Men of the Bible

Boaz

His name may mean: "In Strength"

His work: He was a wealthy landowner.
His character: Boaz was a capable and upright man, so touched by the loyalty and generosity of a young widow named Ruth that he responded to her with extraordinary generosity, playing the role of kinsman-redeemer for her and her mother-in-law, Naomi.
His triumph: To find a well-suited wife who blessed him with a son.
Key Scriptures: Ruth 2-4

A Look at the Man

Boaz was a good man going about his everyday work when God brought an unexpected blessing into his life. Evidently, he was someone of standing in Bethlehem, a man who may have been content with life the way it was. Nothing in the legal tradition of the time required him to show the degree of kindness he displayed toward Ruth, the young widow from Moab. Boaz went out of his way to act as her protector and provider while she worked in his fields.

But marrying this foreign-born woman was something altogether different, a commitment that would entitle her to a lifetime of his protection and provision. What's more, a firstborn son would not be considered his offspring but that of her first husband's. But when confronted with Ruth's request for marriage, Boaz responded in a way entirely consistent with his character, acting as though she were doing him the favor rather than the other way around.

As a result, Boaz was blessed with a wife who must have been a pleasure to live with and a son who would become the grandfather of King David. Boaz was the living embodiment of the person who heeds the counsel of Philippians 4:8-9: "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things…. And the God of peace will be with you."

The man who sought to be a blessing to a young woman in need is memorialized not only in the book of Ruth but also in the list of ancestors included in the genealogy of Jesus Christ contained in Matthew's gospel.