What is the meaning of Ruth 4:7? Now in former times in Israel God’s Word places Ruth in real history, so the narrator pauses to help later readers understand an ancient custom. Scripture often does this when practices have faded (see 1 Samuel 9:9, where the text explains what a “seer” used to be called). The clarification reassures us that what follows truly happened and that the covenant community had recognizable legal processes, confirming passages like Deuteronomy 31:9-13 that emphasize recording and preserving God-given law for all generations. concerning the redemption or exchange of property The context is Boaz’s negotiation at the gate for Naomi’s land and Ruth’s hand. “Redemption” echoes Leviticus 25:25-34, where a kinsman buys back family land so it stays within the clan. “Exchange of property” reminds us of Jeremiah 32:6-15, another legal land transfer. Both scenes spotlight God’s concern that families retain their inheritance, pointing forward to Christ who redeems a people and secures their eternal inheritance (Ephesians 1:13-14). to make any matter legally binding Israel took legal certainty seriously. At the city gate, elders witnessed transactions (Proverbs 31:23; Deuteronomy 19:15). The phrase assures us the coming act is not symbolic only; it seals a contract recognized by the whole community, underscoring that God’s law brings both order and protection (Psalm 19:7-9). a man would remove his sandal The sandal symbolized walking the land. By taking it off, the near-kinsman renounced his right to tread on (possess) that property. Deuteronomy 25:8-10 features a similar act in levirate marriage; there, the refusal carries shame, but here it simply formalizes the transfer. The tangible gesture matches Israel’s preference for visible signs—think of the rainbow with Noah (Genesis 9:12-13) or the stones from the Jordan (Joshua 4:6-7). and give it to the other party The hand-to-hand exchange made the renunciation personal and public. Everyone present could see ownership shift, just as later the pierced hands of Jesus would publicly confirm our redemption (John 20:27-28). The giving of the sandal is a small picture of substitution: one relinquishes so another may receive, echoing 2 Corinthians 8:9. and this was a confirmation in Israel The narrator concludes that the act met every legal requirement. Boaz can now marry Ruth, leading to King David and ultimately to Jesus (Ruth 4:18-22; Matthew 1:5-6). God’s faithfulness works through ordinary laws and customs to accomplish extraordinary redemption, affirming Romans 8:28 in narrative form. summary Ruth 4:7 explains an ancient legal custom so later readers grasp why a sandal mattered in Boaz’s time. Removing and handing over the sandal publicly transferred property rights, making the transaction irrevocable. The practice reflected Israel’s covenant concern for family inheritance, foreshadowed Christ’s redemptive work, and showcased God’s providence in everyday life. |
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