Levirate marriage

This term comes from the Hebrew word 'levir' meaning 'brother-in-law'.
The brother of a dead man was expected to marry his widow and give her children on behalf of his dead brother. The brother was known as the 'go'el', saviour or redeemer. His other duties are described in Deuteronomy 25:5-10. c.f. Matthew 22:23ff. The next of kin had to keep the property and name of the family intact by recovering land and ensuring the continuance of the line c.f. Genesis 38 Judah and Tamar. In Ruth, it is slightly different in that someone other than the next of kin restores the family line. Boaz is the go'el of Naomi rather than the real next of kin who is unnamed 3:12; 4:1,3,6,8. Finally, it is Obed, the son of Boaz and Ruth who becomes the go'el of Naomi 4:14.

Moabites

The Moabites were said to be descended from one of the daughters of Lot who was conceived through trickery by her father, so they were not highly regarded! (Genesis 19:30-38). This makes Ruth not just a foreigner, but of the worst sort!

Women in Israel

This book is full of women characters. There were some outstanding women in the Bible e.g. Miriam, Deborah, Mary etc.. But in general the role of women in Israel was very different from that of women today. It was very unusual for women to inherit property (Numbers 36), but not impossible. Then the property had to remain within the same tribe passing it down through the male line. Otherwise widows and orphans had to depend on charity. Unless widows remarried, they had no distinct status. Naomi, without husband or sons, must return to her homeland to find some shelter and security. In a foreign land she has no family ties. Her situation was desperate. Other women were dependent upon their fathers, and later on their husbands.

The qualities displayed in the biblical narrative and developed in rabbinic interpretation, are not the qualities esteemed by feminists. The qualities the rabbis wanted women to emulate were:

1. Hesed = loving kindness
2. Righteous proselyte. A lot of emphasis is placed on Ruth's 'conversion' 1:16ff.
3. Modesty
4. Obedience
5. Devotion

So Ruth is not independent, autonomous, free of male control, but docile, submissive, and that is why she was a favourite with the rabbis!