Was it against the Mosaic Law for Boaz to marry Ruth, according to Deuteronomy 23:3?

The book of Ruth tells the story of Ruth, a Moabite woman, who married an Israelite named Boaz. However, Deuteronomy 23:3 states that no Ammonite or Moabite shall enter the assembly of the Lord, even to the tenth generation. This raises the question of whether it was against the Mosaic Law for Boaz, an Israelite, to marry Ruth, a Moabite. Let’s explore what the Bible says about this.

Overview of Ruth and Boaz’s Story

Ruth was originally from Moab but moved to Bethlehem with her mother-in-law Naomi after both of their Israelite husbands died (Ruth 1:1-5). As a foreign widow in Israel, Ruth sought to glean grain from the fields during harvest to support herself and Naomi. She happened to glean in the fields of a man named Boaz, who showed her favor (Ruth 2:1-23). Naomi instructed Ruth to seek marriage with Boaz as her kinsman-redeemer (Ruth 3:1-4:12). Boaz acquiesced and took Ruth as his wife. They had a son named Obed, who became the grandfather of King David (Ruth 4:13-17), establishing Ruth in the genealogical line of Christ (Matthew 1:5).

The Law’s Prohibition of Moabites

The law in Deuteronomy 23:3 states:

No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the Lord. Even to the tenth generation, none of them may enter the assembly of the Lord forever.

This law prohibited Moabites from entering the assembly of Israel. The “assembly of the Lord” refers to full citizenship and participation in the covenant community of Israel. As a Moabite, Ruth was technically forbidden from becoming a part of Israel.

This law reflected longstanding hostility between Israel and Moab dating back to the Exodus. As the Israelites approached Canaan, the king of Moab hired Balaam to curse them (Numbers 22-24). Intermarriage and idolatry later became sources of temptation from Moab toward Israel (Numbers 25:1-3; 1 Kings 11:1-8). So this law in Deuteronomy sought to protect Israel’s covenant identity and loyalty to the Lord.

Explaining Ruth’s Inclusion Despite Her Ancestry

Despite Ruth’s Moabite ancestry, the text presents no objections to her marriage to Boaz or her incorporation into Israel. There are several factors that explain this:

1. Ruth’s confession of faith – Ruth confessed faith in the true God of Israel: “Your people shall be my people, and your God my God” (Ruth 1:16). This set her apart from the idolatry that often characterized the Moabites.
2. Her widowhood – As a childless widow, the ordinary means of inclusion into Israel through marriage and having children did not apply to Ruth. So Boaz’s marriage to her was an extraordinary provision.
3. Her loyalty to Naomi and Israel – Ruth demonstrated sacrificial love and loyalty toward Naomi and the nation Israel (Ruth 1:6-18; 2:11-12). This loyalty gained her favor.
4. Boaz’s kinsman-redeemer role – As a kinsman-redeemer, Boaz had an obligation to raise up offspring in the name of Naomi’s dead husband. This included marrying Ruth (Deuteronomy 25:5-10). So Ruth’s incorporation into Israel came through this levirate marriage provision.
5. The Davidic messianic lineage – As mentioned, Ruth became an ancestor to King David. Her inclusion ultimately pointed ahead to Christ as son of David and son of Abraham (Matthew 1:1).

So while Ruth’s background might have initially disqualified her, the unique circumstances of her confession of faith and her widowhood, along with Boaz’s redeemer obligation, paved the way for her full inclusion into Israel. The purpose of the prohibition in Deuteronomy 23:3 was to protect Israel’s purity. Ruth’s exemplary faith and conduct showed she did not pose such a threat. Thus, her marriage to Boaz was not against the intent or spirit of the law.

The Purpose of the Law’s Prohibition

It is important to understand that the law’s prohibition concerning Moabites and Ammonites was primarily intended to protect Israel from the influences of foreign idolatry and immorality. Ruth clearly did not represent such a threat. Instead, she proved to be a woman of virtue, faith, and loyalty both to Naomi and to the God of Israel. She did not continue in the idolatry often associated with Moabites. She honored Israel’s laws and customs. So the purpose of the prohibition was not contravened by her marriage to Boaz.

How Israelites Should Relate to Foreigners

While Israelites were prohibited from intermarrying with Moabites and Ammonites, the law did not ban relations with all foreign peoples. Deuteronomy 23:7 states:

You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother. You shall not abhor an Egyptian, because you were a sojourner in his land.

And Exodus 22:21 commands:

You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.

So Israelites were to show brotherly affection toward Edomites and were not to wrong foreigners generally. Foreigners who sojourned peacefully in Israel were to be treated with justice and compassion.

This helps explain why Ruth was welcomed. Despite being a Moabite, she sought refuge under the wings of Israel’s God (Ruth 2:12). She did not threaten Israelite morals or worship. Thus, she was not a “foreigner” in the spiritual sense. She became a full member of God’s covenant people through faith, loyalty, and marriage.

The Ultimate Redemptive Outworking in Christ

The inclusion of a Moabite woman like Ruth into the lineage of Christ is a beautiful picture of the expansive reach of God’s redemptive purposes. While certain nations like Moab were prohibited from entering Israel due to the idolatry and immorality associated with them, God nevertheless drew some from even these nations to Himself in faith.

Thus Paul explains that in Christ, distinctions between Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female no longer matter in terms of access to God’s covenant blessings (Galatians 3:28). Christ has broken down the dividing wall of hostility between all peoples to create one new man out of these former divisions and hostilities (Ephesians 2:14-18).

Ruth’s full welcome and inclusion, despite being a Moabite, foreshadowed this inclusive redemptive work that Christ would accomplish. Her story shows us that ethnicity, gender, and status do not limit the expansive reach of God’s redemptive purposes.

Conclusion

In summary, while Deuteronomy 23:3 prohibited Moabites from entering the assembly of the Lord, the unique circumstances of Ruth’s story led to her honorable marriage to Boaz and full welcome into Israel. As a widow, the ordinary means of entrance into Israel did not apply to her. Her confession of faith, loyal service to Naomi, and the obligation of kinsman-redemption led to her marriage to Boaz. This fulfilled the purpose of redemptive inclusion, not exclusion, that was the ultimate aim of Israel’s laws.

Ruth’s entrance into Israel ultimately pointed ahead to the breaking down of all barriers of exclusion through the redemptive work of Christ. Her story exemplifies that God’s redemptive plan extends beyond human boundaries or restrictions to incorporate people from every tribe and nation who join themselves to Him in faith.