Why does Boaz inquire about Ruth in Ruth 2:5? Historical–Cultural Setting The scene unfolds “at the beginning of the barley harvest” (Ruth 1:22) near Bethlehem. Harvest time was a social event; laborers knew one another, and strangers stood out. Mosaic law had already mandated compassion for outsiders: “When you reap the harvest of your land, you are not to reap to the very edges…you shall leave them for the poor and the foreign resident” (Leviticus 19:9–10). By the period of the Judges, those statutes formed an accepted social safety net. Boaz, a respected landowner and “a man of standing” (gibbor chayil, Ruth 2:1), was responsible for maintaining both productivity and covenant faithfulness on his estate. The Arrival of Ruth in Boaz’s Field Ruth, having asked Naomi’s permission, entered the field “to glean among the ears of grain after someone in whose sight I may find favor” (Ruth 2:2). Verse 3 adds the providential detail: “She happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz.” The text subtly signals divine orchestration; in Hebrew the idiom mikreh (“she chanced a chance”) stresses that what appears accidental is guided by Yahweh’s hand. The Question: “Whose Young Woman Is This?”—Linguistic Detail Boaz’s first recorded words on site are, “Whose young woman is this?” (Ruth 2:5). The noun naʿărâ (“young woman”) plus the possessive question points to household identity rather than mere name. A woman gleaning alone had to be under someone’s protection—father, brother, or husband. Boaz is not being nosily romantic; he is determining covenantal status, social covering, and legal entitlement within his field. Legal and Economic Implications Allowing a foreign widow to glean carried economic cost and legal risk. Deuteronomy 23:3 barred Moabites from Israel’s assembly, yet the gleaning laws (Leviticus 23:22; Deuteronomy 24:19–22) demanded generosity toward “the alien, the fatherless, and the widow.” Boaz’s inquiry therefore balances two obligations: safeguard covenant purity and uphold covenant mercy. By verifying Ruth’s identity, he ensures lawful gleaning, deters harassment (cf. Ruth 2:9), and positions himself to extend further kindness. Boaz’s Moral and Spiritual Character The narrative repeatedly highlights Boaz’s godliness: he greets harvesters with “The LORD be with you!” (Ruth 2:4). His immediate concern for Ruth’s welfare fits the Torah ideal of ḥesed—steadfast covenant love. Behavioral science confirms that leaders set community norms; Boaz’s question cues his workers to treat Ruth honorably. His diligence reflects Deuteronomy 6:5 lived out in commerce. Providential Guidance Toward the Davidic Line The inquiry initiates a sequence leading to marriage, the birth of Obed, the line of David, and ultimately Messiah (Matthew 1:5–16). This fits Genesis 49:10’s promise of a scepter rising from Judah and Isaiah 11:1’s prophecy of a shoot from Jesse. The seemingly routine question thus becomes a hinge of redemptive history, displaying Yahweh’s sovereignty in everyday choices—an apologetic for divine providence that culminates in the historical, bodily resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:3–8). Christological Foreshadowing Boaz functions as a type of Christ: a kinsman-redeemer who notices the outsider, covers her with grace, satisfies the law on her behalf, and brings her into covenant family (Ruth 3–4). His initial inquiry parallels the Good Shepherd’s knowledge of His sheep (John 10:14) and Christ’s seeking the lost (Luke 19:10). Anthropological Insight Cross-cultural research shows that in-group favoritism can marginalize foreigners. Boaz’s response transcends tribal boundaries, modeling the theocentric ethic that humanity’s ultimate kinship is grounded in the imago Dei (Genesis 1:27). His question is the social gateway permitting inclusion, not exclusion. Archaeological and Cultural Corroboration Excavations at Khirbet Qeiyafa and Tel Dan reveal Iron Age sickle blades, threshing floors, and grain silos consistent with Bethlehem-area agriculture. Ostraca from Samaria (8th c. BC) list barley quotas allocated to workers, paralleling Ruth’s measured ephah (Ruth 2:17). These findings affirm the plausibility of the narrative’s harvest economy. Practical and Devotional Applications Believers are urged to emulate Boaz by asking today’s equivalent of his question: Who is this person in need, and how can I serve them under God’s law of love? Churches demonstrate gospel witness when they integrate refugees, widows, and the poor into covenant community (James 1:27). Concise Answer Boaz inquires about Ruth to verify her identity and legal right to glean, to ensure her protection, and to fulfill covenant mercy. His question reveals his righteous character, initiates God-ordained redemption that leads to King David and ultimately Christ, and models how divine providence works through ordinary human actions. |
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