In v.20, there is a key term used in the book of Ruth,
Then Naomi said to her, “This man is a close relative of ours; he is our guardian
see NET notes, " In this context Boaz, as a “redeemer,” functions as a guardian of the family interests who has responsibility for caring for the widows of his deceased kinsmen."
In the dictionary (BDB), the kinsmen has several responsibilities,
1. taking a kinsman's widow (we will see this in the book of Ruth)
2. in redeeming from bondage
Lev 25: 47 「住在你那裏的外人，或是寄居的，若漸漸富足，你的弟兄卻漸漸窮乏，將自己賣給那外人，或是寄居的，或是外人的宗族，
48 賣了以後，可以將他贖回。無論是他的弟兄，
49 或伯叔、伯叔的兒子，本家的近支，都可以贖他。他自己若漸漸富足，也可以自贖。
3. In redeeming a field
Lev 25:25-26 25 你的弟兄若漸漸窮乏，賣了幾分地業，他至近的親屬就要來把弟兄所賣的贖回。
26 若沒有能給他贖回的，他自己漸漸富足，能夠贖回，
It is more than what we think as a close relative. This person help the poor brother who is so poor and sold himself as slave or sold his own property. Therefore, he is also a redeemer. He paid the price for the poor brother.
However, this is the regulation of the Law and people did not necessary please to follow this rules. We will see that later on in the book. For now, we see that Boaz was willing to follow the Law and taking care of his poor relatives.
Who is your kinsman? Who come to rescue us when we cannot dig ourselves out of the pit? Jesus is our kinsman redeemer Who paid the price for our sin and saved us.
Audrey
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