God’s Word Translation
Ruth 4:11
11All the people who were at the gate, including the leaders, said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make this wife, who is coming into your home, like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built our family of Israel. So show your strength of character in Ephrathah and make a name for yourself 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
9Then Boaz said to the leaders and to all the people, “Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon. 10In addition, I have bought as my wife the Moabite Ruth, Mahlon’s widow, to keep the inheritance in the dead man’s name. In this way the dead man’s name will not be cut off from his relatives or from the public records. Today you are witnesses.” All the people who were at the gate, including the leaders, said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make this wife, who is coming into your home, like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built our family of Israel. So show your strength of character in Ephrathah and make a name for yourself in Bethlehem. 12Also, from the descendant whom the Lord will give you from this young woman, may your family become like the family of Perez, the son whom Tamar gave birth to for Judah.” 13Then Boaz took Ruth home, and she became his wife. He slept with her, and the Lord gave her the ability to become pregnant. So 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 gave Rebekah a blessing: “May you, our sister, become the mother of many thousands of children. May your descendants take possession of their enemies’ cities.”
- Psalms 127:3Children are an inheritance from the Lord. They are a reward from him.
- Psalms 128:3Your wife will be like a fruitful vine inside your home. Your children will be like young olive trees around your table.
- Genesis 29:32Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben [Here’s My Son], because she said, “Certainly, the Lord has seen my misery; now my husband will love me!”
- Genesis 30:1Rachel saw that she could not have children for Jacob, and she became jealous of her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!”
- Genesis 35:16Then they moved on from Bethel. When they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel went into labor and was having severe labor pains.
- Genesis 46:8These are the names of Israel’s descendants (Jacob and his descendants) who arrived in Egypt. Reuben was Jacob’s firstborn.
- Numbers 26:1After the plague the Lord said to Moses and Eleazar, son of the priest Aaron,
- Deuteronomy 25:9his brother’s widow must go up to him in the presence of the leaders. She must take off one of his sandals and spit in his face. She must make this formal statement: “This is what happens to a man who refuses to continue his brother’s family line.”
- Proverbs 14:1The wisest of women builds up her home, but a stupid one tears it down with her own hands.
- Ruth 1:2The man’s name was Elimelech, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of their two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were descendants of Ephrathah from Bethlehem in the territory of Judah. They went to the country of Moab and lived there.
- Psalms 132:6Now, we have heard about the ark ⌞of the promise⌟ being in Ephrathah. We have found it in Jaar.
- Micah 5:2You, Bethlehem Ephrathah, are too small to be included among Judah’s cities. Yet, from you Israel’s future ruler will come for me. His origins go back to the distant past, to days long ago.
- Matthew 2:6Bethlehem in the land of Judah, you are by no means least among the leaders of Judah. A leader will come from you. He 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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