The first kinsman-redeemer served as a technical foil to Boaz

Ru 4:

1 Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there. And behold, the redeemer [R1], of whom Boaz had spoken, came by. So Boaz said, “Turn aside, friend; sit down here.” And he turned aside and sat down.

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R1 was a closer relative to Naomi than Boaz and had the priority to choose redemption ahead of Boaz.

2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down. 3 Then he said to the redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech. 4So I thought I would tell you of it and say, ‘Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people.’ If you will redeem it, redeem it. But if you will not, tell me, that I may know, for there is no one besides you to redeem it, and I come after you.” And he said, “I will redeem it.”

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Initially, R1 agreed.

5 Then Boaz said, “The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance.” 6 Then the redeemer said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”

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When he learned that he would also need to marry Ruth, potentially complicating his own inheritance, he refused. R1 didn't want to deal with the added hassles. By declining to take on the role of kinsman-redeemer, R1 effectively removed himself from the narrative. He symbolically relinquished his sandal—a cultural gesture signifying the forfeiture of rights—and faded into obscurity (Ruth 4:7-8). He remained anonymous while the name "Boaz" appeared even in the New Testament (Mt 1:5).

In contrast, Boaz didn’t wait passively for events to unfold; instead, he took decisive action. From the moment he learned of Ruth’s situation, he ensured her safety, provided generously for her, and sought to resolve the redemption matter honorably. His leadership and integrity shone through at every turn. The story of Boaz celebrates the transformative power of his selfless love and points forward to God’s greater plan of redemption through Jesus, the Messiah, who descended from Boaz.

See also

• Orpah served as a literary foil to Ruth