Ruth 4:1

1 And Boaz had gone up to the gate and dwelt there

And behold the redeemer of whom Boaz had spoken came by

And Boaz said, Turn aside so and so, dwell here

And he turned aside and dwelt

Ruth 4:1 introduces a man with no name. The Hebrew phrase paloni almoni is probably best translated “so-and-so”, and this is the only place where it is used as a standalone phrase for a person. The other two occurrences are found in 1 Samuel 21:2 and 2 Kings 6:8, where they describe an unspecified place (el maqom paloni almoni). The unnamed redeemer’s appearance is as brief as Orphah’s. Both serve as narrative foils, amplifying the virtues of Boaz and Ruth, respectively, by choosing a path of self-preservation over sacrificial loyalty.