There was something I said Saturday about Ruth which helps to demonstrate that she was an Israelite racially, and which one listener asked about, so I thought that here I would briefly clarify what I said for everyone. Ruth was redeemed for Naomi by Boaz, but there was one kinsman nearer to Naomi than Boaz, and it was his duty to redeem Ruth first. Upon his not being able to do so, the obligation fell to the next-of-kin, which was Boaz. However his not being able to do so was also a matter of disgrace and a reproach which he may have easily avoided if Ruth was indeed a racial Moabite.
Ruth chapter 4 wrote:6 And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it. 7 Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a testimony in Israel.
Deuteronomy chapter 25 wrote:7 And if the man like not to take his brother's wife, then let his brother's wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband's brother. 8 Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her; 9 Then shall his brother's wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother's house. 10 And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed.
The law being only for Israel, only Israelites could seek such a relief as kinsman redemption under the law in the first place. Otherwise, the kinsman who could not redeem Ruth may have merely quoted Deuteronomy 23:3: "An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever." Doing so he could have escaped the obligation of redemption without suffering any reproach, IF Ruth was indeed an alien. His not doing so serves to demonstrate that Ruth was a racial Israelite from the land of Moab. We must imagine that the unnamed kinsman was aware of the law, and that he knew what his options were. We cannot imagine that these Israelites were aware of what the law said in Deuteronomy chapter 25, and were ignorant of Deuteronomy chapter 23.
