Boaz

In Bible versions:

Boaz: NET AVS NIV NRSV NASB TEV

son of Salma of Judah
one of 2 principal pillars in Solomon's temple

in strength ( --> same as Booz)

Greek

Strongs #1003: boov Booz

Boaz = "in him is strength"

1) a kinsman of Ruth, afterwards her second husband

1003 Booz bo-oz'

of Hebrew origin (1162); Booz, (i.e. Boaz), an Israelite:-Booz.
see HEBREW for 01162

Hebrew

Strongs #01162: zeb Bo`az

Boaz = "fleetness"

1) ancestor of David, kinsman-redeemer to Ruth, daughter-in-law of Naomi
2) name of the left of two brazen pillars, 18 cubits high, erected in
the porch of Solomon's temple

1162 Bo`az bo'-az

from an unused root of uncertain meaning; Boaz, the ancestor
of David; also the name of a pillar in front of the
temple:-Boaz.

Boaz [EBD]

alacrity. (1.) The husband of Ruth, a wealthy Bethlehemite. By the "levirate law" the duty devolved on him of marrying Ruth the Moabitess (4:1-13">Ruth 4:1-13). He was a kinsman of Mahlon, her first husband.

(2.) The name given (for what reason is unknown) to one of the two (the other was called Jachin) brazen pillars which Solomon erected in the court of the temple (7:21">1 Kings 7:21; 3:17">2 Chr. 3:17). These pillars were broken up and carried to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar.

BOAZ [SMITH]

(fleetness).

A wealthy Bethlehemite kinsman to Elimelech the husband of Naomi. He married Ruth, and redeemed the estates of her deceased husband Mahlon. (4:1">Ruth 4:1) Boaz is mentioned in the genealogy of Christ, (1:5">Matthew 1:5) (B.C. 1250, but there is great difficulty in assigning his date.)
The name of one of Solomon?s brazen pillars erected in the temple porch. [JACHIN] It stood on the left, and was eighteen cubits high. (7:15">1Â Kings 7:15; 21; 3:15">2Â Chronicles 3:15; 52:21">Jeremiah 52:21)

BOAZ [ISBE]

BOAZ - bo'-az (bo`az; Booz; "quickness" (?) Ruth 2 through 4; 2:11,12">1 Ch 2:11,12; 1:5">Mt 1:5; 3:32">Lk 3:32):

(1) A resident of Bethlehem and kinsman of Elimelech, Naomi's husband. In 2:1">Ruth 2:1 he is described as a gibbor chayil, a phrase which can mean either "a mighty man of valor" or else "a man of position and wealth." The latter is probably the sense in which the phrase is applied to Boaz (compare 9:1">1 Sam 9:1). He had fields outside the town, and to them Ruth went to glean. Boaz noticed her and extended special kindness and protection to her, bidding her remain with his female workers, and charging the men not to illtreat her, and also giving her of the reapers' food at mealtime. Boaz awoke one night and found Ruth lying at his feet. He praised her virtue, and promised to take charge of her if her dead husband's next-of-kin failed to do so. He laid her case before the next-of-kin, and finally redeemed the family property himself and bought as well the right to take Ruth in marriage. The son of Boaz and Ruth was Obed, father of Jesse, and grandfather of David. 2:11,12">1 Ch 2:11,12 makes Boaz a descendant of Hezron, and so probably a chief of the Hezronite clan in Bethlehem. Jewish tradition identifies Boaz with Ibzan (12:8-10">Jdg 12:8-10).

Boaz "is set before us as a model of piety, generosity and chastity" (H. P. Smith, Old Testament History, 398). He found virtue and rewarded it. HPM, sections 501-8, gives a picture of the life of "a well-to-do landed proprietor of central Palestine," much of which could aptly be taken as a description of Boaz.

(2) The name of one of the two bronze pillars erected in front of Solomon's temple, the other being Jachin (7:21">1 Ki 7:21; 3:17">2 Ch 3:17).

See JACHIN AND BOAZ; TEMPLE.

David Francis Roberts