Living by the Book/Living by the Book Workbook Set (138 page)

If you finish and have some time remaining, see what you can find out about what it was like to be a childless widow in Ruth’s culture. What were the physical challenges? The social considerations? The emotional mind-set?

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n addition to our need to know about the importance of harvesting in Ruth’s culture, which you looked at yesterday, there are additional things in the book of Ruth that are even less familiar to us. Have your Bible resources handy as you take a closer look at Ruth 4. For one thing, why was Ruth’s closest relative willing to let Boaz have Elimelech’s inheritance? It seems he would have taken the field (v. 4) until he found out that a wife went with it (v. 5). What did he mean when he said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, because I would jeopardize my own inheritance” (v. 6)?

And while you’re at it, what was the purpose of the sandal? See what you can find out about the custom of transferring a sandal to seal a business deal (4:7–8).