Ruth 4:21
“and Salmon became the father of Boaz, and Boaz became the father of Obed,”
What does Ruth 4:21 mean?
This verse traces a family line that might seem like just names at first, but it's actually incredibly significant. Salmon married Rahab (the woman who helped the Israelite spies), and their son Boaz is the hero of Ruth's story, the kinsman-redeemer who showed extraordinary kindness and eventually married Ruth. Obed, their son, becomes the grandfather of King David, which means this humble genealogy connects directly to Israel's greatest king and, for Christians, to Jesus himself. What makes this beautiful is that it shows God working through ordinary people, unlikely marriages, and acts of love to fulfill his purposes across generations.