Why does the kinsman-redeemer refuse to redeem in Ruth 4:6? Setting the Scene • Naomi is selling the land of her late husband Elimelech (Ruth 4:3). • Boaz gathers the nearer kinsman-redeemer and ten elders at the city gate to settle the matter publicly (Ruth 4:1-2). • At first the nearer relative agrees to buy the land (Ruth 4:4). The Added Obligation • Boaz then states the full package: “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabitess … to maintain the name of the dead with his inheritance” (Ruth 4:5). • This means a levirate-style marriage (cf. Deuteronomy 25:5-6) and raising children who would legally inherit Elimelech’s property, not the redeemer’s existing heirs. The Refusal Stated Ruth 4:6: “The kinsman-redeemer replied, ‘I cannot redeem it myself, lest I jeopardize my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption, because I cannot redeem it.’ ” What “Jeopardize My Own Inheritance” Means 1. Financial Risk • Redeeming the land required immediate payment (Leviticus 25:25-27). • Supporting Naomi and Ruth added ongoing costs. 2. Dilution of Current Heirs’ Portion • Any son born to Ruth would legally carry Mahlon’s name (Ruth 4:10) and inherit the redeemed land. • The redeemer’s money would secure property that would not stay in his family line, shrinking what his present children would receive. 3. Potential Complication of Family Holdings • Land allotments in Israel were to remain within tribes and families (Numbers 36:7-9). • Mixing another lineage could threaten the clarity of his estate’s boundaries at the Jubilee (Leviticus 25:28). 4. Social and Spiritual Concerns • Ruth is a Moabitess; some Israelites still viewed Moabites warily (Deuteronomy 23:3). • Marrying her could risk reputational standing, especially for a man already established. Legal Background in Brief • Land redemption: Leviticus 25:23-34. • Levirate marriage: Deuteronomy 25:5-10. • Both obligations converge uniquely in Naomi’s case; the law never required one man to fulfill both, so refusal was allowed without public disgrace. Boaz’s Willing Acceptance • Boaz assumes the cost and the covenant, exemplifying steadfast love (hesed). • His action foreshadows the greater Redeemer who “did not please Himself” (Romans 15:3) but paid the full price to secure an inheritance for others (Ephesians 1:7-11). Key Takeaways • The nearer kinsman’s refusal was pragmatic, not cruel—he counted the cost and found it too high (Luke 14:28-30). • God used that refusal to spotlight Boaz, whose self-sacrificing love reflects the heart of true redemption. • Scripture underscores that redemption is costly; only one both able and willing can accomplish it (Isaiah 59:16). |
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