Ruth 3:11
9 And he said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Companion (Ruth) your maid. So spread your covering over your maid, for you are a family guardian.” 10 Then he said, “May you be blessed by YHWH, my daughter. You have made your latest lovingkindness better than the first by not going after young men, whether poor or rich.
11 “And now, my daughter, do not fear.
All that you are asking I am ready to do for you,
for all the elders who sit at the gate of my people
know that you are a woman of moral excellence.
Introduction
Our text this morning continues our study of the book of Ruth.
Now remember Naomi came up with a plan to secure her family’s wellbeing and Ruth has implemented that plan exactly. At its heart, the single objective of this plan is to formally request that Boaz would marry Ruth, the widow of his kinsman.
But how will Boaz respond? Well last week we saw the first part of Boaz’s response. Thus, to Ruth’s great relief, Boaz does not reject her or run her off. Instead, he blesses her. Not only that, his blessing validates every detail of Ruth’s request as well as shows his willingness to undertake the arrangement.
But that’s not all. As we have watched this scene unfold, Scripture has made sure that we notice both the heart of Ruth and the heart of Boaz. Ruth is a child of God who has grown in her faith and walk. Therefore, hers is a steady confidence that God is with her. In the same way, Boaz is a man of true faith, who genuinely seeks that which pleases YHWH. In other words, God’s hand in this entire process is seen in/reflected by the genuine character of His instruments.
In our text this morning Boaz continues with the second part of his response to Ruth’s proposal.
Verse 11
Notice at once, immediately after blessing Ruth and her request, Boaz tells her not to fear. In other words, Boaz assures Ruth that his blessing and praise were not just empty words from which no action would ever come. Instead, the words of Boaz (this man of genuine faith) count. Therefore, he assures Ruth that she has no reason to fear that he won’t do exactly as he has said. Importance: at once Boaz’s assurance confirms our reading thus far: notice then Boaz knows how much is at stake here for both Ruth and Naomi. He knows the enormous risk that Ruth has taken to enact Naomi’s plan as well as the weight that has been on her shoulders. Not only that, he has also seen the utter relief that his blessing and favor just brought to Ruth’s entire demeanor. Thus, immediately after blessing Ruth, he goes on to tell her not to fear about the outcome of this endeavor. Not only that, notice how he addresses her: once again Boaz calls Ruth “my daughter”. Why? Once again the phrase “my daughter” is not simply an expression of tenderness and affection (it is but just like in verse 10 it is so much more). Notice then, by calling Ruth “my daughter” Boaz reaffirms his patriarchal responsibility towards Ruth and her wellbeing FN#1. Simply put, Boaz turns to Ruth as her family guardian and with a tender strength assures her that she has nothing to fear about this matter.
Next, notice the reason Boaz tells Ruth not to fear: Boaz says that He is ready to do everything that Ruth has asked. Importance: notice the significance of Boaz’s assurance: first Ruth need not fear that Boaz’s kindness and favor towards her are somehow limited or nuanced. In other words, Boaz is not merely sympathetic to a part of Ruth’s request while dismissing the rest. Instead, he has embraced all that Ruth has asked. That is, Boaz’s words here confirm Ruth’s family tie and claim; they confirm his role as a potential guardian redeemer; and they also confirm his willingness to take on the full responsibility of a family redeemer by marring Ruth. However, that’s not all. Notice then in a book that is all about legal transactions Boaz’s words here are not merely (or even mainly) nice assurances. Instead, they are a binding pledge to do all that Ruth has asked. Simply put, Boaz has just committed himself to the whole of Ruth’s request FN#2. Importance: once again we find this central notion of lovingkindness at the very core of the book. Remember, the book of Ruth is not a romance carried along by passion. Instead, it is a book that is motivated by love that is deep/strong enough to commit. Notice then Ruth loves YHWH and Naomi, the mother of her faith enough to bind herself to both. In turn, here in verse 11 we see that Boaz loves YHWH and what pleases YHWH enough to commit to Ruth and God’s plan for his family. Simply put, at this point in the book the heart of man is moving in sync with the very heart of YHWH, who binds Himself to us in unshakable covenants of love FN#3. Not only that, it is this picture that is to be one of the central points/examples that you take with you from the book.
However, that said notice the lingering uncertainty: notice that even with Boaz’s binding pledge the matter is still by no means settled. Notice then the foreboding woven into the verb tense: notice that when Boaz answers Ruth and gives her his pledge, he uses a contingent imperfect verb tense. That is, Boaz says, “I am ready to do” instead of using the definite imperfect’s I will do. In other words, I am ready to do is not nearly as strong as the straight up I will do FN#4. Instead, it points to some condition or factor that must first be met before the arrangement can go through. So what is the point? Is Boaz hedging on his commitment? No. Instead, as we will soon learn, even though Ruth has asked and Boaz has committed, there is another legal factor that must first be resolved before this plan can be finalized. Notice then the drama: notice the tension that is meant to have you on the edge of your seat: just as it seems that deliverance has finally arrived, another challenge shows up to threaten the whole venture. Importance: God’s blessings (both then and now) are often messy. Yet God is as much in control of this challenge as He has been over every detail of the book. Not only that, the same holds true in your life when the blessing you receive is unnervingly messy.
Next, notice the grounds behind Boaz’s commitment. Boaz says that he is committed to do everything that Ruth has asked (that is, marry her) because all the elders of the town know that Ruth is a woman of moral excellence. Importance: the elders are the ones who will have to certify/approve this marriage of redemption for it to go through. Notice then point: Boaz has made his commitment to Ruth because he already knows that he will have the elder’s approval. How does he know this? Boaz says that all the elders know that Ruth is woman of moral excellence. In other words, this pagan girl who returned with Naomi has drawn the attention of the entire town. Not only that, there is an undivided consensus on her character (they all know and agree). Importance: then just as now, the grace that saves you is a grace that changes you. Not only that, over and again throughout Scripture, God’s hand in a situation is often verified/published by the reflection of God’s character in the heart of His instrument (Matt 5:14-16). Notice then, this is exactly what is going on here. However, please note: when Boaz says the elders know that Ruth is woman of moral excellence, he means far more than simply they know that she is a well behaved, respectable female. Instead, in the context of Boaz’s pledge to marry Ruth, moral excellence means that they know of Ruth’s conversion. That is, to a man and without debate, the elders all recognize that Ruth is a genuine child of God (and not just a well behaved pagan). Think about it: if Ruth were just a well behave pagan (if that is all that is being said here), her unbelief would forfeit her eligibility to marry Boaz, a Hebrew. Therefore, Boaz could have never given a binding pledge to marry her because the elders would never approve of their union. But the elders know of Ruth’s conversion and will bless the marriage. Therefore, Boaz can in good faith give Ruth his pledge. Notice the result: notice the quiet progression: YHWH’s acceptance of Ruth has become public (grace always moves outward). Not only that, it is steadily approaching a full inclusion in the line of God’s people.
Bottom line: in the cold darkness of a spring night; at a threshing floor by a heap of grain; Boaz gives his consent and pledge to marry Ruth. And yet, before Ruth or the reader can break forth in a shout of joy, the specter of an unresolved legal matter looms over the scene and threatens to derail the entire venture. But what is unresolved matter? Will Naomi’s plan and Ruth’s bravery all be for naught? Or will what appears to us to be a challenge/threat, turn out to be a part of the path that God has already set forth and blessed.
Footnotes
1] In fact, notice the symmetry: twice in verse 9 Ruth referred to herself as Boaz’s handmaid (and thus a ward of Boaz’s house); and twice Boaz responds by calling Ruth “my daughter” thereby confirming her claim.
Ruth 3:9 And he said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Companion (Ruth) your maid. So spread your covering over your maid, 10 Then he said, “May you be blessed by YHWH, my daughter. 11 “And now, my daughter, do not fear.
2] Notice again the symmetry: notice that Boaz’s response to Ruth is the very same response (almost verbatim) that Ruth gave to Naomi and her plan back in 3:5 (all that you say I will do). In other words, both responses underscore a complete agreement and commitment to realize what has been proposed. Thus, as the book turns on legal transactions, these transactions are motivated by and based on lovingkindness (a commitment born of love and a love profound enough to commit)
3] In other words, be it Naomi’s plan, or Ruth’s willingness to undertake that plan, or Boaz’s embrace of the same- by this point in the book all three hearts are moving in sync with YHWH’s heart and purpose.
4] Regarding the Imperfect as Future Contingent-
to the sphere of future time belong also those cases in which the (modal) imperfect serves to express actions, events, or states, the occurrence of which is to be represented as willed (or not willed), or as in some way conditional, and consequently only contingent – Gesenius Hebrew Grammar. p 316.m.
~Also
The imperfect אֶעֱשֶׂה (‘e’eseh) could be translated “I will do” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT), but since there are legal complications which must first be resolved, it is better to take the form as indicating Boaz’s desire or intention, if the legal matters can be worked out. – NetBible Ruth 3:11.
As such I have translated the contingent imperfect עשׂה (do) as “I am ready to do” to indicate both Boaz’s commitment as well as the conditions upon which his actions will depend.