Christian Standard Bible
Ruth 4:11
11All the people who were at the city gate, including the elders, said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is entering your house like Rachel and Leah, who together built the house of Israel. May you be powerful in Ephrathah and your name well known in Bethlehem.
Ruth 4:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Beth–lehem:
- New International Version (NIV)Then the elders and all the people at the gate said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the family of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, "We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman, who is coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you act worthily in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem,
- New King James Version (NKJV)And all the people who were at the gate, and the elders, said, “We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah, the two who built the house of Israel; and may you prosper in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem.
Context of Ruth 4:11
9Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses today that I am buying from Naomi everything that belonged to Elimelech, Chilion, and Mahlon. 10I have also acquired Ruth the Moabitess, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, to perpetuate the deceased man’s name on his property, so that his name will not disappear among his relatives or from the gate of his hometown. You are witnesses today.” All the people who were at the city gate, including the elders, said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is entering your house like Rachel and Leah, who together built the house of Israel. May you be powerful in Ephrathah and your name well known in Bethlehem. 12May your house become like the house of Perez, the son Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring the Lord will give you by this young woman.” 13Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. He slept with her, and the Lord granted conception to her, and she gave birth to a son.
Read all of Ruth 4Ruth 4:11 word by word
וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ כָּל־הָעָ֧ם אֲשֶׁר־בַּשַּׁ֛עַר וְהַזְּקֵנִ֖ים עֵדִ֑ים יִתֵּן֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֶֽת־הָאִשָּׁ֜ה הַבָּאָ֣ה אֶל־בֵּיתֶ֗ךָ כְּרָחֵ֤ל׀ וּכְלֵאָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר בָּנ֤וּ שְׁתֵּיהֶם֙ אֶת־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַעֲשֵׂה־חַ֣יִל בְּאֶפְרָ֔תָה וּקְרָא־שֵׁ֖ם בְּבֵ֥ית לָֽחֶם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And all the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- in the gateשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
- and the eldersזָקֵןzâqên · old: elderH2205
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- witnessesעֵד‛êd · witnessH5707
- The Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- makeנָתַןnâthan · to give: makeH5414
- the womanאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
- that is comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- into thine houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
- like Rachelרָחֵלrâchêl · RachelH7354
- and like Leahלֵאָהlê'âh · LeahH3812
- which twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- did buildבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- and doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- thou worthilyחַ֫יִלchayil · strength: worthyH2428
- in Ephratahאֶפְרָ֫תָה'ephrâth 'ephrâthâh · EphrathH672
- and be famousשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
- and be famousקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call byH7121
- in Beth–lehemבֵּית לֶ֫חֶםbêyth lechem · BethlehemH1035
Cross-references for Ruth 4:11
- Genesis 24:60They blessed Rebekah, saying to her: Our sister, may you become thousands upon ten thousands. May your offspring possess the city gates of their enemies.
- Psalms 127:3Sons are indeed a heritage from the Lord, offspring, a reward.
- Psalms 128:3Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house, your children, like young olive trees around your table.
- Genesis 29:32Leah conceived, gave birth to a son, and named him Reuben, for she said, “The Lord has seen my affliction; surely my husband will love me now.”
- Genesis 30:1When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she envied her sister. “Give me sons, or I will die!” she said to Jacob.
- Genesis 35:16They set out from Bethel. When they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth, and her labor was difficult.
- Genesis 46:8These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt — Jacob and his sons: Jacob’s firstborn: Reuben.
- Numbers 26:1After the plague, the Lord said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron the priest,
- Deuteronomy 25:9then his sister-in-law will go up to him in the sight of the elders, remove his sandal from his foot, and spit in his face. Then she will declare, ‘This is what is done to a man who will not build up his brother’s house.’
- Proverbs 14:1Every wise woman builds her house, but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
- Ruth 1:2The man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife’s name was Naomi. The names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They entered the fields of Moab and settled there.
- Psalms 132:6We heard of the ark in Ephrathah; we found it in the fields of Jaar.
- Micah 5:2Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are small among the clans of Judah; one will come from you to be ruler over Israel for me. His origin is from antiquity, from ancient times.
- Matthew 2:6And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah: Because out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.”
Commentaries on Ruth 4:11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11We are witnesses - It is not very likely that any writing was drawn up. There was an appeal made to the people then present, whether they had seen and understood the transaction; who answered, We have witnessed it. If any minutes of court were kept, then the transaction was entered probably in some such words as these: "On ___ day of ____, Boaz bought the land of Elimelech from Naomi his widow, and took Ruth, her daughter-in-law, to wife; ____, who had…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11See the margin. There is something of a poetical turn in this speech of the elders, and something prophetic in the blessing pronounced by them. It is unique and obscure. The Greek Version (lxx) is unintelligible. Jerome seems to have had a slightly different reading, since he applies both clauses to Ruth. “May she be a pattern of virtue in Ephratah, and have a name famous in Bethlehem.” The meaning of “be famous” seems to be, Get thyself a name which…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-12Verses 9-12 Men are ready to seize opportunities for increasing their estates, but few know the value of godliness. Such are the wise men of this world, whom the Lord charges with folly. They attend not to the concerns of their souls, but reject the salvation of Christ, for fear of marring their inheritance. But God did Boaz the honour to bring him into the line of the Messiah, while the kinsman, who was afraid of lessening himself, and marring his…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11Rachel and Leah, Jacob’s two wives, were the mothers of Israel. Ephrathah: See study note on Ruth 1:2.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. all the people and the elders, said, We are witnesses--A multitude, doubtless from curiosity or interest, were present on the occasion. There was no signing of deeds; yet was the transfer made, and complete security given, by the public manner in which the whole matter was carried on and concluded. the Lord make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah--This was the usual bridal benediction.Read the comment
Topics related to Ruth 4:11
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ruth 4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
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