Ruth 4:1
Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there. And behold, the redeemer, of whom Boaz had spoken, came by. So Boaz said, “Turn aside, friend; sit down here.” And he turned aside and sat down.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Boaz doesn't just happen to see his kinsman; he strategically goes to the city gate, the public square for legal matters, to intercept him. The phrase "Ho, such a one!" isn't just casual; it's a specific, slightly ambiguous way to address someone whose name is known but perhaps not spoken aloud, highlighting the public and formal nature of the upcoming transaction.
Boaz, having decided to act as kinsman-redeemer for Ruth, goes to the city gate, the public place for legal proceedings. He deliberately waits there, knowing the other kinsman, the one with the primary right of redemption, will pass by. Boaz then calls out to this man, using a common phrase for someone known but not explicitly named, and invites him to sit and discuss an important matter concerning the family estate.
Boaz doesn't just find his kinsman anywhere; he waits for him at a very specific, significant location. What was so special about 'the gate'?
The 'gate' in ancient Israel was far more than just an entrance. It was the center of public life, the place where business was conducted, and crucially, where legal and judicial matters were settled.
Boaz calls out to his kinsman, but not by name. Why the anonymity, and what does this tell us about the man?
Boaz's address, "Ho, such a one!" (or "peloni almoni" in Hebrew), is more than just a casual greeting; it's a deliberate choice that carries significant weight.
Understand the original words
sha'ar · Hebrew Noun
An entrance to a city, historically serving as the location for judicial proceedings, business transactions, and public gathering. It was the central point of civic and legal authority in ancient Israelite culture.
ga'al · Hebrew Noun/Participle
One who acts to reclaim or recover something for another, often involving the buying back of property or the deliverance of a person from debt, slavery, or death. In the Old Testament, it foreshadows the redemptive work of Christ, who pays the price to purchase his people out of bondage to sin.
The setting at the city gate highlights the public and communal nature of the kinsman-redeemer law, emphasizing that such important matters of family and property were handled openly before the community.
c. 13th-11th centuries BC
Period of the Judges
Israel experienced a period of decentralized governance under judges, marked by cycles of sin, oppression, deliverance, and peace. This era lacked strong central authority, leading to localized justice and social customs.
c. 11th-10th centuries BC
Establishment of the Monarchy
The transition from judges to kings like Saul and David brought a more centralized legal and administrative system, though local customs at town gates remained important for legal matters.
c. 1000 BC— this verse
Boaz's Life in Bethlehem
Boaz, a respected landowner in Bethlehem, lived during a time when ancient Near Eastern legal customs, including the concept of the kinsman redeemer (goel), were practiced within established communities.
c. 1000 BC
The Goel (Kinsman-Redeemer) Custom
The practice of the goel, a male relative responsible for protecting the interests of a deceased kinsman's family and property, was a significant social and legal custom in ancient Israel.
This passage describes the custom of a brother-in-law refusing to marry a widow, which involved a public act at the gate, directly relating to the legal and social context of Boaz's actions.
Ruth 3:12This verse explicitly mentions the 'kinsman-redeemer' whom Boaz is seeking out, establishing the direct relationship and responsibility that Boaz is addressing in Ruth 4:1.
Matthew 1:5This verse highlights the significance of Boaz and Ruth's union, showing how their marriage, initiated by this legal transaction at the gate, was a crucial step in the lineage leading to Jesus.
Philippians 2:5This passage speaks to having the same mindset as Christ, which contrasts with the unnamed kinsman's self-interest in refusing to redeem the family line, mirroring Boaz's selfless action.
henryRuth 4:1-8: "Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down."
4:1-8 This matter depended on the laws given by Moses about inheritances, and doubtless the whole was settled in the regular and legal manner. This kinsman, when he heard the conditions of the bargain, refused it. In like manner many are shy of the great redemption; they are not…
clarkeRuth 4:1: "Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down."
Then went Boaz up to the gate - We have often had occasion to remark that the gate or entrance to any city or town was the place where the court of justice was ordinarily kept. For an account of the officers in such places, see the note on Deuteronomy 16:18 . Ho, such a one! - sit…
Boaz doesn't just happen to see his kinsman; he strategically goes to the city gate, the public square for legal matters, to intercept him. The phrase "Ho, such a one!" isn't just casual; it's a specific, slightly ambiguous way to address someone whose name is known but perhaps not spoken aloud, highlighting the public and formal nature of the upcoming transaction.
Boaz, having decided to act as kinsman-redeemer for Ruth, goes to the city gate, the public place for legal proceedings. He deliberately waits there, knowing the other kinsman, the one with the primary right of redemption, will pass by. Boaz then calls out to this man, using a common phrase for someone known but not explicitly named, and invites him to sit and discuss an important matter concerning the family estate.
Boaz, having decided to act as kinsman-redeemer for Ruth, goes to the city gate, the public place for legal proceedings. He deliberately waits there, knowing the other kinsman, the one with the primary right of redemption, will pass by. Boaz then calls out to this man, using a common phrase for someone known but not explicitly named, and invites him to sit and discuss an important matter concerning the family estate.
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Boaz has a serious proposition for his kinsman. What exactly is at stake in this conversation at the gate?
The kinsman-redeemer, or 'goel,' had a vital role in ancient Israelite society, and Boaz is about to formally offer this significant responsibility.
c. 1000 BC
Public Trials at the City Gate
Legal and business transactions of importance were publicly conducted at the city gate, a central and visible location where elders and community members would gather.
"Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there. And behold, the redeemer, of whom Boaz had spoken, came by. So Boaz said, “Turn aside, friend; sit down here.” And he turned aside and sat down." — Boaz doesn't just happen to see his kinsman; he strategically goes to the city gate, the public square for legal matters, to intercept him. The phrase "Ho, such a one!" isn't just casual; it's a spec…
