- Naomi, desiring security and rest for Ruth, encourages Ruth to cease her mourning and act on her right to request that
- Ruth’s mourning ends
- Ceased by laying aside her garments
- She washes and anoints herself, which will make her more presentable and attractive to Boaz
- Ruth honors Naomi’s requests (v. 5), obeying the fifth commandment in deferring to Naomi’s wisdom
- Ruth requests from Boaz that he redeem her (v. 9)
- Ruth echoes covenant language that Boaz had used with her in 2:12 about the Lord, in order to request that he fulfill
- Also reflects the action taken by the Lord in Ezekiel 16:8, when he takes Israel as his covenant bride
- God covers our guilt and our sin, providing for and protecting us as his bride
- Ruth’s request to Boaz is made in humility and faith, and points to how we approach the feet of the ultimate redeemer,
- Ruth does not presume or demand
- Ruth again demonstrated herself to be good soil, bearing fruit in obedience
- The redemption of Ruth by a kinsman redeemer preserves not only herself and Naomi, but the whole Davidic line, yielding