ruth even meets him, shows the reader that God has already provided the means of restoration; Boaz will foreshadow Christ, our kinsman-Redeemer.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Ruth 4:21And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,
- Ruth 3:2And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor.
- Ruth 3:12And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.
- Matt 1:5And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;
- Ruth 1:2And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.
- 1 Chr 2:10–12And Ram begat Amminadab; and Amminadab begat Nahshon, prince of the children of Judah;
- Deut 8:17–18And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.
- Luke 3:32Which was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson,
- Job 1:3His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.
- Judg 12:8–10And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.
- Job 31:25If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much;
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Boaz the kinsman-redeemer who buys back the destitute and takes a bride foreshadows Christ, our Redeemer who pays the price to make a people his own; and from Ruth's line comes David, and David's greater Son.
How Ruth 2:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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