BOAZ: THE GREAT GRANDFATHER OF DAVID, A PRINCE AND RULER IN ISRAEL
W Bro Petros N. Zenieris
WM (2017-2018)
Mentor of The Lodge of St George No 1152 EC
In our First Degree ceremony the names of Boaz and David have been mentioned by the WM during his presentation.
“… Boaz the great grandfather of David, a prince and ruler in Israel”.
Boaz was a wealthy man from Bethlehem - Judah.
He is one of the main characters in the Bible book of Ruth; the son of Boaz and Ruth was Obed, King David’s grandfather.
According to Scriptures, Boaz was a kind, generous and honourable man of his word.The book of Ruth opens in the period of Judges with a rather sad story about a certain Judean family:
Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, moved to the pagan land of Moab due to a famine in Bethlehem, their hometown.
Sometime after their arrival, Elimelech died, leaving Naomi with her two sons, who had both married women from Moab area.
Orpah and Ruth (two sisters – daughters of King Eglon of Moab) were the names of the two Moab women married to Mahlon and Chilion. However, both brides were not simple Moabite women but members of the royal family. Their royal lineage represents a significant matter as David (King of Israel) descended from Ruth.
Unfortunately, after ten years of stay in Moab land, both sons of Elimelech died, too.The widow Naomi was left with the two childless daughters-in-law.
Sometime later Naomi heard that in her own hometown the Lord had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them. So, she decided to return home to Judah, but first she urged both daughters-in-law to feel free and return to their own family.
Orpah decided to return to her family, but Ruth, in contrast with Oprah and being loyal to her mother-in-law chose to accompany Naomi on her return to Judah.
“… Oprah kissed her mother-in-law farewell, but Ruth clung to her” (Ruth, 1:14)
Therefore, Naomi and Ruth turn up in Bethlehem just as the barley harvest began.
Ruth was able to find a job in the fields as a gleaner, as one who picks up leftover grain after the harvesters have moved through.
As it turned out, she was working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the same clan as Naomi’s husband, Elimelech.
Boaz asked one of his servants “who does that woman belong to?” (Ruth, 2:5) and he received a response that her name was not known but “she is the Moabite who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab”. (Ruth, 2:6)
Boaz, who had already heard of Ruth’s care for Naomi and having observed her proper behaviour in the field, he spoke to her and assured her that she will be provided for in his field.
Boaz then secretly told his harvesters to leave behind some stalks of grain so that Ruth will have more stock to gather.
That evening, when Naomi found out that Ruth had been working in Boaz’s field, she identified him as a close kinsman and one of their potential guardian-redeemers.
A guardian-redeemer, or kinsman-redeemer, is a relative who had the privilege or responsibility to act on behalf of a relative in need. A guardian-redeemer was one to whom an Israelite could turn in times of trouble.
Ruth went to Boaz and let him know that she needed a guardian-redeemer.
Boaz told Ruth that he was pleased to offer her redemption, which would include marriage to her, since his wife had died not long ago, but there was one relative who was closer in line to be the guardian-redeemer.
The next day, Boaz met with the other relative and presented the situation to him. The man declined to marry Ruth fearing that he may be having the same fate as Ruth’s first husband, Mahlon.
Such rejection enabled Boaz to make a commitment in front of the town’s leaders at the city’s gate, the place where matters were to be settled by the community, that he would take Ruth as his wife.
Having received the blessings from their elders, Boaz and Ruth were married, and their son Obed was born.
Obed’s son was Jesse, the father of David.
Therefore, Ruth is the great-grandmother of King David, which is the foundation of her noble status and remained known for her dedication and devotion.
The book of Ruth does not reveal any information whether Boaz had a wife and children before he married Ruth. However, it was rather unlikely that such a prominent member of the community and respected person like Boaz would have remained single till that time.
Do let me know if you have found this little article of interest. It will encourage me to share more articles for the enhancement of our masonic and general knowledge.
Thank you Brethren and I wish you all well!
