Ruth 4:13-17
‘Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife…. The Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son…. The women said to (Ruth’s mother-in-law) Naomi…: “He shall be a restorer of your life, and a nourished of your old age! For your daughter-in-law who loves you — which is better for you than seven sons! — has born him!” And Naomi took the child and laid it in her bosom, and became his nurse. And her women neighbours gave him 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.’ Ruth 4:13-17.
The Elders desired for Ruth’s fiancé Boaz the blessing of the Lord upon his marriage. This blessing began to be fulfilled very speedily. When Boaz married Ruth, Jehovah gave her conception, and she bore a son.
At his birth, the women said to Naomi: “Blessed be the Lord Who has not let a redeemer be wanting to you today!” They called that son Obed — a ‘redeemer’ of Naomi. Because as the son of Ruth, he was also the son of Naomi — and as such, would take away the reproach of childlessness from her. For he would comfort her in her old age, and thereby become her true deliverer.
They added: “May the boy be to you a refresher of the soul and a nourisher of your old age! For your daughter-in-law who loves you, has born him. She is better to you than seven sons!”
A mother of so many sons was to be congratulated, inasmuch as she not only possessed in these sons a powerful support for her old age — but also had the prospect of the permanent continuance of her family. But Naomi had a still more valuable treasure, in her daughter-in-law!
For the loss of Naomi’s own sons — through Ruth, had now been supplied in Naomi’s old age. Indeed, the prospect was now also present to her — of becoming in her own childless old-age, the tribal mother of a numerous and flourishing family!
Naomi therefore adopted this grandson, as her own child. She took the boy into her bosom, and became his nurse.
The name of Obed — ‘Servant’ — was given to the boy. For he would later become a servant to his own grandmother, when she became very old.
He would then live entirely for her and take care of her and rejoice her heart. And later, he would become the grandfather of King David himself — the earthly ancestor of Jesus Christ!
The passage in Ruth is also in Matthew 1:5-18 given word for word in the genealogy of Jesus. Thus we see that this history looks not so much to David as to Christ Himself Who was proclaimed by all as the Saviour and Redeemer of the human race, so that we may learn with what wonderful compassion the Lord raises up the lowly. Thus Naomi was restored and nourished, in her old age!
