Boaz

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For other uses, see Boaz (disambiguation).
Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld: Ruth in Boaz's Field, 1828
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Boaz (/ˈboʊæz/; Hebrew: בֹּעַז Bōʿaz; Hebrew pronunciation: [ˈboʕaz]) is a biblical figure appearing in the Book of Ruth in the Hebrew Bible and in the genealogies of Jesus in the New Testament and also the name of a pillar in the portico of the historic Temple in Jerusalem. The word is found 24 times in the Scriptures, two being in Greek (in the form "Βοόζ (Booz)").[1][2]

The root בעז, just used in the Bible in relation to "Boaz" (see The Temple), perhaps expresses 'quick(ness)'.[3] The etymology of the name has been suggested by many[4] as be'oz, "in the strength of", or bo'oz, "in him (is) strength" from the root 'zz, "to be strong", hence the use of the name "Boaz" for one of the pillars at the portico of the temple (1 Kings 7:21),[5] although Biblical scholar Martin Noth preferred "of sharp mind".[6]

Bible narrative

Top – Ruth Meets Boaz as she gleans

Hebrew Bible

The son of Salmon[7] and his wife Rahab,[8] Boaz was a wealthy landowner of Bethlehem in Judea, and relative of Elimelech, Naomi's late husband.[9] He notices Ruth, the widowed Moabite daughter-in-law of Naomi, a relative of his (see family tree), gleaning grain in his fields. He soon learns of the difficult circumstances her family is in and Ruth's loyalty to Naomi. In response, Boaz invites her to eat with him and his workers, as well as deliberately leaving grain for her to claim while keeping a protective eye on her.[10]

In the bible he functions as the power center for the entire further development. For example he brings about the acceptance of Ruth and the reacceptance of Naomi as well.[11]

Ruth approaches Boaz and asks him to exercise his right of kinship and marry her. Boaz accepts, provided that another with a superior claim declines. Since the first son of Ruth and a kinsman of her late husband would be deemed the legal offspring of the decedent and heir to Elimelech, the other kinsman defers to Boaz.

In marrying Ruth, Boaz revives Elimelech's lineage, and the patrimony is secured to Naomi's family.

Their son was Obed, father of Jesse, and grandfather of David.

According to

Eli
.

The Temple

"Boaz" was the name of the left one of the two frontal columns of Solomon's Temple, the other being "Jachin".[13][14] Its meaning is a subject of controversy.[15]

New Testament

Boaz is mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew as the son of Salmon and Rahab (seemingly Rahab of Jericho) and as an ancestor of Jesus.[8]

Rabbinic Jewish tradition

Conduct

In the

chieftains immediately ulterior to Ibzan were from Zebulun.[19] A legend is given that he lost all his sixty children during his lifetime because he did not invite Manoah, Samson's father, to any of the marriage festivities at his house.[17] Since Manoah was at that time without children, Boaz thought he did not need to consider on such occasions a childless man who could not pay him back in kind (Bava Batra 91a).[17]

The Talmud tells that Boaz was a just, pious, and learned judge. The custom of using the

bet din ("court [of] law") received the approval of even the heavenly bet din (Babylonian Talmud Makkot 23b; Yerushalmi Talmud Ber. ix. 14c; Midrash Ruth Rabbah to ii. 4).[17]

The midrash Ruth Rabbah states that being a pious man, Boaz on his first meeting with Ruth perceived her conscientiousness in picking up the grain, as she strictly observed the rules prescribed by the Law.[17] This, as well as her grace and her chaste conduct during work, induced Boaz to inquire about the stranger, although he was not in the habit of inquiring after women (Ruth Rabba to ii. 5; Talmudic tractate Shabbat 113b).[17]

In the conversation that followed between Boaz and Ruth, the pious proselyte said that, being a

Messiah (Ruth R. to ii. 14; Shab. 113b).[17] As toward Ruth, Boaz had also been kind toward his kinsmen, Naomi's sons, on hearing of their death, taking care that they had an honorable burial (Ruth Rabba to 2.20).[17]

Boaz and Ruth

Julius Schnorr von Karolsfeld

Although Boaz was the prince of the people, he personally supervised the threshing of the grain in his barn, in order to circumvent any immorality or theft, both of which were rife in his days (Tan., Behar, ed. Buber, viii.; Ruth Rabba to iii. 7).

halakah
which decreed that Moabite women were not excluded from the Israelitic community, Boaz himself married.

See also

References

  1. ^ Brazilian Midnight Call's Bible search. Retrieved on 2008-12-1.
  2. ^ Booz. Retrieved on 2008-12-1.
  3. ^ BDB, p. 126.
  4. ^ [The Anchor Bible Dictionary Vol I.(A-C) Doubleday. 1992
  5. ^ Barnes, A., Barnes' Notes on Ruth 2, accessed 9 March 2017
  6. ^ [Die israelitischen Personennamen im Rahmen der gemeinsemitischen Namengebung p228. 1966. print]
  7. ^ a b 1 Chronicles 2:11–2:12,Luke 3:32
  8. ^ a b Matthew 1:5
  9. ^ a b c d e "Boaz", Jewish Encyclopedia
  10. ^ "Gustave Doré, Joshua Spares Rahab". Archived from the original on 2011-09-29. Retrieved 2011-05-23.
  11. ISBN 978-3-030-83277-3
    .
  12. ^ "Ant." v. 9, § 1.
  13. ^ יכין.
  14. ^ 1 Kings 7:21 = 2 Chronicles 3:17
  15. B I K 721 Βαλαζ)"; BDB
    , p. 127.
  16. ^ Judges 12:8.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h i j JE, In Rabbinical Literature.
  18. ISBN 978-0-8276-0766-8
    . p. 547.
  19. ^ Judges 12:11–12:12.

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906). "Boaz". The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.

Further reading

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