1. Name and Meaning
• Name: Boaz (Hebrew: בֹּעַז, Boʿaz)
• Meaning: “In him is strength” or “by strength”; likely reflects character strength or divine enablement

2. Genealogical Placement and Lineage Role
• Position: Thirtieth generation from Adam; twentieth generation after the flood in the Messianic line
• Father: Salmon – who married Rahab of Jericho
• Son: Obed – born by Ruth and continues the Messianic line to David and Christ
• Lineage Role: Kinsman-redeemer in the tribe of Judah; crucial covenant figure in redemptive history leading to King David and ultimately Christ

3. Life Summary and Historical Setting
• Prominent landowner in Bethlehem during the time of the Judges (Ruth 2:1)
• Practised righteousness, kindness, and adherence to the law, especially in his treatment of Ruth, a Moabite widow
• Acted as kinsman-redeemer (Hebrew: go’el) by marrying Ruth and preserving the family line of Elimelech and Naomi (Ruth 4)
• Lived in a time of social and spiritual instability, yet his household reflected covenant faithfulness

4. Theological and Christological Significance
• A powerful type of Christ: as kinsman-redeemer, he prefigures Jesus who redeems His people through covenantal love and legal fulfilment
• Marriage to Ruth (a Gentile) symbolises the inclusion of all peoples in God’s redemptive plan
• His actions uphold Levitical law and point to God’s grace, faithfulness, and provision
• Explicitly included in both Matthew’s and Luke’s genealogies of Jesus

5. Legacy and Interpretive Reflections
• Celebrated in Jewish and Christian tradition as a model of godly manhood, honour, and covenantal duty
• His marriage to Ruth results in the birth of Obed, grandfather of David, establishing his pivotal place in Israel’s royal and Messianic heritage
• Widely honoured in theological reflection as a figure of grace and inclusion in the Messianic programme

6. Summary Insight
• Boaz, as a righteous redeemer and faithful leader in Bethlehem, embodies the grace, justice, and covenant love that foreshadow Christ’s redeeming work.

7. Biblical References
• Ruth 2–4
• Ruth 4:20–21
• 1 Chronicles 2:11–12
• Matthew 1:5
• Luke 3:32