ESTUDIO DEL VERSÍCULO
Ruth 2:20 — Naomi Blesses Boaz as Kinsman-Redeemer
After learning Ruth has gleaned in Boaz's field, Naomi praises Jehovah for sending a near kinsman who has not withdrawn his kindness from the living or the dead.
Escritura
- 20.Y dijo Noemí a su nuera: Sea él bendito de Jehová, pues que no ha rehusado a los vivos la benevolencia que tuvo para con los que han muerto. Después le dijo Noemí: Nuestro pariente es aquel varón, y uno de los que pueden redimirnos.And Naomi said unto her daughter-in-law, Blessed be he of Jehovah, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is nigh of kin unto us, one of our near kinsmen.
Qué significa este pasaje
Naomi's response in this verse is a two-part statement. First, she blesses Boaz 'of Jehovah,' meaning the blessing is directed to God as the source who has not left off his kindness (Hebrew concept of loyal covenant love) to the living and to the dead. The phrase 'the living and the dead' is significant: Naomi's deceased husband Elimelech and sons Mahlon and Chilion belong to the dead, and Boaz's kindness to Ruth and Naomi extends backward to cover those who have passed away, preserving the family line and name. Second, Naomi identifies Boaz as a near kinsman, one of their redeemers, a relative with the legal duty to protect family interests, redeem property, and sustain the widow's lineage.
The verse marks a turning point in the book's theology. Up to this point, Naomi has spoken bitterly of Jehovah's hand having turned against her. Now, with the identification of Boaz as a go'el (kinsman-redeemer), her tone shifts toward recognition of divine providence. The bitterness of 1:13, 1:20-21 begins to give way to the confession that God's hesed (covenant faithfulness) has not ceased. Naomi does not yet know how Boaz will act beyond the field, but she recognizes the kinship tie that makes redemption legally possible.
By naming Boaz as 'nigh of kin' and 'one of our near kinsmen,' Naomi opens the door to the entire redeemer motif that shapes chapters 3 and 4. The word for 'kinsman' in Hebrew is go'el, a family member with the responsibility to buy back what is lost, marry the widow, and avenge wrongdoing. Boaz is not yet established as the redeemer who will act; he is presented as a potential candidate. The verse is thus a pivot: it answers the question of who Boaz is in relation to Naomi's family, and it sets the stage for the legal and marital negotiations that follow.
Contexto
The verse sits at the end of a long narrative scene. Ruth has gone to glean (verse 2-3), happened upon the field of Boaz (verse 3), received unusual favor from Boaz (verses 8-16), and gathered an ephah of barley (verse 17). She returns to Naomi in the city, shows her the grain, and tells her the owner's name is Boaz (verses 18-19). Naomi's blessing in verse 20 follows immediately upon learning that Boaz — a kinsman of Elimelech — is the field's owner.
The chapter closes with Ruth continuing to glean alongside Boaz's maidens through both the barley and wheat harvests (verses 21-23). Boaz's role as a potential go'el is introduced in verse 20 and then developed gradually through the rest of the book. The chapter note identifies this verse as the first unveiling of the kinsman-redeemer figure whom God is providentially providing.
Preguntas frecuentes
Who are 'the living and the dead' in Ruth 2:20?
In the context of the book, the living are Ruth and Naomi, and the dead are Elimelech, Mahlon, and Chilion. Naomi means that Boaz's kindness has not only helped the widows in the present but also benefits the memory and lineage of those who have died, preserving the family name.
What does 'kinsman' or 'redeemer' mean in this verse?
The Hebrew term (go'el) refers to a near relative with the legal duty to protect family members: redeeming property sold in hardship, marrying a widow to raise up offspring for the deceased, and avenging wrongful death. Naomi identifies Boaz as one such relative, making him a candidate to act on behalf of her family.
Why does Naomi direct her blessing to Jehovah rather than to Boaz directly?
The phrase 'Blessed be he of Jehovah' frames Boaz's kindness as something God has sent and sustained. Naomi credits the source of the mercy rather than only the human agent, recognizing that Boaz's compassion toward Ruth reflects divine covenant faithfulness rather than mere coincidence.