The word kinsman refers to a male blood relative, one of the same family and ethnicity. Ruth had left all her kinsmen behind in Moab. Boaz was not her kinsman. Boaz was Naomi's kinsman. He was Elimelech's blood relative. But Naomi sent Ruth to Boaz to request him to redeem her.
Ruth 2:1 And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.
Naomi could have sought redemption from Boaz for herself. We know that though Naomi was much older than Ruth she was still capable of bearing children as it is Naomi who tells her daughters-in-law in Moab that she could not ask them to wait for her to find a husband and then have children who would grow up and marry them. But Naomi sent Ruth in her place to the threshing floor to request Boaz. It was unconventional. What Ruth lacked in her origin she made up for in her reputation and youth.
Ruth 3:10-11 And he said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.
Boaz acknowledged Ruth's choice as a kindness. It is not difficult to imagine that Boaz was advanced in years. The authority he commanded over his servants spoke of experience. We do not find whether he had other wives or concubines though in the times of the Judges when the story unfolds, polygamy was not as rare. Nonetheless redeeming the widow of a kinsman was a duty bound to be performed in Israel. There are however two facts that were peculiar about this case:
Boaz would be bound to marry Elimelech's widow, Naomi, by the rules of his people, not a daughter-in-law and a foreigner in that.Boaz wasn't the closest relative, bound to redeem this family. Still, he promised Ruth that he would do whatever was required to do right by Ruth.
Ruth 3:13-14 Remain tonight, and in the morning, if he will redeem you, good; let him do it. But if he is not willing to redeem you, then, as the LORD lives, I will redeem you. Lie down until the morning." So she lay at his feet until the morning, but arose before one could recognize another. And he said, "Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor."
Now, this other kinsman paints a contrast to Boaz in several ways. He was eager to step in and redeem any property that Naomi was willing to sell as long as it furthered his own inheritance. But he refused to allow the name of Elimelech or his sons to continue. As a result, he refused to take Ruth as his wife because the first child born would bear Mahlon's name and that child would claim the property redeemed from Naomi. Another factor that could have played a role in the kinsman's decision was the fact that Ruth was a Moabite and accepting her as a wife would discredit his social position.
Boaz was far more confident in his own inheritance and in his own position to not be threatened by the prospect of bringing forth Mahlon's descendent. It is a reflection of his character. From his earliest introduction which we receive in the beginning, Boaz comes off as a pious and kind man. Despite having an overseer in his fields he went out to greet and meet the workers in his fields, enquired of them individually, gave helpful warnings to Ruth for her safety, made provisions for her without her knowing and then accepted the role of her redeemer without giving a thought to her ethnicity. He did not waste time after promising Ruth to do whatever was in his power to help her in any way he could. He did not step over the rightful redeemer and went to him to give him the first opportunity to redeem and only when he refused did Boaz take up the mantle of the kinsman redeemer.
Ruth 4:9-10 Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, "You are witnesses this day that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and to Mahlon. Also Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, I have bought to be my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his native place. You are witnesses this day."
Boaz followed a chain of authority. He went to the elders and resolved the matter before them. He kept witnesses to his dealings so that the entire transaction would be transparent. He also preserves Ruth's honour by keeping from the people that it was Ruth who requested him for redemption and not Naomi, another oversight on the part of the mother figure. Boaz's discretion, his speedy action and his propriety in dealing with the entire situation allow us a glimpse into why he commanded the authority that he did among his servants and family.
Ruth's obedience and Boaz's prompt action lead to the conception of a child who is a true kinsman to Naomi. She regains a son in Obed, born of Boaz and Ruth. The birth of Obed brings glory to the God who had orchestrated the entire situation with Ruth coming to Israel, Ruth finding the field of Boaz, winning his favour, and him redeeming her for his wife. Through this Naomi's wound of being childless is healed.
Through this entire experience, the one entity that remains is the true kinsman to Naomi, or Ruth or Boaz, the God who had a plan and who worked to bring forth a greater redemption plan which was already centuries in the making. Though the Book of Ruth does not have any specific prayer or miracle that takes centre stage in the narrative the presence of God is felt in acts of kindness and obedience that are prevalent throughout the narrative.
Ruth steps into the covenant of God that Naomi had walked out of and then experienced His providence. Boaz lives a pious life filled with kindness and respect for those around him. God leads them together though Naomi gets to act as a matchmaker and gains a son in return, her kinsman who redeems her not from her poverty but from her misery, depression and self-pity.
