Ruth's Son Becoming Naomi's Son Through Levirate Law
The Book of Ruth recounts the story of Naomi, her daughter-in-law Ruth, and the birth of Obed, who became the grandfather of David [4]. After a famine in Judah, Elimelech, Naomi's husband, moved with her and their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, to Moab [3, 5]. There, both Elimelech and his sons died, leaving Naomi a widow and childless [3, 5]. Ruth, Mahlon's widow, chose to return to Bethlehem with Naomi [2].
Upon their return, Naomi, feeling bitterness over her losses, wished to be called Mara instead of Naomi, a name meaning "my delight" or "sweetness" [5]. In Bethlehem, Ruth gleaned in the fields of Boaz, a wealthy relative of Elimelech [2, 13]. Through a series of events, Naomi advised Ruth to seek marriage with Boaz as a kinsman-redeemer [12]. Boaz, recognizing his duty, agreed to marry Ruth, provided a nearer kinsman waived his right [7]. This nearer kinsman declined, and Boaz married Ruth [7].
The union of Boaz and Ruth resulted in the birth of a son, Obed [2, 10]. While Obed was biologically Ruth's son, the narrative emphasizes his connection to Naomi. The women of the community declared, "There is a son born to Naomi" (Ruth 4:17) [6]. This statement is notable because Naomi did not physically give birth to the child [6]. Rabbinic tradition, as seen in the Babylonian Talmud, interprets this to mean that although Ruth bore the child, Naomi raised him, thus making him "called by her name" [6]. Abraham Ibn Ezra notes the similarity to other biblical phrases where a child is "born to" someone, even if not the biological mother [9].
The concept of Obed becoming Naomi's son is tied to the idea of a "redeemer" within the narrative. The women blessed the Lord, saying, "who hath not let a redeemer be wanting to thee to-day" (Ruth 4:14) [10]. This redeemer was understood to be the newborn son, Obed [10]. He was considered a redeemer for Naomi not because he would reclaim her property, but because as Ruth's son, he was also considered Naomi's son, thereby removing the reproach of childlessness from her [10]. This highlights the social and familial significance of progeny in ancient Israel, where a male heir could continue the family line and provide support in old age [11].
The act of Naomi taking the child into her bosom and becoming his nurse further solidified this connection: "And Naomi taketh the lad, and layeth him in her bosom, and is to him for a nurse" (Ruth 4:16, YLT) [1, 11]. This act of care and nurture underscored the communal understanding that Obed was, in a significant sense, Naomi's son, restoring her lineage and providing her with comfort in her old age [11]. The naming of the child by the women of the community, rather than solely by the parents, also emphasizes the communal recognition of Obed's role in Naomi's life [8].
Sources
- Ruth “Ruth 4:16 (YLT) — And Naomi taketh the lad, and layeth him in her bosom, and is to him for a nurse;”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Ruth — A friend, a Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, whose father, Elimelech, had settled in the land of Moab. On the death of Elimelech and Mahlon, Naomi came with Ruth, her daughter-in-law, who refused to leave her, to Bethlehem, the old home from which Elimelech had migrated. There she had a rich relative, Boaz, to whom Ruth was eventually married. She became the mother of Obed, the grandfather of David. Thus Ruth, a Gentile, is among the maternal progenitors of our Lord (Matt. 1:5). The story of "the gleaner Ruth illustrates the friendly relations between the good B”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Ruth — (a female friend) a Moabitish woman, the wife, first of Mahlon, second of Boaz, the ancestress of David and Christ, and one of the four women who are named by St. Matthew in the genealogy of Christ. A severe famine in the land of Judah induced Elimelech, a native of Bethlehem--ephratah, to emigrate into the land of Moab, with his wife Naomi, and his two sons, Mahlon and Chilion. This was probably about the time of Gideon, B.C. 1250. At the end of ten years Naomi now left a widow and childless, having heard that there was plenty again in Judah, resolved to retur”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Ruth The Book of — Was originally a part of the Book of Judges, but it now forms one of the twenty-four separate books of the Hebrew Bible. The history it contains refers to a period perhaps about one hundred and twenty-six years before the birth of David. It gives (1) an account of Naomi's going to Moab with her husband, Elimelech, and of her subsequent return to Bethlehem with her daughter-in-law; (2) the marriage of Boaz and Ruth; and (3) the birth of Obed, of whom David sprang. The author of this book was probably Samuel, according to Jewish tradition. "Brief as ”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Naomi — or Nao'mi (my delight), the wife of Elimelech and mother-in-law of Ruth. (Ruth 1:2) etc.; Ruth 2:1 etc.; Ruth 3:1; 4:3 etc. (B.C. 1363.) The name is derived from a root signifying sweetness or pleasantness. Naomi left Judea with her husband and two sons, in a time of famine and went to the land of Moab. Here her husband and sons died; and on her return to Bethlehem she wished to be known as Mara, bitterness, instead of Naomi, sweetness.”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 19b.14: The Gemara presents a mnemonic for the following discussion: Ḥanina called; Yoḥanan and his wife; Elazar and redemption; and Shmuel in my studies. Rabbi Ḥanina says: Proof for the aforementioned statement can be derived from here: “And the neighbors gave him a name, saying: There is a son born to Naomi” (Ruth 4:17). And did Naomi give birth to the son? But didn’t Ruth give birth to him? Rather, Ruth gave birth and Naomi raised him. Therefore, he was called by her name: “A son born to Naomi.””
- Ruth (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ruth 4:5: Then said Boaz,.... In order to try the kinsman, whether he would abide by his resolution, he acquaints him with what he had as yet concealed: what day thou buyest the field of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead; the wife of Mahlon, who was dead, the eldest son of Naomi, and so his widow, Ruth the Moabitess, had the reversion of the estate; wherefore the purchase must be made of her as well as of Naomi, and the purchase could not be made of her without marrying her; which, though no law obliged to, yet it seems to be a condition of”
- Ruth (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ruth 4:17: And the women her neighbours gave it a name,.... Josephus says (q) Naomi gave it, by the advice of her neighbours; very probably on the eighth day when he was circumcised, and the neighbours were invited on that occasion, at which time it seems it was usual to give names to children, see Luk 1:59. The Romans gave names to females on the eighth day, to the males on the ninth; hence the goddess Nundina had her name (r); the Greeks generally on the tenth, sometimes on the seventh (s): it was commonly the province of the father to give the name, and sometimes his neighbours”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Rationalist)) “Abraham Ibn Ezra on Ruth 4:17: "A son has been born to Naomi." Similar to "And she had a son."”
- Ruth (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Ruth 4:13: This blessing began very speedily to be fulfilled. When Boaz had married Ruth, Jehovah gave her conception, and she bare a son. Rut 4:14 At his birth the women said to Naomi, "Blessed be the Lord, who hath not let a redeemer be wanting to thee to-day." This redeemer was not Boaz, but the son just born. They called him a redeemer of Naomi, not because he would one day redeem the whole of Naomi's possessions (Carpzov, Rosenmller, etc.), but because as the son of Ruth he was also the son of Naomi (Rut 4:17), and as such would take away the reproach of childlessness ”
- Ruth (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Ruth 1:17: The Lord do so to me, and more - May he inflict any of those punishments on me, and any worse punishment, if I part from thee till death. And it appears that she was true to her engagement; for Naomi was nourished in the house of Boaz in her old age, and became the fosterer and nurse of their son Obed, Rut 4:15, Rut 4:16.”
- Ruth (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Ruth 3 (introduction): Ruth Seeks for Marriage with Boaz - Ruth 3 After the harvest Naomi advised Ruth to visit Boaz on a certain night, and ask him to marry her as redeemer (Rut 3:1-5). Ruth followed this advice, and Boaz promised to fulfil her request, provided the nearer redeemer who was still living would not perform this duty (Rut 3:6-13), and sent her away in the morning with a present of wheat, that she might not return empty to her mother-in-law (Rut 3:14-18). To understand the advice which Naomi gave to Ruth, and which Ruth carried out, and in fact to form a correc”
- Ruth (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Ruth 2:1: Naomi had now gained a settlement in Bethlehem among her old friends; and here we have an account, I. Of her rich kinsman, Boaz, a mighty man of wealth, Rut 2:1. The Chaldee reads it, mighty in the law. If he was both, it was a most rare and excellent conjunction, to be mighty in wealth and mighty in the scriptures too; those that are so are mighty indeed. He was grandson of Nahshon, who was prince of the tribe of Judah in the wilderness, and son of Salmon, probably a younger son, by Rahab, the harlot of Jericho. He carries might in his name, Boaz - in him is strengt”