Albert Barnes Commentary Ruth 2:20

"And Naomi said unto her daughter-in-law, Blessed be he of Jehovah, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is nigh of kin unto us, one of our near kinsmen." — Ruth 2:20 (ASV)

Blessed be he of the Lord ... — We may gather from Naomi’s allusion to the dead that both her husband and son had been faithful servants of Jehovah, the God of Israel. His kindness to the dead consisted in raising up (as Naomi hoped) an heir to perpetuate the name; and, in general, in His care for their widows.

One of our next kinsmen — The word here is גאל gā'al — the redeemer, who had the right:

1. Of redeeming the inheritance of the person;
2. Of marrying the widow;
3. Of avenging the death. (See Leviticus 25:25-31, Leviticus 25:47–55; Deuteronomy 25:5–10; Deuteronomy 19:1–13.)

Since these rights belonged to the next of kin, גאל gā'al came to mean the nearest kinsman.