Ruth 4:6, commentary and pictures

The nearer kinsman refused to redeem the inheritance because he feared it would mar his own, and he yielded his right of redemption to Boaz. Having first agreed to buy the parcel of land, he drew back when told before the elders that redeeming it meant also taking Ruth the Moabitess to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, confirming the transfer to Boaz by drawing off his shoe. He declined because the first son of such a union would be counted the dead man's son and heir, so that if only one son were born he himself would be left without an heir to preserve his own name and family, and for refusing to build up his brother's house he bore the appointed tokens of contempt. The account sets forth the law of redemption, that when a man had lost his inheritance and fallen into bondage and could not redeem himself, redemption belonged to the nearest kinsman who was able. So humanity has lost its inheritance and lies in bondage unable to redeem itself, but Jesus by taking flesh and blood became its nearest able Kin and willingly accepted the cost to restore what was lost, redeeming at the price of His own life and giving those united to Him His life, name, and inheritance.

The Refusal at the Gate

The nearer kinsman refused to redeem the property because he feared it would mar his own inheritance, and he yielded his right of redemption to Boaz. After first agreeing to redeem Elimelech's parcel of land, he declined when it was explained before the elders at the gate that buying Naomi's field meant also buying it of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance. He confirmed the transfer of his right to Boaz by drawing off his shoe.

The redemption of the land could not be separated from taking the widow and perpetuating the dead man's family, name, and inheritance, which belonged by right to the nearest kinsman. His refusal cleared the way for Boaz to redeem the property and marry Ruth according to Israelite custom. He refused to redeem the land and marry Ruth because the first son of such a marriage was counted as the dead man's son and inherited the dead man's land, while only subsequent sons belonged to the Goel himself. Thus if but one son was born the Goel would be reckoned childless without an heir to preserve his own name and family.

For this refusal he received the legal tokens of contempt appointed for the man that will not build up his brother's house. The arrangement kept a man's inheritance in the land of Canaan from passing out of his family: if a man died without an heir his brother or near kinsman was to marry his widow and redeem his land, with the firstborn counted as the heir of the dead man so the homestead would be retained.

Redemption Through Christ

The story sets forth the law of redemption, that when a person had lost an inheritance or fallen into bondage and could not redeem himself, redemption belonged to the nearest relative who was able to redeem. In that light it shows that humanity has lost its inheritance and is in bondage, unable to redeem itself or its lost inheritance, and stands in need of an able redeemer who is its nearest blood-relative. Jesus became humanity's nearest kin by taking human flesh and blood, and being able to redeem became the Redeemer of the lost when no one else could rescue them.

In contrast to the nearer kinsman who refused lest he mar his own inheritance, Christ the rightful heir who alone could restore what humanity lost willingly joined Himself to the lost race, accepting a cost to His own inheritance, and gives to those united to Him His life and name and inheritance. The redemption of Naomi's inheritance points to Him, who had the right to redeem and did so at the cost of His own life through the sacrifice of Himself. The near kinsman is a type of Christ showing God's care for the Seed, in that the Moabitess Ruth became one of the progenitors of Christ according to the flesh. The passage also shows the sweet, simple home life among the children of Israel.

The arrangement for keeping a man's inheritance from passing out of his family will be unnecessary for those counted worthy to obtain the resurrection from the dead, because they cannot die anymore and each one's inheritance in the new earth will remain unimpaired throughout eternity. The verse shows the believer's right to approach the Redeemer confidently and claim his kinsman's help. Redemption means deliverance from sin and its results through union with Christ, not a payment to Satan nor a sum paid to God to cancel a debt, for God is satisfied only with righteousness, which is found in Christ.