Ever read the book of Ruth and wonder what the kinsman redeemer was? Or wander why Boaz married Ruth? A kinsman redeemer, redeemed a family and its property if the widow lost her husband and had no sons to pass on the family name. I plan on answering those questions in detail as well as provide a real life example from the book of Ruth.
The Bible describes the responsibilities of a kinsman redeemer in the book of Deuteronomy. The widow of a family without an heir was not to marry an outsider. Instead the closest male relative of the widows husband, would marry her and perform the duties of the husband as stated in Deut 25:5. Their first born was to retain the family name of the deceased father, so that the name did not disappear from Israel…show more content… Ruth was the daughter in law to Naomi. Naomi Moved to the land of Moab with her husband Elimelech and two sons Mahlon and Chilion. While in Moab Elimelech died, his sones then took for themselves wives from the Moabite women. Their names were Orpha and Ruth. Then Mahlon and Chilion died. Naomi heard that the famine in Israel was over and decided to return to Israel. She told her two daughters in law to return to their families, Ruth refused and returned to Israel with her. Ruth then began to glean in the fields of Boaz, after the workers. Ruth found favor in Boaz's eyes, he allowed her to take a generous amount, provided water, and food. Naomi told Ruth that she should ask Boaz to be her kinsman redeemer. Ruth did as Naomi had told her. Boaz said that he would but there was another closer relative that should fulfill the position. So Boaz went to the gate of the city and found the relative and asked him if he would fulfill the duties of the kinsman redeemer. He refused because he did not want to mar his own inheritance. He then told Boaz to take the responsibility and he gave him his sandal as a testimony. Thats how Boaz became the kinsman redeemer and restored the family name and