📖 Biblical Definition
The goʼel is the Old Testament office of kinsman-redeemer — the near relative whose covenant duty was to recover what his family had lost. He bought back forfeited land (Leviticus 25:25), married a brother’s childless widow to raise up seed (Deuteronomy 25:5-10), and avenged a slain kinsman (Numbers 35:19). The book of Ruth turns on this office: Boaz acts as goel for Naomi’s line and brings Ruth the Moabitess into the Davidic genealogy. The whole institution is typological — Jesus Christ is the true Kinsman-Redeemer, taking on our flesh (Hebrews 2:14) precisely so He could buy back what we had lost, marry the bride, and avenge her blood.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
The kinsman-redeemer of the Old Testament law.
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The Old Testament office and right of a near kinsman to redeem family land that has been sold off, to marry a brother's childless widow (levirate marriage), or to avenge blood — all aspects of preserving the covenant family. Christ is the goel of His people.
📖 Key Scripture
Leviticus 25:25 — "If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his possession, and if any of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother sold."
Ruth 4:14 — "Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel."
Job 19:25 — "For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Reduced to ancient legal curiosity, missing how thoroughly the office foreshadows Christ.
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The kinsman-redeemer concept gets reduced to romance-novel material because of Boaz-and-Ruth, missing the harder edge: a goel could also avenge blood, redeem property at cost, and refuse the role if it endangered his own inheritance. The corruption is sweetening what Scripture treats with full legal and economic seriousness.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Hebrew goel — redeemer.
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['Hebrew', 'H1350', 'gaal', 'redeem']
['Hebrew', 'H1353', 'geullah', 'redemption']
Usage
"Christ is our goel — kinsman, able, willing."
"Read Ruth and Job 19 together for goel theology."