What is the meaning of Ruth 4:10? Moreover, I have acquired Ruth the Moabitess • Boaz openly announces a legal transaction that has just taken place at the city gate (Ruth 4:1). • “Acquired” points to the redemption price he has paid, fulfilling the kinsman-redeemer role introduced in Ruth 3:12-13 and patterned after God’s own redemptive heart (Isaiah 43:1). • By naming Ruth’s ethnicity, Boaz embraces a foreigner, reminding us that God’s covenant welcome always extended beyond Israel (Deuteronomy 10:18; Ephesians 2:12-13). Mahlon’s widow • Ruth is identified with her late husband, Mahlon (Ruth 1:2, 5), underscoring the unfinished business of his family line. • Scripture treats the widow with special concern (Psalm 68:5; James 1:27); Boaz now steps into that protective obligation. • The mention of Mahlon links the coming child directly to Elimelech’s household, preserving legal continuity (Numbers 27:1-7). as my wife • Boaz’s declaration moves the relationship from kindness in the fields (Ruth 2:8-12) to covenant commitment. • Marriage is God’s ordained union (Genesis 2:24); Boaz models self-sacrificial love that prefigures Christ’s love for the church (Ephesians 5:25). • The wedding also secures Ruth’s future, transforming her status from destitute gleaner to honored wife (Proverbs 18:22). to raise up the name of the deceased through his inheritance • This captures the purpose of levirate marriage (Deuteronomy 25:5-6): a near relative fathers an heir to keep the deceased’s name alive. • Property and posterity stay inside the clan, reflecting God’s concern that every tribe retain its allotted portion (Leviticus 25:23-25). • Spiritually, Boaz’s act pictures our Redeemer who gives us “an inheritance that can never perish” (1 Peter 1:3-4). so that his name will not disappear from among his brothers or from the gate of his home • “Name” in Hebrew thought represents identity, reputation, and memory (Proverbs 10:7). • “Brothers” refers to the wider kin group; “gate” is the legal hub where records and judgments stand (Ruth 4:1-2; Amos 5:10). • Boaz guarantees that Elimelech’s family will still be spoken for when land rights or civic matters arise (Joshua 20:4). • God likewise inscribes believers’ names forever in His book (Revelation 3:5). You are witnesses today. • Ten elders and gathered townspeople certify the transaction (Ruth 4:2, 9), meeting the biblical standard of two or three witnesses (Deuteronomy 17:6; 2 Corinthians 13:1). • Public accountability protects Ruth and her future child, and it prevents later disputes (Genesis 23:16-18). • The community’s “Amen” (Ruth 4:11-12) turns a legal act into a communal blessing, highlighting how obedience blesses everyone around it (Psalm 133:1). summary Boaz’s words in Ruth 4:10 reveal a kinsman-redeemer who purchases land, marries Ruth, and safeguards Mahlon’s lineage so that the family’s name, property, and legacy remain intact. Every phrase underscores covenant faithfulness: Boaz honors God’s law, protects the vulnerable, and invites community witness. In doing so, he foreshadows Christ, our greater Redeemer, who secures an everlasting inheritance and ensures our names are never lost in His kingdom. |
    |