Tamar | Bob's boy's Christianity blog

Ruth in Boaz's Field (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Some have suggested that the uncovering of Boaz’s feet in 3:7 suggests some sort of sexual contact, but that is not the case and it does not fit the story or the characters. Ruth’s calling Boaz her redeemer is what amounts to a marriage proposal. He knows that there is a closer relative who has the first right of redemption, so he tells her that he will work the matter out with that relative. If that closer relative to does not step up, Boaz promises to do so. The land of Naomi’s husband Elimelech must be bought by a kinsman and Ruth will be part of the bargain (an overview of the process can be found in Deuteronomy 25:7-8).

Boaz meets with the relative at the city gate (equivalent to our town hall) with the elders and proposes the situation to the other relative. At first, he likes the idea of buying the land, but taking Ruth could muddy the waters of inheritance for the children he already has. So under witness of the elders, Boaz claims the right that this relative passes to him (chapter 4:7-11).

So Boaz marries Ruth and they have a son named Obed who will be the grandfather of David (4:22). Ruth is the third foreign woman in this line of Jesus Christ’s ancestry (Matthew 1:1-6). The other two are Rahab and Tamar.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Robert

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some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog. All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility. When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com. For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

We move past Genesis 38 and the story of Judah and Tamar, who are related (pun intended) in the genealogy of Jesus Christ, as told in Mt 1:3 – and into chapter 39. Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard, had bought Joseph from Ishmaelites. Joseph was successful in this Egyptians master’s home because the Lord was with him; and because of that, Potiphar enjoyed prosperity (v 5). Verse 6 says “Joseph was handsome in form and appearance” (exactly as his mother, Rachel was described in Gen 29:17); and Potiphar’s wife would not leave him alone, trying to persuade him to “lie with” her. Unable to slip her grasp, Joseph just leaves her holding the garment and puts some “gone” between him and the master’s wife.

Considering her behavior, it’s not too surprising that she makes up the story that gets Joseph thrown in prison (v 17-18). She places an interesting play on the term “laugh” in this chapter to drive the stake in deep. She first uses the contempt that the men of the household would have for Joseph both as a slave, and by not being Egyptian of birth, to make the “attack” on her personal to them (v 14 “See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us”). Since the “he” in that statement is Potiphar, the whole thing then becomes partly his fault – further pushing any suspicion from herself. In verse 17, she uses “laugh” in the intimate form as when Abimilech discovered “Isaac laughing with Rebekah his wife” in Gen 26:8, and knew she was not his sister.

Joseph again goes from a “most favored” status to fellowship with the king’s prisoners. But the Lord showed him steadfast love (v 21) and he succeeded in whatever he did there as he again won favor, this time with the prison keeper.

Two things are remarkable about Joseph in this chapter. The first is obvious – a young man being seduced by a desirable woman, yet he does the right thing. Contrast his character with his brothers (Reuben with his father’s concubine in ch 35, and Judah with his own daughter-in-law – thinking he was visiting a prostitute as her face was covered in ch 38). The other notable thing about Joseph is his statement to Potiphar’s wife that he could not do “this great wickedness and sin against God.” It is his recognition of what sin really means that has meaning for us today. We sometimes hurt ourselves when we sin, and we often hurt other people because of it. But it always hurts the Lord.

Notice as was the case with Potiphar, Joseph’s success with the Lord’s help was such that the prison keeper did not have to think about any of the things he was in charge of.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

___________________

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog. All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility. When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com. For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.
/Robert