Boaz
Boaz is a central figure in the Book of Ruth, a wealthy and honorable Israelite landowner in Bethlehem during the time of the judges. He is descended from Rahab the Canaanite and Salmon, placing him in the tribe of Judah and ultimately in the lineage of David and Jesus Christ. When the Moabite widow Ruth comes to glean in his fields, Boaz shows extraordinary kindness and generosity far beyond what the law required, providing extra grain, protection, water, and meals for a foreign widow. He eventually fulfills the role of kinsman-redeemer (Hebrew: goel) by marrying Ruth, rescuing both her and Naomi from poverty and obscurity. His story is widely understood as a picture of Christ's redemptive love for the church.
Type
person
Biblical person
Significance
Boaz is one of the most complete pictures of a redeemer in the Old Testament, prefiguring the work of Jesus Christ. Like Christ, he noticed the overlooked, showed grace beyond obligation, and paid the full price of redemption to restore those who could not restore themselves. His inclusion in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1 signals that his redemptive story is woven into the very fabric of salvation history.
About Boaz
Boaz is a central figure in the Book of Ruth, a wealthy and honorable Israelite landowner in Bethlehem during the time of the judges. He is descended from Rahab the Canaanite and Salmon, placing him in the tribe of Judah and ultimately in the lineage of David and Jesus Christ. When the Moabite widow Ruth comes to glean in his fields, Boaz shows extraordinary kindness and generosity far beyond what the law required, providing extra grain, protection, water, and meals for a foreign widow. He eventually fulfills the role of kinsman-redeemer (Hebrew: goel) by marrying Ruth, rescuing both her and Naomi from poverty and obscurity. His story is widely understood as a picture of Christ's redemptive love for the church.
Why It Matters
Boaz is one of the most complete pictures of a redeemer in the Old Testament, prefiguring the work of Jesus Christ. Like Christ, he noticed the overlooked, showed grace beyond obligation, and paid the full price of redemption to restore those who could not restore themselves. His inclusion in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1 signals that his redemptive story is woven into the very fabric of salvation history.
Key Verses
The most important scripture passages relating to Boaz.
Ruth 2:8
“Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens.”
Context
Boaz's first act of grace toward Ruth, inviting her to stay in his fields.
Ruth 2:12
“The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.”
Context
Boaz blesses Ruth with a prayer that acknowledges her faith in Israel's God.
Ruth 3:11
“And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.”
Context
Boaz pledges to act as kinsman-redeemer and commends Ruth's character publicly.
Ruth 4:9-10
“And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi. Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.”
Context
Boaz formally completes the redemption transaction before the city elders.
Ruth 2:1
“And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.”
Context
The narrator's introduction of Boaz as a man of standing and wealth.
Ruth 4:14
“And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel.”
Context
The community celebrates Boaz's role in restoring Naomi's family line.
Ruth 2:16
“And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.”
Context
Boaz secretly instructs his workers to leave extra grain for Ruth beyond what the law required.
Matthew 1:5
“And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse.”
Context
Boaz appears in Matthew's genealogy of Jesus Christ, linking his story to the Messiah.
Ruth 4:17
“And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.”
Context
The son born of Boaz and Ruth becomes the grandfather of King David.
Leviticus 25:25
“If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his possession, and if any of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother sold.”
Context
The law of the kinsman-redeemer that Boaz fulfills in marrying Ruth and redeeming Naomi's land.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Boaz in the Bible?
Boaz was a wealthy and godly Israelite landowner from Bethlehem in the tribe of Judah, living during the time of the judges. He is best known as the kinsman-redeemer who married the Moabite widow Ruth, thereby rescuing her and her mother-in-law Naomi from poverty. His story is told in the Book of Ruth and he appears in the genealogy of Jesus Christ in Matthew 1:5.
What does Boaz represent spiritually?
Boaz is widely understood as a type of Christ, a picture of the divine Redeemer. Like Jesus, he was under no obligation to redeem Ruth but chose to do so out of love and generosity. He noticed a foreign woman others might have ignored, treated her with dignity, provided for her needs generously, and paid the full legal price to redeem her and restore her future. This mirrors Christ's redemption of sinners who were outsiders to the covenant.
Was Boaz a relative of Ruth?
Boaz was a relative of Naomi's deceased husband Elimelech, making him a kinsman (Hebrew: goel) with the legal right and responsibility to redeem the family's land and marry the widow of a deceased male relative. He was not Ruth's biological relative, but through Naomi, he was connected to her late husband Mahlon and thus qualified as a kinsman-redeemer under Mosaic law (Leviticus 25:25; Deuteronomy 25:5-10).
What is the significance of Boaz in the genealogy of Jesus?
Matthew 1:5 lists Boaz as the son of Rahab the Canaanite prostitute and as the father of Obed with Ruth the Moabitess. This means two Gentile women, a former prostitute and a pagan widow, are included in the direct lineage of Jesus Christ. Boaz, the Jewish redeemer who married a Gentile, foreshadows the universal scope of Christ's salvation for all nations.