All rights reserved. from Harvard in English and American Literature and Language, a Master of Arts in Theological Studies from Gordon-Conwell, and a Ph.D. in the History of Christian Life and Thought, with a minor concentration in Bible, from Boston College, in the joint program with Andover Newton Theological School. He furthermore told her that he had heard from the Prophets that she was destined to become the ancestress of kings and prophets; and he blessed her with the words: "May God, who rewards the pious, also reward you" (Targ. In marrying Ruth, Boaz revives Elimelech's lineage, and the patrimony is secured to Naomi's family. In the redemption Boaz brought to Ruth and Naomi, we see the merciful and protective love of God revealed in Christ. I have two questions for your, a little more in depth. Jael slew *Sisera in the war of *Deborah and *Barak against the Canaanites (Judg. Encyclopedia.com. The book of Ruth ends by showing that Ruth became the great-grandmother of King David, from whom Christ came. About an argument in Famine, Affluence and Morality, Using indicator constraint with two variables. What event was President Bush referring to What happened on that day >Apex? [citation needed], This use of "Boaz" became obsolete in later stages of Jewish and Israeli history, and is hardly remembered today. Ruth: Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the Old Testament by Daniel Block. "Boaz" was the name of the left one of the two frontal columns of Solomon's Temple, the other being "Jachin". 124a). 9 Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Why did Jesus tell the women of Jerusalem, "Weep for yourselves, not for me," when he was going to the cross? How to tell which packages are held back due to phased updates, Bulk update symbol size units from mm to map units in rule-based symbology. 124a). The story of Ruth is a tender one. 22 Feb. 2023 . , derived from ; "to cast down"), also called Jerubaal (Heb. https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/boaz, ELIZABETH KNOWLES "Boaz xxiii. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. ; M. Burrows, ibid., 59 (1940), 4456; F. Dijkema, in: Nieuw Theologisch Tijdschrift, 24 (1953), 1118; em, 2 (1965), 2823 (incl. 7; and Ruth Rabba ib.). 3) is a circumstance that lends historical plausibility to the Moabitic origin of Ruth (so Kuenen, "Historisch-Critisch Onderzoek," etc., i., 36. g.; Nowack, "Ruth," p. 184. The Bible doesnt tell us specifically how old Ruth and Boaz were, but in Old Testament times, women married right around the time they became able to have children, so around 14. The latter The hope is that, as the law intends, a, This explains why Boaz is the right husband for Ruth. Jesus, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, took upon himself the sin and shame of Judah. But my guess is that they would at least have tried to have more children, because Obed became, in effect, Naomis son and kinsman-redeemer. Dr. Christopher R. Smith is an an ordained minister, a writer, and a biblical scholar. His Understanding the Books of the Bible study guide series is keyed to this format. was the rightful heir. Thank you for your question. I assumed he was. The custom of using the Divine Name in greeting one's fellow-man (Rt-2.4) formulated by him and his bet din ("court [of] law") received the approval of even the heavenly bet din (Babylonian Talmud Makkot 23b; Yerushalmi Talmud Ber. What did it mean to spread the corner of your garment over someone? The only New Testament mention of Ruth is in the genealogy of Jesus recorded in Matthew chapter one.Matt.1:5 - Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse,[NKJV]. He lived in Beth-Lehem in the time of the Judges and is described as a "man of substance," that is, a wealthy landowner employing many young men and women on his estate (Ruth 2:1). ." For ask a few questions about his or her past. Dr. Christopher R. Smith, shares his reflections about the Scriptures and answers questions from users of the guides and from others who want to find out more about the Bible. In consequence of this he had to marry Ruth, in order "to raise up the name of the dead" (Ruth iv. Because back then being having a family, a wives and children were very important as well as present culture of Israel. (February 22, 2023). ( Ruth 4:1-10) Boaz truly was an upright and unselfish man. Why are the pyramids of Giza never mentioned in the Bible? 23:4), Boaz responded that this prohibition applied only to the males of Moab and not to the females (Ruth R. 4:1). This requirement would be of little or no effect if the surviving brother could not be married. https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/boaz, Sarna, Nahum "Boaz Given the marriage themes in the book, I have wondered if they might have been part of the ancient Israelite marital vows or something similar. It never mentioned because it was not important any more. WebThat is, Boazs former wife leaves the arena at just the time that Ruth enters it. ), wife of Heber the Kenite. As I also explain in my post, in this culture men could marry more than one wife, but the law of Moses required them to treat all of their wives fairly and equally. How could God bless Abraham when he wasdeceitful? Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. [9] He notices Ruth, the widowed Moabite daughter-in-law of Naomi, a relative of his (see family tree), gleaning grain in his fields. I think a man could have as many wives as he wanted and could afford. So we might speculate that Boaz was at least in his 40s and possibly his 50s, though as I said the Bible doesnt say for sure. The book-to-blog version of the book I co-authored with Dr. Stephen J. Godfrey on creationism, paleontology, and biblical interpretation. But others are of the opinion that David's flight into Moab (I Sam. S. Yeivin, in: Eretz Israel, 5 (1958), 97104; W. Rudolph, Ruth (19622), 36; J.A. 2 Now Boaz, with whose women you [9] Glad in his heart that the famine was over in Israel, he sought rest after having thanked God and studied for a while in the Torah (Tan., l.c. said, "I can not redeem; for I have a wife and have no right to This brevity may, however, strangely accentuate the lessons from their love for today for marriage, yes, but all the more for the pursuit of marriage in dating. 12. Because the land Retrieved February 22, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/boaz. ." Boaz explains to her that he cant say whether or not he can marry her until he finds out from the closer relative, who has to be given the opportunity first, whether that man is willing and able to marry Ruth. Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. His army routed, Gideon (Rachel, Deborah, Jochabed, Abigail, Rahab, Miriam, Eve, Leah). A teacher walks into the Classroom and says If only Yesterday was Tomorrow Today would have been a Saturday Which Day did the Teacher make this Statement? (Naomi, an older widow herself, is one of Ruths dependents, and so Ruths proposal to Boaz, as I noted in, Did Ruth seduce Boaz to get him to marry her? Does Ruth marry Boaz? Yes he did have a wife. @NigelJ Well the only reason I can think Ruth would be included in verse 9 is if you thought she should somehow be part of "the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon". Why are non-Western countries siding with China in the UN? However, the date of retrieval is often important. Ruth: Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the Old Testament by Daniel Block. His Understanding the Books of the Bible study guide series is keyed to this format. 14:5051); from i Chronicles 8:33 it would appear that A, JONATHAN Did Ruth seduce Boaz to get him to marry her? How can I explain to my manager that a project he wishes to undertake cannot be performed by the team? To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. (February 22, 2023). wife.". When awakened by Ruth, he believed her to be a devil, and only after touching her hair was he convinced to the contrary since devils are bald (Ruth R. 6:1). Buber, xvi. Ruth and Naomi arrived in Beth-Lehem on the day on which Boaz' wife was buried (ibid.). ), Ruth was 40 and Boaz was 80 when they both got married. In Ruth 4:21, should "Obed" be remembered as "the son of Mahlon" (instead of Boaz) - based on Deuteronomy 25:6 and Ruth 4:10? (Part3). Learn how your comment data is processed. Due to the laws, the were technical already married before the public wedding celebration. (Part 1). The numbers 80 and 40 in rabbinic tradition may have some symbolic significance. Let me begin with the one about Boaz. Encyclopaedia Judaica. , ), cousin of King *Saul and "captain of his host" (i Sam. If a man died and had no children, his brother was obligated to marry the dead man's wife and raise up children for him. Is it correct to use "the" before "materials used in making buildings are"? [16] Since Manoah was at that time without children, Boaz thought he did not need to consider on such occasions a childless man who could not pay him back in kind (Bava Batra 91a). [18] A legend is given that he lost all his sixty children during his lifetime because he did not invite Manoah, Samson's father, to any of the marriage festivities at his house. View all posts by Christopher R Smith. xi. [citation needed]. 7). His role of kinsman redeemer came with the legal need to raise up seed to his deceased cousin/kinsman Mahlon by taking Ruth as wife, but by Torah law, he didn't need to do the same for Naomi. Professor at RPTS - Serve with Joy. I read in Rabbinic Jewish Traditon, Boaz was 80 and Ruth was 40. At least in this case, having more than one wife was instituted by God through the law. ABSALOM (Heb. Did David ever seek Gods guidance aboutmarriage? I think a man could have as many wives as he The Jewish Encyclopedia. In the role of guardian-redeemer, Boaz becomes a picture of Jesus Christ. As we reflect on the compassion of Boaz for Ruth, certainly it was stirred by many factors. Why were some books removed from the Bible and is it a sin to read them? 1). the land, as Ruth was part of the package deal. Here goes: 1) Having translated the book of Ruth, Im curious about the poetic lines that Ruth recites to Naomi when she makes her pledge in chapter 2. Even if Ruth married one of Naomis sons right after the family moved to Moab, she would have been in her mid twenties ten years later when Naomi moved back to Israel. There is no mention of the surviving brother not to have his own wife. In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. He soon learns of the difficult circumstances her family is in and Ruth's loyalty to Naomi. One question though did Naomi in fact own any land her husband had owned? There Elimelech died, and the two sons married, Mahlon taking Ruth as his wife, and Chilion taking Orpah both women of Moab, where both sons likewise died.. Doubling the cube, field extensions and minimal polynoms. Boaz is the kinsman redeemer and husband of Ruth.See book of Ruth in the Bible. Is the house of David good, and how is Jesus a part ofit. Ber. 45). WebBoaz declared his hope that doing so would cause the name of the dead man to rise upon his inheritance.. According to Jewish rabbinical texts, Boaz would have been a widower. Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. As toward Ruth, Boaz had also been kind toward his kinsmen, Naomi's sons, on hearing of their death, taking care that they had an honorable burial (Ruth R. to ii. house and destroy my peace. Israel was not settled in Rahabs time and was still lead by Joshua for many more years after the defeat of Jericho. What type of electrical charge does a proton have? 14; Shab. The story of Gods faithfulness to my late wife and me during the 4 1/2 years when she battled ALS (Lou Gehrigs disease) with unfailing faith, joy, and courage. Ruth's Vow to Naomi: Ancient Marriage Vow? Samuel's father, David,and Solomon. 91a). Naomi - (Ruth 1:2-4)Ruth's mother- in-law Esther - (Esther 2:15-17)A Jewish orphan who became queen and risked her life for God's people. 4) formulated by him and his bet din received the approval of even the heavenly bet din (Mak. He was active in parish and student ministry for twenty-five years. 12:8) who lost his sixty children during his lifetime (bb 91a). About Boaz . He was a rich landowner who noticed Ruth, the widowed Moabite daughter-in-law of Naomi, a relative of his, gleaning grain from his fields. He soon learns of the difficult circumstances her family is in and Ruth's loyalty to Naomi. The matter is soon settled. While its possible that Boaz did have another wife (in this culture, this wouldnt have kept him from marrying Ruth), it doesnt say anywhere in the book that he did, so we shouldnt assume this. in the aggadah: Ginzberg, Legends, 4 (1947), 3034; 6 (1946), 18794. (Clicking on a category will display all of the posts it, in a continuous scroll with the most recent at the top.). WHERE CAN I FIND THE VERSE DIRECTLY VIOLATING GODS INSTRUCTIONS FOR KINGS IN THE LAW? As I explain in my Joshua-Judges-Ruth study guide: To get enough money to live on, Naomi is selling the portion of the fields around Bethlehem that belonged to her late husband Elimelek. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless! Ruth is one of four women specifically named in Matthews genealogy of Jesus. 2:1315;, ABSALOM I dont believe Ruth was 40 at that time because the Bible says (in Ruth 4:12) that Ruth was a young woman (surely, not 40). rev2023.3.3.43278. The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Why did the first kinsman redeemer in Ruth refuse to marry her. 8). I think this view is based on the fact that Boaz seems to be a wealthy and presumably middle-aged man. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. Did Ruth & Boaz have other children beside Obed? Why did the first kinsman redeemer in Ruth refuse to marry her. Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by drfuss, Dec 5, 2006. The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. [6], The son of Salmon[7] and his wife Rahab,[8] Boaz was a wealthy landowner of Bethlehem in Judea, and relative of Elimelech, Naomi's late husband. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. B. 18-22) is denied by Wellhausen, Cornill, and modern critics generally. You may not be justwitnessing someone who is super obedient or exceptionally gifted. Why did God give David all of Sauls wives? The book-to-blog version of the book I co-authored with Dr. Stephen J. Godfrey on creationism, paleontology, and biblical interpretation. Why did God reject Saul as king for making one small mistake? Husband to Miriam - Blessed by God. Encyclopedia.com. Since the first son of Ruth and a kinsman of her late husband would be deemed the legal offspring of the decedent and heir to Elimelech, the other kinsman defers to Boaz. On Naomis advice, Ruth visited Boaz and entrusted her fate and that of her mother-in-law to him. If you have a question, please use the link at the top left of this page to reach the comment box. If he did have another wife, which is possible (although again, not mentioned in the book, so we should not assume it), this would raise the further question of polygamy. ; Ruth Rabba to iii. What impact do exceptions to consent have on the health care industry. before too many years she would be caring for an old man. xxii. Ruth approaches Boaz and asks him to exercise his right of kinship and marry her. Why are the pyramids of Giza never mentioned in the Bible? Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. Do I need a thermal expansion tank if I already have a pressure tank? The Bible gives us no details about his death. Thank you for sharing. Catherine Parr. Therefore, its best to use Encyclopedia.com citations as a starting point before checking the style against your school or publications requirements and the most-recent information available at these sites: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html. D. Hartmann, Das Buch Ruth in der Midrasch-Litteratur, 1901. What we do know about Boaz, as were told when we first meet him, is that hes a man of standing, prosperous and influential. These five sisters went to Moses and asked, Why should our fathers name disappear from his clan because he had no son? R. xiii. . This site is a proud member of the Salem Web Network, a subsidiary of, Copyright 2023, Crosswalk.com. Perhaps you were brought here by a search engine or by a link to one of the posts. Was it against the Mosaic Law for Boaz to marry Ruth, according to Deuteronomy 23:3? Instead, in Gods providence she was led to glean from the fields of Boaz. Where does this (supposedly) Gibson quote come from? How many wives did Boaz have in the bible? Actually, Ruth and Boaz were not married at this point. What are the answers to studies weekly week 26 social studies? In, JAEL (Heb. [9] Aroused out of his first sleep by Ruth, he was greatly frightened, as he thought she was a devil; and he was convinced of the contrary only after touching the hair of her head, since devils were believed to be bald (Tan., l.c.). 10, 11; Pesi, ed. Now, in holding up Ruth and Boaz as a model bride and groom, it should be said that we only get five verses describing their actual married life together ( Ruth 4:1317 ). You will need to register to get access to all the features that our community has to offer. As we reflect on the compassion of Boaz for Ruth, certainly it was stirred by many factors. Was it against the Mosaic Law for Boaz to marry Ruth, according to Deuteronomy 23:3? Your voice is missing! In this blog, the author of the Understanding the Books of the Bible study guide series, the Rev. Change). [16] Boaz was especially friendly toward the poor stranger during the meal, when he indicated to her by various symbolic courtesies that she would become the ancestress of the Davidic royal house, including the Messiah (Ruth R. to ii. Boaz accepts, provided that another with a superior claim declines. He notices Ruth, the widowed Moabite daughter-in-law of Naomi, a relative of his (see family tree), gleaning grain in his fields. ), youngest son of Jesse of the Ephrathite family that lived in Beth-Lehem in Judah (i Sam. It seems to me that according to this law the first-born child of Boaz and Ruth should have been recorded in the line of Mahlon: If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, 93ab). 22). If he did have another wife, which is possible (although again, not mentioned in the book, so we should not assume it), this would raise the further question of polygamy. What did it mean to spread the corner of your garment over someone? How many wives did Boaz have in the bible? 9:5) and the ceremony of pronouncing benedictions on a bridal couple in the presence of ten men (Ket. David probably took several wives in order to assure at least one surviving heir. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. 14c; Ruth R. to ii. take another in addition to her, lest she be a disturbance in my He is, therefore, sometimes identified with the judge Ibzan of Beth-Lehem (Judg. A famine struck Bethlehem, forcing a man named Elimelech to leave his hometown and take his wife, Naomi, and sons Mahlon and Chilion to the country of the Moabites. Why didn't Boaz acquire Naomi in Ruth 4:9? In most cases, the brothers would be already married. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. The word is found 24 times in the Scriptures, two being in Greek (in the form " (Booz)"). He had to have been well older than Ruth as many years passed between the time Rahab was a young woman in Jericho, and Naomi a young woman in Israel. Jesus bore that shame as he hung on the cross under a hastily made, mocking sign that read, King of the Jews.. This situation first arose in the wilderness with the five daughters of a man named Zelophehad, who died leaving no male heirs. Thank you for visiting my blog Good Question. The appellation son of Jesse served as a synonym for David both at Sauls court and, subsequently, when David Only one. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Is it possible to rotate a window 90 degrees if it has the same length and width? ELIZABETH KNOWLES "Boaz Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. While its possible that Boaz did have another wife (in this culture, this wouldnt have kept him from marrying Ruth), it doesnt say anywhere in the book that he did, so we shouldnt assume this. Dr. Christopher R. Smith is an an ordained minister, a writer, and a biblical scholar. 113b). The Rev. He then married Ruth (ibid., 2:1112; 3:12; 4:115). Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Sarah - (Genesis 17:15-16)Abraham's wife Ruth - (Ruth 4:13)gave birth to King David's grandfather, Obed. Compared to how much older they lived back then 40 is very young age. Why didn't God give Esau back the blessing that Jacob stole? What evidence is there for the divine inspiration of the NewTestament? Boaz, however, replied that the prohibition in Scripture applied only to the men of Moab, and not to the women. At least in this case, having more than one wife was instituted by God through the law. . If Boaz did have another wife, he was wealthy enough to make sure that Ruth and her children got their full share of the family inheritance. Undoubtedly then growing up, Boaz had heard dozens of times the miraculous story of his mothers salvation. I should stick to what the Bible says not to what other people may say. took the opportunity to confirm before many witnesses that he was next in line and would take the land and Ruth (But without a male protector, she would have been vulnerable, hence the saying in Proverbs about how the Lord sets the widows boundary stones in place, i.e. 10), but their marriage did not remain childless, though Boaz died the day after his wedding (Midrash Zua, ed. HE WAS A KING LIKE HIS FATHER DAVID, RIGHT? protects her property.) 2) I have also heard the theory that Boaz was already married when this story happened, and that he probably took Ruth as a second wife (or perhaps more). According to the book of Ruth chapter 4v11 and 12 it shows that Boaz was having another wife before married to Ruth. But there seems to have been a greater-than-average difference in ages between Boaz and Ruth because he says to her, You have not run after the younger men. He calls this an even greater kindness to Naomi than coming back from Moab with her. Boaz, however, replied that the prohibition in the Scripture applied only to the men of Moab and not to the women. The historical value of the genealogy (Ruth iv. New York: Funk & Wagnalls. You may want to look for further items of interest by using the resources below: the search bar; the lists of posts; and the list of categories. I think Boaz had other wives, but it was not necessary to mention them. WebJesse, also spelled Isai, in the Old Testament, the father of King David. It was not necessary to mention the other wives because Ruth was the only wife in the lineage of David. Using Kolmogorov complexity to measure difficulty of problems? Ruths devotion to Naomi as part of his extended family was noticed by him and moved him (Ruth 2:11). 15 As she got up to glean, Boaz gave orders to his men, Let her gather among the sheaves and dont reprimand her. [3] The etymology of the name has been suggested by many [4] as be'oz, "in the strength of", or bo'oz, "in him (is) strength" from the root 'zz, "to be strong", hence the use of the name "Boaz" for one of the pillars at the portico of the temple (1 Kings 7:21),[5] although Biblical scholar Martin Noth preferred "of sharp mind". [15][16] "I.e., Bethlehem in Zebulun"; cf. Why would marrying Ruth have impaired the Redeemer's inheritance? I have not seen that particular tradition myself, but youll see from my previous comment that I believe Ruth was in her mid-20s, and in an earlier comment I also suggest that Boaz was previously married. Henrys sixth and final wife and his third named Catherine was perhaps his luckiest. One of the relatives of Elimelech, husband of Naomi; a wealthy Judean, living at Bethlehem in Judah (Ruth ii. Must women have children in order to be redeemed or absolved from reproach? Why does the Bible prophecy that Jesus will be aNazarene? Will God really give us anything we ask for if we ask in Jesusname? 25) so they could wed and Boaz eagerness to fulfill it not only warms the heart but encourages the soul. And as was the custom in Israel, Boaz takes off his sandal to validate the transaction of his becoming redeemer and says to the witnesses: "Boaz". (Naomi, an older widow herself, is one of Ruths dependents, and so Ruths proposal to Boaz, as I noted in this post, is also an act of compassion to her.). Although Boaz was the prince of the people, he personally supervised the threshing of the grain in his barn, in order to circumvent any immorality or theft, both of which were rife in his days (Tan., Behar, ed. How did the shepherds know where to find babyJesus? Ruth is the only mentioned wife of Boaz. David was the youngest of Jesses eight sons. Did Boaz have another wife other than Ruth? 22 Feb. 2023 . Is the Bibles perspective on same-sex relationships outdated? Why didn't God give Esau back the blessing that Jacob stole? Joshua 19:15. ; Targum Ruth iii. Glad in his heart that the famine was over in Israel, he sought rest after having thanked God and studied for a while in the Torah (Tan., l.c. Change). ABNER (Heb. How can we prove that the supernatural or paranormal doesn't exist? He soon learns of the difficult circumstances her family is in and Ruth's loyalty to Naomi. Why was Moses not allowed to enter the Promised Land? Boaz was descended from Nahshon, the son of Amminadab (Ruth 4:2022; i Chron. 14; Shab. Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. But, that not being the case, Boaz only had to take Ruth as wife, which he was more than ready and desiring to do. According to Josephus, "Ant." Boaz did not live long after the marriage. But when he learns he must also marry Ruth and give her children in her late husbands name, he backs out, explaining, I might endanger my own estate. (He cant afford to part with the money for the property and then divide his remaining worth among his current children and those Ruth will have in the future.) ib.). You can also read or download the study guides in my Understanding the Books of the Bible series by using the Free Study Guides link at the top of this page. [8], In the Talmud, some rabbis identify Boaz with the judge Ibzan of Bethlehem. Boaz was 80 years old and Ruth 40 when they married(Ruth R. 6:2), and although he died the day after the wedding (Mid. Now, if Naomi had become a childless widow, Elimelech's closest kinsman would have been required to marry her and beget children with her in Elimelech's name (though he could utterly refuse her). Buber, viii. Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox! He has a B.A. I hope youve found what you were looking for. 7a). In those days, a man could have more than one wife, i.e. Samuel's father, David,and Solomon. I think a man could have as many wives as he wanted and could afford. Since Boaz was a landowner with many servants and therefore wealthy, he probably had many wives. I think Boaz had other wives, but it was not necessary to mention them. Why was Moses not allowed to enter the Promised Land? [16] This, as well as her grace and her chaste conduct during work, induced Boaz to inquire about the stranger, although he was not in the habit of inquiring after women (Ruth Rabba to ii. She decided to return to her homeland, where her late husband at least owned some land. It only takes a minute to sign up. 11; Ruth Rabba and Targum to Ruth iii. When talking about Ruth laying at Boaz feet and him covering her with his robe. (LogOut/ I hope youve found what you were looking for. Im glad these posts have been helpful to you. He was also a consultant to Tyndale House for the Immerse Bible, an edition of the New Living Translation (NLT) that similarly presents the Scriptures in their natural literary forms, without chapters and verses or section headings. I think if the Bible does not say he had other wives, then maybe he didn't. In those days, a man could have more than one wife, i.e. What evidence is there for the divine inspiration of the NewTestament? [16], The midrash Ruth Rabbah states that being a pious man, Boaz on his first meeting with Ruth perceived her conscientiousness in picking up the grain, as she strictly observed the rules prescribed by the Law. Q. I see that you are posting about Ruth on your blog. A little wrench in the deal, or it was probably Gods plan all along.