type, LAW TYPE
vet, (Heb.: “redeemer”. It is the participle of the Heb. verb “gã’al, “to liberate”). In the Hebrew law, if a Jew had been forced to sell himself, due to debt, to a foreigner, it became the obligation of his closest relative to rescue him (cp. Lev. 25:47 ss). He also governed this principle if he had had to sell any of his property (cf. Lev. 25:23ff.; Rt. 4:4ff.). It was also incumbent on the next of kin to marry the childless widow of the deceased (Rt. 3:13). In case of having to make restitution to his deceased, this should be done to the next of kin, or to the priest if he did not have one (Lev. 6: 1 ss.). It was also the duty of the goel or closest relative to avenge the blood of someone who had been the victim of voluntary homicide. In Lv. 25:48 the order of precedence in acting as goel is given. For the figurative use of goel, see Ps. 119:154; Prov 23:11; Jb. 19:25; Isaiah 41:14 b. Jesus Christ became our Goel, for which he had to become “our next of kin” through the incarnation. Boaz is a beautiful type of Christ, by rescuing the lost possession and marrying Ruth, who thereby becomes a type of the Church. Bibliography: LS Chafer: “Systematic Theology” (Spanish Publications, Dalton, Georgia, 1974, volume I, pp. 368-370).
Source: New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
This word is the active participle of a verb that means to recover or redeem. It is found in several ways:
(1) It is used to express the recovery of possession of a property that had been sold because of a debt (Lev. 25:25).
(2) It is used for the restoration or preservation of the name of one who died without issue: then his brother was to raise up seed for him, so that his name would not be forgotten in Israel (Deut. 25:5; cf. Gen. 38:8 ). Boaz is the best known example in this regard (Ruth 3–4). As such the goal is called relative.
(3) Since murder means cutting off a man from his kindred and earthly possessions, it was the duty of his relatives to avenge him. The goal he is then the avenger of blood (Num. 35:12–34; Deut. 19:1–3).
(4) In its highest sense, goel it applies to God, who is the author of life and whose prerogative it is to redeem from death, both physical and spiritual. “Redeemer” appears most frequently in Is. 40-66. Job 9:25, “I know that my Redeemer lives” is a well-known example.
Oswald T. Allis
Harrison, EF, Bromiley, GW, & Henry, CFH (2006). Dictionary of Theology (282). Grand Rapids, MI: Challenge Books.
Source: Dictionary of Theology