In the Bible, a kinsman redeemer (or ga’al in Hebrew) was a male relative who had the privilege or responsibility to act on behalf of a relative who was in trouble, danger, or need. The Hebrew word ga’al literally means ‘to redeem’ or ‘to buy back’.
There are several examples of kinsman redeemers in the Old Testament. Their role was to help restore the dignity and property of their close relatives. There were four main responsibilities of the kinsman redeemer:
- To buy back or redeem family members who had been sold into slavery (Leviticus 25:47-49).
- To buy back family lands that had been sold (Leviticus 25:25).
- To marry the widow of a deceased family member to provide her offspring to inherit the land (Deuteronomy 25:5-10).
- To avenge the death of a relative by killing their murderer (Numbers 35:19).
The first duty of the kinsman redeemer was to buy back or redeem relatives who had been sold into slavery, likely because of overwhelming debt. God instructed the Israelites that if a fellow Israelite became so poor that he sold himself as a slave to a resident alien or foreigner living among them, then his nearest relative was to buy him back (Leviticus 25:47-49).
The second responsibility was to redeem or buy back family lands that had been sold. According to the laws in Leviticus 25, if an Israelite was forced to sell his inherited land due to poverty, the kinsman redeemer was to buy it back so the land could stay in the family and be returned to the original owner in the Year of Jubilee. This ensured that property remained with the tribe and clan to which it was originally apportioned.
The third duty of the redeemer was to marry the widow of a deceased relative in order to provide offspring for the continuation of the family lineage. This practice of levirate marriage, described in Deuteronomy 25:5-10, provided social and economic security for the widow and preserved the name and inheritance of the deceased relative. If the closest unmarried male kinsman refused this responsibility, the widow was to bring her case before the elders to be redeemed by another relative.
The final responsibility of the kinsman redeemer was to avenge the murder of a relative by killing their murderer (Numbers 35:19). This responsibility is dramatically portrayed in the book of Ruth when Boaz acts as kinsman redeemer for Naomi and Ruth.
Boaz as Kinsman Redeemer
One of the most well-known examples of a kinsman redeemer is Boaz from the book of Ruth. After the death of her husband, Ruth chose to accompany her mother-in-law Naomi back to Bethlehem even though she was a foreigner from Moab. As a destitute widow, Ruth went to the fields to gather leftover grain for food. There she met Boaz, a relative of her father-in-law Elimelech. When Boaz learned of Ruth’s situation, he told her to remain in his fields where she would be safe and protected.
As a close relative, Boaz decided to fulfill his responsibilities as kinsman redeemer. He showed kindness and generosity to Ruth, allowing her to gather grain from his fields and even directing his workers to purposely leave extra grain behind for her (Ruth 2:15-16). When the closer relative was unwilling to redeem the family land and marry Ruth, Boaz stepped in to buy the land and take Ruth as his wife (Ruth 4:1-10).
Through Boaz’s actions as kinsman redeemer, Ruth was rescued from her destitute situation. She was no longer a poor foreign widow begging for food but became the wife of a respected, well-off man in Bethlehem. Boaz redeemed the family land that belonged to Elimelech and provided offspring to carry on his family line through Ruth. Most significantly, Boaz made possible the birth of Obed, who became the grandfather of King David (Ruth 4:17-22).
Jesus Christ as Kinsman Redeemer
The concept of kinsman redeemer finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ and his sacrificial death on the cross. While human redeemers could provide physical redemption and restoration, Jesus as God’s Son offered spiritual redemption from sin and death.
In a similar way as Boaz redeemed Ruth, Jesus redeems men and women from their hopeless condition separated from God by sin (Galatians 4:4-5). The amazing truth of the gospel is that we have been bought back from slavery to sin through the sacrificial blood of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19).
Jesus also fulfills the kinsman redeemer responsibility of buying back family lands. The entire earth belongs to the Lord, but He permits humans to live on and steward His creation (Psalm 24:1). But through sin, Satan has corrupted and distorted God’s good design. Like the kinsman redeemer, Jesus buys back the earth and restores God’s original plan and intention for how we are to live in it once again.
In addition, Jesus redeems us by joining Himself to humanity through the incarnation, thus making us part of God’s family. This relationship provides both intimacy with God and the inheritance of eternal life (Ephesians 1:5). What an amazing privilege that through Christ, we can call God our Father (Romans 8:15).
Finally, Jesus fulfills the duty of the avenger of blood by conquering Satan and death through His resurrection. In dying for our sins and rising to life again, Christ has redeemed humanity and ensured that death and the devil do not have the final say (1 Corinthians 15:54-57).
Application for Believers
While no human perfectly fulfills the role of kinsman redeemer as Jesus does, His followers are called to reflect His redemptive work in the world today. As redeemed people, we now act as ambassadors of reconciliation, sharing the message of redemption and restoration found in the gospel (2 Corinthians 5:16-21).
Part of our calling is to care for the vulnerable and needy, those without strong advocates and protectors. We defend the rights and dignity of the poor, the widow, the orphan and the foreigner, just as God commanded Israel to do (Isaiah 1:16-17). We rescue the oppressed and speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves (Proverbs 31:8-9).
The kinsman redeemer concept also reminds us of our responsibility to preserve and properly steward what God has entrusted to us rather than squandering it for our own selfish gain. This applies to caring for the earth’s resources, using our finances generously and wisely, and investing our time and abilities in ways that honor God and bless others.
Most importantly, we share the message of redemption and hope found only in Jesus. We tell others of the forgiveness, new life, and eternal inheritance that comes through faith in Christ. We invite people into the family of God where they find their true identity and belonging as dearly loved children of the Lord.
Conclusion
The kinsman redeemer, or ga’al, played an important role in Israelite society and culture. As modeled by Boaz in the book of Ruth, the redeemer acted on behalf of relatives in desperate need, providing protection, restoration of property, and continuation of the family line. This Old Testament concept ultimately points to Jesus Christ, our eternal Redeemer who frees us from spiritual bondage through His sacrificial death and resurrection.
Jesus is the fulfillment of kinsman redeemer – He redeems us out of slavery to sin, buys back the earth, brings us into God’s family as adopted heirs, and conquers sin and death on our behalf. As followers of Christ, we now join in His redemptive work by caring for the vulnerable, stewarding well what God has given us, and proclaiming the good news of redemption to all people.
