Boaz was a wealthy landowner from Bethlehem in the Old Testament who became the husband of Ruth and the great‑grandfather of King David, placing him in the family line of Jesus.

Who Was Boaz?

  • Boaz appears mainly in the Book of Ruth in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament.
  • He lived in Bethlehem in Judah and was a relative (kinsman) of Elimelech, the deceased husband of Naomi.
  • In the New Testament genealogy, he is listed as an ancestor of Jesus through his son Obed, his grandson Jesse, and great‑grandson David.

In story terms, Boaz is the bridge between a grieving, displaced family (Naomi and Ruth) and the royal line that leads to David and, later, Jesus.

Boaz in the Story of Ruth

  • When famine struck Israel, Naomi’s family had moved to Moab; Naomi returned to Bethlehem widowed, with her Moabite daughter‑in‑law Ruth, who was also widowed.
  • Ruth went to glean leftover grain in the fields of Boaz, a legal practice that allowed the poor to gather what harvesters left behind. Boaz noticed her, learned of her loyalty to Naomi, and showed special kindness and protection.
  • He invited Ruth to eat with his workers, told them to leave extra grain for her, and ordered them not to harm or harass her in the fields.

A key nighttime scene on the threshing floor shows Ruth lying at Boaz’s feet to request that he act as a family redeemer (kinsman‑redeemer) and marry her, a culturally recognized way to secure the future of a childless widow’s family line.

His Role as Kinsman‑Redeemer

  • In Israelite law and custom, a close male relative (a “kinsman‑redeemer”) could buy back family land, protect the family name, and marry a childless widow of a relative so the deceased man’s line would continue.
  • Boaz discovered there was another man who was a nearer relative to Naomi’s family; he publicly gave this man the first chance to redeem the land and marry Ruth.
  • When that man declined—fearing it might complicate his own inheritance—Boaz legally purchased the property of Elimelech and his sons and took Ruth as his wife in the presence of witnesses at the city gate.

Their son Obed became the grandfather of King David, making Boaz a crucial figure in Israel’s royal history and in Christian theology of the Messiah’s lineage.

What Was Boaz Known For?

Many readers and later commentators highlight Boaz’s character :

  • Integrity and honesty: He follows the law carefully, handles the nearer kinsman fairly, and keeps his word publicly.
  • Generosity: He goes beyond minimum legal obligations to provide Ruth with food and security.
  • Protection of the vulnerable: He instructs his workers to ensure Ruth is safe and treated with respect.
  • Faithfulness to God’s covenant: He acts within Israel’s legal and religious framework, embodying covenant loyalty (chesed) toward Naomi and Ruth.

Because of these traits, modern Christian writers sometimes use “a Boaz” as a shorthand for a man who is steady, protective, honorable, and committed in relationships, drawing inspiration from how Boaz treated Ruth.

Why Boaz Matters Today

From different perspectives, Boaz is viewed as:

  • A model of godly manhood: combining strength with gentleness, legal responsibility with compassion.
  • A symbol of redemption: his kinsman‑redeemer role is often seen by Christians as a foreshadowing of Jesus’ redeeming work.
  • A social justice picture: he uses his economic power to help the poor foreign widow, not exploit her.

In simple terms, if you ask “who was Boaz?”, he was a righteous landowner of Bethlehem whose kindness to Ruth and role as kinsman‑redeemer shaped the story of Israel, the line of David, and—within Christian belief—the line of Christ.

TL;DR: Boaz was a wealthy, honorable man from Bethlehem in the Book of Ruth who redeemed Naomi’s family by marrying Ruth, becoming the great‑grandfather of King David and an ancestor of Jesus.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.