Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day. (Ruth 4:10)
The family allotment of land was considered the sacred, inalienable right of the original owner and his posterity. It might never be sold in perpetuity. For a piece of land to be, in a sense, an orphan, was similar to a man being without an heir. The preservation of the family name and inheritance became a vital factor in the maintenance of the social structure of the nation (see Num. 36:1-9 and on Matt. 1:1).
Raise up.
That is, to perpetuate his family line (see Deut. 25:6).
Purchased.
The purchase of Naomi’s property was the legal point at issue, but in this particular instance more was involved than merely the land itself (see on vs. 5, 6). Furthermore, Boaz was more interested in Ruth than he was in the land (see on v. 5), a fact that he now makes clear. It was necessary for him to purchase the land in order to make Ruth his wife. The nearer kinsman had shown himself unwilling to take Ruth in order to come into possession of the land, but Boaz was willing to take the land, if necessary, in order to win her hand.