God provided for widows in a number of ways. One of those ways was to insure that the ‘family’ name would not disappear. This was done by having another close family member marry the widow and hopefully produce an offspring. This sounds like polygamy, but God’s ways are not our ways, His thoughts are far above our thoughts.
Ruth 4:1 Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there, and behold, the close relative of whom Boaz spoke was passing by, so he said, "Turn aside, friend, sit down here." And he turned aside and sat down. 4:2 He took ten men of the elders of the city and said, "Sit down here." So they sat down.
It would appear that Boaz had been thinking about what he would do since Ruth first woke him. The gate was like the town hall, all judgments and agreements would be consummated at the gate in front of witnesses. Ten was the number that would constitute the right number of witnesses. Also, the one man in the area he wanted to see, was brought to him by God.
4:3 Then he said to the closest relative, "Naomi, who has come back from the land of Moab, has to sell the piece of land which belonged to our brother Elimelech. 4:4 "So I thought to inform you, saying, 'Buy it before those who are sitting here, and before the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if not, tell me that I may know; for there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am after you.'" And he said, "I will redeem it."
Land could not be sold outside of the tribe or family. Also, the land was the Lord’s and every 50 years all land sales would pass away, as they were really only long term leases, and return to the ‘original family ownership.So gaining additional land was a very special opportunity.
4:5 Then Boaz said, "On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of the deceased, in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance." 4:6 The closest relative said, "I cannot redeem it for myself, because I would jeopardize my own inheritance. Redeem it for yourself; you may have my right of redemption, for I cannot redeem it."
While land was precious, adding another wife with potential heirs as well was another matter. Fortunately for this close relative, Boaz let him know that he was ready to redeem if needed.
4:7 Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning the redemption and the exchange of land to confirm any matter: a man removed his sandal and gave it to another; and this was the manner of attestation in Israel.
4:8 So the closest relative said to Boaz, "Buy it for yourself." And he removed his sandal.
This would seem to be a very strange custom. But, there could not be any misunderstanding about this if the man removed his sandal.
4:9 Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, "You are witnesses today that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon. 4:10 "Moreover, I have acquired Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, to be my wife in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance, so that the name of the deceased will not be cut off from his brothers or from the court of his birth place; you are witnesses today."
Boaz laid it all out for their witness. He did not leave anything out. If only our contracts could be handled in this manner today.
4:11 All the people who were in the court, and the elders, said, "We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel; and may you achieve wealth in Ephrathah and become famous in Bethlehem. 4:12 "Moreover, may your house be like the house of Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah, through the offspring which the LORD will give you by this young woman."
Interestingly, the people brought Tamar into their praise. She was not as fortunate, as no one wanted to redeem her even though they knew that God commanded it. Let us compare these two events.
Genesis 38:6 Now Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 38:7 But Er, Judah's firstborn, was evil in the sight of the LORD, so the LORD took his life. 38:8 Then Judah said to Onan, "Go in to your brother's wife, and perform your duty as a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother."
38:9 Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so when he went in to his brother's wife, he wasted his seed on the ground in order not to give offspring to his brother. 38:10 But what he did was displeasing in the sight of the LORD; so He took his life also.
God demands and deserves obedience. This rather easy to understand that this command was to be obeyed, even if on purely human terms it looked to be unfavorable. God killed two of Judah’s sons.
Genesis 38:12 Now after a considerable time Shua's daughter, the wife of Judah, died; and when the time of mourning was ended, Judah went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 38:13 It was told to Tamar, "Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep." 38:14 So she removed her widow's garments and covered herself with a veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the gateway of Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah had grown up, and she had not been given to him as a wife. 38:15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, for she had covered her face.
38:16 So he turned aside to her by the road, and said, "Here now, let me come in to you"; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, "What will you give me, that you may come in to me?" 38:17 He said, therefore, "I will send you a young goat from the flock." She said, moreover, "Will you give a pledge until you send it?" 38:18 He said, "What pledge shall I give you?" And she said, "Your seal and your cord, and your staff that is in your hand." So he gave them to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him.
So Tamar was upset that she would not have any heirs and took matters into her own hands. Judah’s wife had died and she laid a trap.
38:19 Then she arose and departed, and removed her veil and put on her widow's garments. 38:20 When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the woman's hand, he did not find her. 38:21 He asked the men of her place, saying, "Where is the temple prostitute who was by the road at Enaim?" But they said, "There has been no temple prostitute here." 38:22 So he returned to Judah, and said, "I did not find her; and furthermore, the men of the place said, 'There has been no temple prostitute here.'" 38:23 Then Judah said, "Let her keep them, otherwise we will become a laughingstock. After all, I sent this young goat, but you did not find her."
When Judah tried to uphold his part of this bargain, he was told that there was no temple prostitute there. A temple prostitute would be a pagan woman who had been deceived into thinking her god wanted her to have sex with strangers.
38:24 Now it was about three months later that Judah was informed, "Your daughter-in-law Tamar has played the harlot, and behold, she is also with child by harlotry." Then Judah said, "Bring her out and let her be burned!" 38:25 It was while she was being brought out that she sent to her father-in-law, saying, "I am with child by the man to whom these things belong." And she said, "Please examine and see, whose signet ring and cords and staff are these?" 38:26 Judah recognized them, and said, "She is more righteous than I, inasmuch as I did not give her to my son Shelah." And he did not have relations with her again.
This almost sounds like a speck and a log. Judah came to the right conclusion even though he had sex with his daughter in law, as his sons had refused. Does God condone this type of deceit and incest? Well, not really. But more challenging is the fact that from his union came Perez. Perez is in the lineage of David and therefore in the lineage of Jesus.
38:27 It came about at the time she was giving birth, that behold, there were twins in her womb. 38:28 Moreover, it took place while she was giving birth, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, "This one came out first." 38:29 But it came about as he drew back his hand, that behold, his brother came out. Then she said, "What a breach you have made for yourself!" So he was named Perez. 38:30 Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand; and he was named Zerah.
More next Saturday.