‘ And the near kinsman said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar my own inheritance. You take my right of redemption on you, for I cannot redeem it.”
As soon as the near kinsman learned what would be involved in the redemption of the land he withdrew his offer. He made the excuse that he could not buy it because he did not have the money available and arranging the purchase would put him in debt, thus badly affecting the position of his own inheritance. He may also have had in mind that on his death the land would pass to Ruth's son, begotten through him, with his own inheritance, which he planned to pass on to his other sons, meanwhile having been diminished by the price of the land. It was his other sons who would lose out. He was therefore unwilling to take on himself the responsibility of being ‘kinsman redeemer', and was now willing to pass on the right to Boaz. The fact that he had originally been so eager to redeem the land (Ruth 4:4) might, however, suggest that this was just an excuse, presumably made because he did not want to marry a Moabite woman, even though she was now an ‘adopted' Israelite. Racism still prevailed in some, as it always does. As no wife of his is mentioned it would appear that that was not his reason for refusing, but that contrary to the Law (consider Exodus 12:48) he was not willing to accept the proselyte Ruth as a genuine Israelite and marry her, giving her his seed. It may be because of the shame of that that he was not named (his name was blotted out of Israel). This will shortly then be contrasted with the fact that YHWH had so accepted Ruth as a genuine Israelite that He gave her ‘His seed' and caused her to be the ancestor of His chosen king. The man is clearly depicted as being at fault.