Ruth 4:1 (KJV)

What does Ruth 4:1 mean?

Ruth 4:1 shows Boaz taking a practical step to address Ruth’s situation. He goes to the town gate and calls over a relative who has a prior claim in the family matter Boaz intends to settle.

The gate was a public meeting place where townspeople could gather and community business could be handled. After Boaz’s promise to Ruth in the preceding scene, his meeting with this relative moves the matter into public view.

The Hebrew behind Ruth 4:1

• “kinsman” — גָּאַל (gaʾal): This word carries the sense of a family member acting to recover or protect family property or interests. Here it points to the relative’s role in the matter Boaz wants to resolve.
• “such a one” — פְּלֹנִי אַלְמֹנִי (peloni almoni): This expression means something like “so-and-so.” The wording leaves the man unnamed as Boaz calls him over.

Why Ruth 4:1 matters

• The meeting involves someone with a claim ahead of Boaz’s. In Ruth 3:12–13, Boaz tells Ruth that another relative is nearer and should have the first opportunity to act.
• The relative agrees to hear Boaz out. The words “he turned aside, and sat down” show that the man accepted the invitation, allowing their discussion to begin.
• The public setting matters to the decision that follows. In Ruth 4:2, Boaz gathers ten of the town’s elders, giving the exchange recognized witnesses.