Dowry

A dowry is the payment a man owes for a wife. The Mosaic law fixes the figure when sexual contact has already happened, and the book of Ruth shows the parallel logic of redemption running through a kinsman-marriage at the city gate.

The dowry of virgins

The Covenant Code sets a baseline: a man who takes a virgin without betrothal has incurred the bride-price by the act itself. "And if a man entices a virgin who is not betrothed, and plows her, he will surely pay a dowry for her to be his wife. If her father completely refuses to give her to him, he will pay silver according to the dowry of virgins" (Exo 22:16-17). The father's refusal does not cancel the obligation; the customary "dowry of virgins" is owed in silver regardless.

Kinsman-redemption at the gate

Ruth's case is different in form but kindred in logic: the field and the widow move together at the gate of Bethlehem, and the price is paid to keep the dead man's name on his inheritance. Boaz lays it out: "Naomi, who has come again out of the country of Moab, sells the parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's . . . If you will redeem it, redeem it" (Rth 4:3-4). When the nearer kinsman agrees, Boaz adds the binding condition: "The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you buy from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead on his inheritance" (Rth 4:5). The nearer kinsman backs out — "I can't redeem it for myself, or else I will mar my own inheritance: you take my right of redemption for yourself; for I can't redeem it" (Rth 4:6) — and the older custom of attestation seals the transfer: "Now this was [the custom] in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning exchanging, to confirm all things: a man drew off his sandal, and gave it to his fellow man; and this was the [manner of] attestation in Israel. So the near kinsman said to Boaz, Buy it for yourself. And he drew off his sandal" (Rth 4:7-8). Boaz then publishes the purchase to the elders: "You⁺ are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi" (Rth 4:9).