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case was not quite typical, for she came as the king was listening to
Gehazi (Elisha’s servant) tell the story of Elisha’s bringing a dead
boy back to life. Gehazi pointed her out as the mother of the boy,
and the king sent an officer to restore to her both her land and the
harvests harvested during her absence.6.1.2.2 Returning after exile underlies the book of Ruth. Naomi
came back when there was food, and during that harvest, she and
Ruth survived by gleaning. After the harvest, Naomi wanted to sell
her husband’s fields. Ruth offers herself to Naomi’s near kinsman,
Boaz, who betroths her. He cannot purchase Naomi’s land until it
is relinquished by the closest kinsman, who had the triple right of
inheritance, redemption, and first purchase. Boaz convinces the kins-
man to relinquish his right by proclaiming his own intention to beget
an heir to that land with Ruth (reading with the Kethib).^556.1.3 Restrictions on Exploitation
6.1.3.1 The Sabbatical Rules
The land was to be fallow every seventh year (Exod. 23:11), both
fields and vineyards (Lev. 25:2–4). During that year, one could gather
from uncultivated land but not the incidental growth of fallow fields
(Lev. 25:5–6); there, one should let the animals graze (Lev. 25:6).
The harvest of the sixth year had to last until the harvest of the
eighth year (Lev. 25:19–22). The rules of the Sabbatical year also
applied to the Jubilee year (Lev. 25:11).6.1.3.2 Gleaning
The edges of fields were not to be harvested, nor vineyards fully
picked. Dropped fruit and produce was left for the poor and the
resident alien (Lev. 19:9–10).6.1.3.3 'orlah
The first three years’ crop of a tree were not to be eaten. The fourth
year’s fruit was for God, and only in the fifth year could the owner
eat the yield (Lev. 19:23–24).(^55) There have been many different interpretations of the law in Ruth 4. See,
e.g., Beattie, “Israelite Legal Practice”; Thompson, “Some Legal Problems.. .”;
Westbrook, Property and the Family.. ., 69–89.
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