And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.
Naomi said to her daughter-in-law Ruth, 'May the Lord bless him! He has continued to show kindness to both the living and the dead.' Then Naomi told her, 'This man is a close relative of ours—one of our family redeemers.'
Naomi is praising God for Boaz's kindness and explaining to Ruth that he's actually a close family relative who could help restore their family.
📚 Historical Context
In ancient Israel, the 'kinsman-redeemer' was a male relative who had the responsibility to help family members in distress—buying back lost property, marrying a widow to continue the family line, or providing protection. Naomi realizes that Boaz, who has shown such generosity to Ruth in his fields, is actually one of these special relatives who could legally help restore their family's fortune and future.
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