Naomi’s reaction marks a profound turning point, where the struggle for daily survival suddenly gives way to a genuine hope for continuity. Recognizing the divine providence that guided Ruth to Boaz’s field, Naomi sees an opening for a twofold kindness that bridges their family’s past with its future. She responds with a powerful blessing, though commentators differ on its intended recipient. One perspective suggests she is blessing Boaz. Recognizing his righteousness, Naomi understood that he did not need a simple human blessing; instead, she prayed that God Himself would bless him directly [אגרת שמואל]. This heartfelt prayer ultimately benefited Boaz, who was older and childless at the time, eventually allowing him to be blessed with children [תורה תמימה]. A second approach maintains that the blessing is directed at God Himself, acknowledging Him as the true Redeemer who orchestrated this entire sequence of events [אגרת שמואל, אשכול הכופר, תורה תמימה].
Naomi then highlights the kindness extended to both the living and the dead. The primary approach among commentators is that the kindness to the living is clearly seen in Boaz providing food and dignity for Naomi and Ruth [רש״י, אבן עזרא, מלבי״ם]. The kindness extended to the dead carries multiple layers of meaning. On a practical level, Boaz had previously shown kindness to Elimelech and his sons while they were still alive [אבן עזרא], and following their passing, he tended to their burial needs and provided their shrouds [רש״י, צאינה וראינה, תורה תמימה]. On a spiritual and emotional level, the dead are aware of the suffering of the living. Therefore, by caring for their widows, Boaz brings peace and comfort to the deceased [אגרת שמואל, אשכול הכופר]. Furthermore, by gathering Ruth into his own field, Boaz spared the deceased the profound shame of having their wives wander as beggars in the fields of strangers [אגרת שמואל].
As the conversation unfolds, Naomi speaks again, signaling a shift from a basic explanation to a much deeper reality. After addressing their immediate need for food, she begins to reveal the hidden, future potential intertwined with Boaz [אלשיך, אגרת שמואל]. She notes that the man is close to them. Typically, impoverished individuals boast of their connection to the wealthy, yet Naomi deliberately frames it so that Boaz is the one close to them. She does this to emphasize her family's distinguished lineage; even though Boaz was the paramount leader of his generation, his status was ultimately tied to her family [תורה תמימה, צאינה וראינה]. Another perspective suggests that a poor person receiving charity actually bestows a greater kindness upon the benefactor, bringing them more blessing than the material help they receive. In this light, Boaz is the true beneficiary of their closeness [צאינה וראינה, אגרת שמואל].
Finally, Naomi declares that Boaz is one of their redeemers. He is not merely a friendly local, but a relative possessing the right and responsibility to redeem the family lands that had been sold due to their poverty [ביאור שטיינזלץ, אשכול הכופר]. The exact nature of this redemption is a matter of discussion. Some maintain that it refers strictly to the repurchasing of land and does not imply a levirate marriage [אבן עזרא]. Conversely, other commentators argue that the redemption points directly to marriage, through which Boaz will redeem the soul of the deceased and establish a lasting name for him in Israel, ensuring his memory is never erased [מלבי״ם, אלשיך].