Ruth 4:5 means that buying Naomi’s land also obligates the buyer to marry Ruth, the Moabite widow, so that her late husband’s family line and property continue. Boaz speaks these words to a closer relative of Elimelech during a public legal meeting at the city gate of Bethlehem. Boaz is pointing out a condition the other man has not yet considered before he commits.
Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must buy it also from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead on his inheritance.”
Ruth 4:5 (WEB)
What Ruth 4:5 Means
The phrase “on the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi” tells us that the purchase is tied to Naomi’s family and her return from Moab. The land was once part of Elimelech’s inheritance, and it has passed into Naomi’s hands after her husband and sons died. Redeeming it means restoring it to the family line rather than simply adding a piece of ground to your holdings.
The words “you must buy it also from Ruth the Moabitess” introduce the cost that comes with the land. Ruth is attached to the property as the widow who must be taken into the family, so the redeemer cannot separate the field from the obligation to her. The verse does not promise the buyer wealth or ease. It states a clear duty that the kinsman would have to accept in full.
The final clause, “to raise up the name of the dead on his inheritance,” gives the purpose behind the arrangement. A son born from this union would carry Mahlon’s name and keep his share of the land within the family. The verse describes a legal and familial responsibility, and it is not a general statement about how God will bless every family.
The Context of Ruth 4:5
The book of Ruth is a short narrative set in the period of the judges, and it is traditionally attributed to Samuel, though its author is unnamed in the text. It was written for an Israelite audience who understood the levirate and kinsman-redeemer customs described in Deuteronomy 25 and Leviticus 25. Those customs explain why a near relative had the first right to buy back land and why a dead man’s name needed an heir.
The verses just before this one show the kinsman at first agreeing to redeem the field, then backing away once he hears about Ruth. Verse 6 records his refusal in plain terms, and verse 7 explains the sandal custom that sealed the transfer of rights. Reading verse 5 within that sequence shows that Boaz is laying out the full terms so the decision is made with open eyes.
Key Phrases in Ruth 4:5
Deuteronomy 25:5
If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies, and has no son, the wife of the dead shall not be married outside to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her, and take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her.
(WEB)
This verse sets out the levirate law that lies behind the duty Boaz describes in Ruth 4:5. Reading it shows that the goal of raising up a dead man’s name was already part of Israel’s covenant life. The law explains why Boaz could expect the nearest relative to consider the obligation.
Ruth 4:14
The women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you today without a near kinsman. Let his name be famous in Israel.
(WEB)
This verse shows the result of the redemption that Ruth 4:5 begins to set in motion, as the women of Bethlehem praise God for giving Naomi a redeemer. Reading it alongside verse 5 reveals how the legal arrangement leads to joy and restoration for the whole family.
A Short Prayer From Ruth 4:5
Lord, you see the costs that faithfulness can bring, and you know how tempting it is to protect only what is comfortable. Teach me to weigh my choices with honesty, to look past the immediate gain and see the people and promises attached to it. Give me the courage to honor those who depend on my care, trusting that you will use even hard obligations for good. Amen.
