Original Word: מוֹדַעַת
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: mowda`ath
Pronunciation: mo-dah'-ath
Phonetic Spelling: (mo-dah'-ath)
KJV: kindred
NASB: kinsman
Word Origin: [from H3045 (יָדַע - know)]

1. acquaintance

kindred

From yada'; acquaintance -- kindred.

see HEBREW yada'

Word Origin
from yada
Definition
kindred, kinship
NASB Translation
kinsman (1).

[מֹדַ֫עַת] noun feminine kindred, kinship — singular suffix מֹדַעְתָּנוּ Ruth 3:2 is not Boaz (of) our kindred ?

Biblical Setting

The noun appears once, in Ruth 3:2, where Naomi reminds Ruth that Boaz is “our relative”. This brief notice locates the word at the hinge of Ruth’s story, just before Ruth approaches Boaz on the threshing floor. The verse unites three narrative strands: Naomi’s concern for Ruth’s future, Ruth’s demonstrated loyalty, and Boaz’s capacity to act on behalf of the family.

Kinship and Covenant Responsibility

1. In ancient Israel, family ties carried legal weight. A close relative bore responsibilities to:
• Redeem land sold under financial distress (Leviticus 25:25).
• Marry the widow of a deceased kinsman to raise up offspring (Deuteronomy 25:5-10).
2. By identifying Boaz as their “relative,” Naomi signals that Ruth may rightly claim protection and redemption within established covenant law.
3. The recognition of kinship functions as the turning point from passive survival (gleaning) to active pursuit of restoration (marriage and inheritance).

Providence and Loyal Love

Naomi’s use of the term testifies to divine orchestration behind ordinary relationships. Ruth 2:3 already noted that Ruth “happened” to glean in the field of Boaz. By Ruth 3:2, coincidence is reinterpreted as providence. God’s covenant faithfulness (ḥesed) moves through familial connections to preserve the line that will lead to David (Ruth 4:17).

Boaz as Kinsman-Redeemer

Though a different Hebrew term names the official role (gōʾēl), the single appearance of מוֹדַעַת prepares the reader for Boaz’s formal act of redemption in Ruth 4:9-10. The narrative emphasizes:
• Willingness: Boaz chooses to fulfill the duty, contrasting the nearer relative who declines (Ruth 4:1-8).
• Legality: Elders witness the transaction, rooting the romance in covenant law, not sentiment alone.
• Mercy: The benefits extend beyond property to Naomi’s security and Ruth’s inclusion in Israel.

Christological Foreshadowing

The motif of a known relative who redeems anticipates Jesus Christ:
• Incarnation makes Him our true “kinsman” (Hebrews 2:14-17).
• Redemption cost is paid at His initiative (Mark 10:45).
• The marriage of Boaz and Ruth points ahead to the Church’s union with Christ (Ephesians 5:25-27).

Practical Ministry Reflections

• Awareness: Like Naomi, believers should discern God-given relationships through which restoration can come.
• Responsibility: Kinship in Christ obligates tangible care for widows, immigrants, and the marginalized (James 1:27).
• Initiative: Boaz models proactive grace; ministry should move beyond minimal duty toward generous redemption.

Related Biblical Themes

Redemption – Exodus 6:6; Property Redemption – Leviticus 25:25; Levirate Provision – Deuteronomy 25:5-10; Covenant Faithfulness – Psalm 103:17; Genealogical Hope – Matthew 1:5-6.

The single occurrence of מוֹדַעַת therefore anchors the book’s theology: God works through recognized kinship to turn emptiness into fullness, a pattern ultimately perfected in the saving work of Christ.

מֹֽדַעְתָּ֔נוּ מדעתנו mō·ḏa‘·tā·nū mōḏa‘tānū modaTanuInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts