Boaz

When Naomi and her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth came to Bethlehem as childless widows to start a new life, they encountered Boaz, a relative of Naomi’s deceased husband. He was a good man who allowed the poor to glean in his field, as God commanded in the Law. The report of Ruth’s loyalty to Naomi and to the Lord impressed him, and he protected Ruth while she worked in his field. By Israelite tradition, Boaz was among those who could rescue Naomi and Ruth from poverty. He could do so by redeeming Naomi’s ancestral land and by marrying Ruth, thus providing heirs for Naomi’s and Ruth’s deceased husbands. After Ruth revealed her interest in Boaz, he agreed to do all of this. As he and Ruth moved toward marriage, Boaz was very careful to make sure that everything was done in an orderly and honorable way. Boaz and Ruth became the parents of Obed, who became King David’s grandfather. (Ruth 4:9–10)