Ruth 4

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ruth 4:3

Ruth 4:3. Naomi Both Naomi and Ruth had an interest in this land during their lives, but he mentions only Naomi, because all was done by her direction; lest the mention of Ruth should raise a suspicion of the necessity of his marrying Ruth, before he had given his answer to the first proposition. Which was our brother Elimelech’s He calls him their brother, because he was near of kin to them. And he mentions Naomi’s return out of the country of Moab, to intimate that her poverty... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ruth 4:4-5

Ruth 4:4-5. I thought to advertise thee I have had it in my mind to speak to thee about it. There is none to redeem it besides thee That is, thou hast the first right to do so; for it is plain Boaz had a right, but it was in the second place: and if he had refused, the next kinsman would have had the right, and so on. Thou must buy it also of Ruth According to the law, Deuteronomy 25:5. To raise up seed To revive his name, which was buried with his body, by raising up a seed to him to... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ruth 4:6

Ruth 4:6 . Lest I mar mine own inheritance It seems he had a wife and children already, which made him afraid to marry a poor woman with a small parcel of land, which would not provide for the children he might have by her, lest he should thereby diminish the inheritance of which he was already possessed. The Chaldee paraphrase on the passage is, “I cannot redeem it on this condition,” namely, the condition of marrying Ruth; “because I have a wife already, and do not choose to bring another... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ruth 4:7

Ruth 4:7. Now this was the manner in Israel, &c. We do not know that there was any law of God enjoining any such ceremony as is here mentioned; but only it was a long-established custom to act thus in transferring one man’s right in any land to another. To confirm all things That is, in all alienation of lands. So that it is no wonder if this ceremony differ a little from that mentioned Deuteronomy 25:9, because that concerned only one case, but this is more general. Besides, he... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ruth 4:10

Ruth 4:10. Ruth the Moabitess have I purchased to be my wife He had her by the right of the same purchase, and did not succeed into the right of a brother, as mentioned Deuteronomy 25:0.; for he was not a brother to Elimelech, but only a remote kinsman of the same family, who could not enjoy the land while she lived, unless he would take her with it; to whom it belonged while she lived, and was to go to her issue when she died. From the gate of his place That is, from among the... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ruth 4:11

Ruth 4:11 . Rachel and Leah Amiable and fruitful. These two are singled out, because they were of a foreign original, and yet ingrafted into God’s people, as Ruth was; and because of that fertility which God vouchsafed unto them above their predecessors, Sarah and Rebecca. Rachel is placed before Leah, because she was his most lawful and best beloved wife. Which two did build the house of Israel Were blessed with a numerous posterity. They do not mention the two handmaids, because the... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ruth 4:12

Ruth 4:12. Like the house of Pharez As honourable and numerous as his family was; whom, though he also was born of a stranger, God so blessed, that his family was one of the five families to which all the tribe of Judah belonged, and the progenitor of the inhabitants of this city. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ruth 4:13

Ruth 4:13. Took Ruth Which he might do, though she was a Moabitess, because the prohibition against marrying such is to be restrained to those who continued heathen; whereas Ruth was a sincere proselyte and convert to the God of Israel. Thus he that forsakes all for Christ, shall find more than all with him. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ruth 4:14

Ruth 4:14. The women said unto Naomi After Ruth’s delivery. Which hath not left thee without a kinsman The words may be rendered, who hath not made, or suffered, thy kinsman to fail thee; that is, to refuse to perform his duty to thee and thine, as the other kinsman did. The Hebrew גאל , goel, which we translate kinsman, properly belonged to Boaz, and not to his son who was born; and yet the women seem to speak this with a reference to the child, which probably induced the Arabic... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ruth 4:15

Ruth 4:15. A restorer of thy life Of the comfort of thy life, such a comfort as to make thee, in some sort, young again. For they hoped the child would inherit his mother’s virtues, and particularly her affection to Naomi, which was so surpassing, that it made her a greater blessing to her than a great many children of her own body would have been. Better than seven sons See how God sometimes makes up the want of those relations from whom we expected most comfort, in those from whom we... read more

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