BOOZ, the Son of Salmon and Rahab. Rahab, we know was a Canaanite of Jericho, richo, Salmon, who was of the Tribe of Judah, married her, and had Booz by her, one of our Saviour’s Ancestors in the flesh. Some say there were three of this name1, the Son, Grandson, and Great-Grandson of Salmon; the last Booz was Ruth’s Husband and the Father of Obed. They pretend that the Scripture can no other way be made reconcilable with itself, since it reckons three hundred and sixty six Years between Salmon’s marriage, and the birth of David, and owns there were but three persons between Salmon and David, viz. Booz, Obed and Jesse. But altho’ it be difficult to fill such a space as that of three hundred and sixty six Years with four persons from Father to Son succeeding one another, and it is uncommon to see four persons in the same Family successively living very long, and having Children in a far advanced age, yet there is nothing absolutely impossible in the thing, particularly at this time, wherein we find that there were persons who had lived above an hundred Years. Salmon at the age of an hundred and twenty might beget Booz, about sixty six Years after the Israelites had entred into the Land of Promise. Booz at that age, suppose of an hundred, might beget Obed, who at something more or less than this age might have Jesse; and lastly, Jesse, when an hundred Years old, might possibly have David: This indeed is all but supposition. However it is sufficient, that there is no contradiction or impossibility, to make it necessary for us to reject this opinion of there being three persons of this name, instead of that one Booz only, whom the Scripture speaks of.
Some Rabbins2 will have it, that Ibzan, who was Judge of Israel, and is mentioned Judg. xii. 8. is the same as Booz. The foundation of this opinion is no more than this, that Ibzan was of Bethlehem, and that there is some relation between this name and that of Booz. But Ibzan having governed Israel from the Year of the World 2823 to 2830. he cannot be the same as Booz, who could not be born later than in the Year of the World 2620. his Father Salmon having married Ruth in 2553. Now supposing him to be born in 2620. he must have been two hundred and ten Years old in 2830. when he died, which does not seem to be at all credible.
Booz, or rather Boaz, the name of one of 1 Kings vii. 21.those two brazen pillars which Solomon erected in the Porch of the Temple. The other Column was called Jachin. This was on the right hand of the entrance into the Temple, and Booz on the left. Jachin signifieth God hath strengthened it3, and Booz strength4, firmness. They were together thirty five cubits high, as is said in the 2 Chron. iii. 15.Chronicles, that is to say, each separately seventeen cubits and an half5. The Text of the first Book of Kings, and of Jeremiah, says 1 Kings vii. 15. Jerem. lii. 21. Jerem. lii. 21. 1 Kings vii. 25. Jerem. lii. 22. 1 Kings vii. 16.eighteen cubits; but it is believed that the Sacred Writer chose to set down a round, rather than a broken number. The thickness of these Columns was, as Jeremiah says, of four fingers, for they were hollow. The circumference of them was twelve cubits, or four cubits diameter. The Chapiter of each was in all five cubits high. These Chapiters in different parts of Scripture are said to be of different heights, of three, four or five cubits; because they were composed of different Ornaments, which were considered sometimes separately, and sometimes as united with the Chapiter. The body of the Chapiter was of three cubits, the ornaments wherewith it was joined to the shaft of the pillar, were of one cubit, these make four cubits; the row which was at the top of all the Chapiter was also of one cubit, in all five cubits.
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