Ruth 3:12
“And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Boaz acknowledges he is a kinsman but reveals there is another, nearer relative with prior right.
What Does Ruth 3:12 Mean?
Boaz speaks with honesty even when it complicates his own hopes. It is true, he admits, that he is Ruth's near kinsman, with the right and duty to redeem, but there is a kinsman nearer than I. Another relative has a prior claim, and Boaz will not simply seize the role of redeemer; he will see the matter handled rightly and in proper order.
This candor reveals the integrity that has marked Boaz throughout. He could have pressed his advantage and said nothing of the nearer kinsman, but he will not act unjustly even to secure what he desires. He honors the law and the rights of others above his own wishes. Such righteousness, doing what is right even at personal cost, is the mark of a truly worthy man. Boaz's honesty assures Ruth that whatever comes will be done honorably before God and the community. The redeemer who would restore her family must himself be a man of justice, and Boaz proves to be exactly that.