So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son. (Ruth 4:13)
Boaz followed through on his commitment and married Ruth. Ruth had already been married to Naomi’s son, Mahlon, but God had not blessed their union with a child. Now, however, God gave Ruth conception and further blessed her and Boaz with a son.
And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. (4:14)
Naomi was also blessed in this union of Ruth and Boaz. Their child, who is really her grandson, became as another son to her. The women of the city pronounced a blessing upon Naomi and upon the child, praying that he would become famous in the land. It is obvious by what they say next that they could already see a change in Naomi’s countenance and demeanor.
And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him. (4:15)
The women also acknowledged Ruth’s character, pronouncing her to be better than seven sons to Naomi. In this time period, sons meant everything to a family. Only men could own property or even inherit it. Sons were the continuation of the family line and all that that entailed. To say that Ruth was better than seven sons was a tremendous compliment.
And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it. (4:16)
At last, Naomi got to fulfil a role she must have been longing to fill for many years: She became a grandmother. She immediately took charge of the child’s care, a task she must have relished immensely.
And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David. (4:17)
It is interesting to note that it was the neighbor women who named the child Obed. The name Obed means “serving.” Perhaps they chose this name because of Ruth’s servant’s heart toward Naomi or maybe because Boaz was faithful and served both Ruth and Naomi by acting as kinsman redeemer.
Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron, And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab, And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon, And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed, And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David. (4:18-22)
We are now told the immense significance of this account. The book of Ruth closes with a genealogy of King David. Please note where God chose to begin the genealogy—with Pharez. Pharez was the son of Tamar and her father-in-law, Judah (see Genesis 38:13-30).
Pharez and his twin brother Zerah were conceived through Tamar’s deceit and Judah’s lust and lack of integrity. Judah failed to provide his daughter-in-law with a kinsman redeemer, so Tamar took matters into her own hands and played the harlot before Judah. Judah gave in to temptation, went in unto Tamar, and she conceived.
Yet God allowed Pharez to be the child of Judah’s that would carry on the line of kings, which flowed through another kinsman redeemer, Boaz. David was Ruth and Boaz’s great-grandson. God used first a woman who played the harlot, then He used a woman who had been an idolater and heathen. It is also important to note that both of these women are mentioned by name in the book of Matthew in the lineage of Christ:
And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram; And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon; And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; And Jesse begat David the king…(Matthew 1:3-6a)
Notice how the events detailed in the book of Ruth fit into God’s covenant with Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3:
Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
The Messiah, Jesus Christ, our Savior, came through the lineage of Abraham. The ancestral line of David is part of this genealogy. All families of the earth have been blessed by God in His provision of a Savior!
The book of Ruth truly began in bitterness, full of famine, sorrow, and death. However this wonderful little book ends in perfect sweetness, full of life, legacy, and abundant joy.