Character Studies: Boaz in the Book of Ruth

Boaz was wealthy businessman in Bethlehem; he was powerful and important in society. He was older than Ruth by at least twenty years. His ancestors were Salmon and Rahab, the harlot. There were a few hundred years between them and Boaz.

Unlike many of his contemporaries, Boaz rules his “kingdom” from a position of virtue and servant leadership. He doesn’t selfishly abuse his workers (Ruth 2:4) but gently provided for their needs (Ruth 2:8-9, 14-16).He is impressed by Ruth as she works in the field, hearing a good report of her by his foreman. He has heard of her actions in following Naomi to a strange country.

Every time Ruth encounters Boaz she comes to him empty and leaves full (Ruth 2:14, 17, 3:17, 4:13). Although he is impressed by her and may even be attracted to her, he doesn’t pursue her as he probably feels their age difference is too great. We see this in the fact that three times when he speaks to her, he refers to her as, “my daughter.”

If it were not for Naomi’s meddling and Ruth’s willingness to do as Naomi instructed her, Boaz may never have made a move. On the advice of her mother-in-law she prepares for their “date.” She then approaches him the night on the threshing floor. When she basically proposes to him, he is very humble, not even acknowledging that he is quite an eligible bachelor.  Instead, he commends her for not running after the young men. 

He guards her reputation that night on the threshing floor by telling his employees not to gossip about her presence there, and sending her away while it is still dark, lest someone assume something happened between them. Then he gives her grain to take with her in case someone was to inquire where she was at that hour.

He remembers that there is another relative who is closer than he.  This is the conflict, or complicating factor you see in all great romances.  How will they overcome it?  Will our hero and heroine find true love? He also tells her he’ll approach the other relative, so she doesn’t have to humble herself by proposing to a second man in the same day. He also indirectly promises to care for Naomi as well through his generous gift of grain and his willingness to buy back her property. 

He may have worried that the other relative would be greedy for the land, but was pleased that the man did not want to have a wife whose son would bear another man’s name.  He would also have to share his inheritance, which is probably the main reason he refused her.  Similar idea to the story of Tamar, where Onan did not want to father a son for another man or share the inheritance. Yet for all his insistence that he could not lose his inheritance, it’s not the other “close relative” who is remembered, as he remains unnamed, but Boaz.

This transaction, done at the “city gates” where all business was transacted before witnesses, was done properly, so there would be no question as to the legitimacy of Boaz’s claim to Ruth and the inheritance of Elimelech. Although it sounds like Ruth is ‘purchased’ in a business transaction, you see from the interaction between them, that Ruth and Boaz do really love each other.