Alice C. Linsley
Boaz was a wealthy Hebrew nobleman of Bethlehem. He was married, owned property, deliberated at the town gate, and acting as a levir, he took Ruth as his second wife. It was common for high-ranking Hebrew chiefs to have two wives. Other Hebrew rulers with two wives include Lamech, Terah, Abraham, Esau, Jacob, Amram, Moses, Elkanah (Samuel's father), Ashur (1 Chronicles 4:5), Mered (1 Chronicles 4); Joash (2 Chronicles 24:1–3), Jerahmeel (1 Chronicles 2:26), and Shaharaim of Moab (1 Chronicles 8:8). Caleb fathered children by his wives Azubah and Jerioth.
The firstborn son of Boaz and Ruth was Obed. His name may be related to the ancient Akkadian word ebebu, designating a pure one. Obed was the grandfather of David. In 1 Chronicles 26:4 some of the Temple doorkeepers are designated "sons of Obed-Edom", indicating a connection between Bethlehem and Edom. For three months the Ark of the Covenant rested in David’s hometown of Bethlehem in the house of Obed-Edom and was guarded by Jaar of Bethlehem, a weaver.
Ruth was from Moab. Since the Hebrew rulers only married within their Hebrew clans and there were Hebrew ruler-priests in Moab, it is very likely that Ruth and Boaz were blood relatives. Both were descendants of Terah. Boaz's ancestry is traced from Hezron, Ram, and his father Salma/Salmon (Ruth 4; 1 Chronicles 2). Ruth's ancestry is traced from Terah, Haran, and Lot, the father of Moab, and probably Shaharaim. Shaharaim was a Horite Hebrew priest living in Moab.
Ruth did not convert to Judaism, because Judaism did not exist at the time of Boaz and Ruth (c.1290-1090).
Boaz is likely derived from the Akkadian Bu-Uz-Kir which means “being of the land belonging to Uz.” Uz was a grandson of Seir, the Horite Hebrew (Gen. 36). Seir and Uz ruled in Edom before there was ever a king in Israel. This is significant because it suggests that the Hebrew clans of Edom held land in Bethlehem.Ruth did not convert to Judaism, because Judaism did not exist at the time of Boaz and Ruth (c.1290-1090).
Abraham's territory was entirely in ancient Edom (Idumea). It extended between the settlements of his two wives, Sarah and Keturah. Sarah resided in Hebron and Keturah resided in Beersheba to the south. Both places are shown on this map.
Thank you so much for taking the time to educate others!!!
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