nearer kinsman or Boaz are obliged to do this under the Torah, only brothers of the dead men. The seal of the transaction is completed by the nearer kinsman drawing off his sandal and offering it to Boaz as a seal of the sale of the land and of Ruth. She is bought. The people and elders at the gate offer a blessing on Ruth and on Boaz recalling earlier ancestors, Rachel & Leah, Perez son of Tamar and Judah.
Insights/Message of Ruth 3 & 4
The end of Chapter 2 has Ruth returning from the fields with wheat for her and her mother-in-law, Naomi. The beginning of Chapter 3 has Ruth sent by Naomi to the threshing floor. The theme of bread/wheat/ famine/plenty continues with these references to gleaning and then the threshing floor. Naomi begins the speech by asking 2 questions which are not really seeking an answer, but set the scene and her motive for giving the following instructions, just in case Ruth might not agree. While the overt reason is the need for Ruth to have a home it will automatically give Naomi the status and security she is denied at the moment. An older widow has little status in a community - no husband, no sons and too old to bear children means she is a liability to those around her.
I will look at 3:1-5, 4:13-17 and the story in between. It is beyond my belief that the Lectionary thinks it can split the story this way without dealing with the whole. The Book is superbly crafted and to look at pieces is like dealing with 1 arm and 1 leg and not knowing what the rest of the person looks like. I'll refrain from further comment on this problem.
Naomi takes initiative and prepares Ruth for role. She implies that Boaz is closest kinsman, but we know from later in the chapter that there is one closer. When Naomi speaks (v.2) the commands are quite abrupt, "wash, anoint, put on, go down, do not make, observe, then go & uncover? We are not told what Naomi intends. The fact that it is the threshing floor which often symbolises a place of fertility - seed - , and in older societies was a time of rejoicing and sexual play when the harvest was finally in. Couple this with thrice repeated command to lie down gives us possible clues that perhaps she hopes Ruth will becomes his concubine/mistress. A further symbolic action is the command to uncover his feet, which in Hebrew is an euphemism for genitalia. A modern example is when we say we are going "to the ladies" when in fact we mean the toilet.
Ruth is very compliant in 3:1-5 and did as her mother-in-law had told her until she is lying beside Boaz and then she takes command of the situation. I shall give a summary of the verses and some of the literary devices which enhance the message in vv.6-18.
The actions in chapter 2 took place in daytime and in chapter 3 the actions take place at night. Boaz is startled when he turns and find someone beside him whom he doesn't recognise. In answer to his question Ruth names herself and uses a word that indicates she is available for marriage (different term for maidservant in 2:13), invites him to spread his skirt/cloak which links with a term used to indicate protection. The third element of her very forward speech suggests he is next of kin and therefore has duties to her and Naomi, which is not the case as she finds out a few seconds later. One wonders how she felt about Naomi who must have known this crucial piece of information which had been kept from Ruth. Boaz is very righteous and is clearly attracted to her. He will do the right thing by speaking with the nearer kinsman the following morning. She leaves early in the morning which protects her probably more than him and brings a large amount of grain to Naomi. There is a play on the Hebrew word for "redeemer" with some similar words used to"uncover". The uncovering which occurred can lead to recovering/redemption.
Ruth 4:1-12 follows through with the interchange between the nearer kinsman and Boaz and Ruth is bought. Again in 4:10 she is named as the Moabitess reminding us she comes from this hated group of people who are condemned in the Torah and yet is deemed worthy t