New English Translation
Ruth 2:20
20Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be rewarded by the Lord because he has shown loyalty to the living on behalf of the dead!” Then Naomi said to her, “This man is a close relative of ours; he is our guardian.”
Ruth 2:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the Lord, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.
- New International Version (NIV)“The Lord bless him!” Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. “He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead.” She added, “That man is our close relative; he is one of our guardian-redeemers.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, "May he be blessed by the Lord, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!" Naomi also said to her, "The man is a close relative of ours, one of our redeemers."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “Blessed be he of the Lord, who has not forsaken His kindness to the living and the dead!” And Naomi said to her, “This man is a relation of ours, one of our close relatives.”
Context of Ruth 2:20
18She carried it back to town, and her mother-in-law saw how much grain she had gathered. Then Ruth gave her the roasted grain she had saved from mealtime. 19Her mother-in-law asked her, “Where did you gather grain today? Where did you work? May the one who took notice of you be rewarded!” So Ruth told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked. She said, “The name of the man with whom I worked today is Boaz.” Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be rewarded by the Lord because he has shown loyalty to the living on behalf of the dead!” Then Naomi said to her, “This man is a close relative of ours; he is our guardian.” 21Ruth the Moabite replied, “He even told me, ‘You may go along beside my servants until they have finished gathering all my harvest!’” 22Naomi then said to her daughter-in-law Ruth, “It is good, my daughter, that you should go out to work with his female servants. That way you will not be harmed, which could happen in another field.”
Read all of Ruth 2Ruth 2:20 word by word
וַתֹּ֨אמֶר נָעֳמִ֜י לְכַלָּתָ֗הּ בָּר֥וּךְ הוּא֙ לַיהוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר֙ לֹא־עָזַ֣ב חַסְדּ֔וֹ אֶת־הַחַיִּ֖ים וְאֶת־הַמֵּתִ֑ים וַתֹּ֧אמֶר לָ֣הּ נָעֳמִ֗י קָר֥וֹב לָ֙נוּ֙ הָאִ֔ישׁ מִֽגֹּאֲלֵ֖נוּ הֽוּא׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Naomiנׇעֳמִיno‛ŏmîy · NaomiH5281
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto her daughter in lawכַּלָּהkallâh · daughter-in-lawH3618
- Blessedבָּרַךְbârak · to blessH1288
- he of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- who hath not left offעָזַב‛âzab · to leave: forsakeH5800
- his kindnessחֶ֫סֶדchêsêd · kindnessH2617
- to the livingחַיchay · aliveH2416
- and to the deadמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- unto her, The manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- near of kinקָרֹבqârôb qârôb · nearH7138
- unto us, one of our next kinsmenגָּאַלgâ'al · to redeem: redeemH1350
Cross-references for Ruth 2:20
- Revelation 3:10Because you have kept my admonition to endure steadfastly, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is about to come on the whole world to test those who live on the earth.
- 2 Samuel 2:5So David sent messengers to the people of Jabesh Gilead and told them, “May you be blessed by the Lord because you have shown this kindness to your lord Saul by burying him.
- Job 29:12for I rescued the poor who cried out for help, and the orphan who had no one to assist him;
- 2 Timothy 1:16May the Lord grant mercy to the family of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my imprisonment.
- 2 Samuel 9:1Then David asked, “Is anyone still left from the family of Saul, so that I may extend kindness to him for the sake of Jonathan?”
- Proverbs 17:17A friend loves at all times, and a relative is born to help in adversity.
- Philippians 4:10I have great joy in the Lord because now at last you have again expressed your concern for me. (Now I know you were concerned before but had no opportunity to do anything.)
- Ruth 3:9He said, “Who are you?” She replied, “I am Ruth, your servant. Marry your servant, for you are a guardian of the family interests.”
- Ruth 4:6The guardian said, “Then I am unable to redeem it, for I would ruin my own inheritance in that case. You may exercise my redemption option, for I am unable to redeem it.”
- Leviticus 25:25“‘If your brother becomes impoverished and sells some of his property, his near redeemer is to come to you and redeem what his brother sold.
- Deuteronomy 25:5If brothers live together and one of them dies without having a son, the dead man’s wife must not remarry someone outside the family. Instead, her late husband’s brother must go to her, marry her, and perform the duty of a brother-in-law.
- Job 19:25As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that as the last he will stand upon the earth.
Commentaries on Ruth 2:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20To the living and to the dead - Naomi and Ruth were the living; and they were also the representatives of Elimelech and Mahlon, who were dead. Naomi was of the family; and Ruth, though not of the family, was a representative of one of its deceased branches, being the widow of Mahlon. One of our next kinsmen - מגאלינו miggoaleynu, of our redeemers, one who has the right to redeem the forfeited inheritance of the family. The word גאל goel signifies a near…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Blessed 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…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-23Verses 17-23 It encourages industry, that in all labour, even that of gleaning, there is profit. Ruth was pleased with what she gained by her own industry, and was careful to secure it. Let us thus take care that we lose not those things which we have wrought, which we have gained for our souls' good, 2Jo 1:8. Parents should examine their children, as Naomi did, not to frighten or discourage them, so as to make them hate home, or tempt them to tell a lie…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20kinsman-redeemers (Hebrew go’el): The law required the go’el, the closest male relative, to assist a family member facing financial difficulties (see “The Family Redeemer” Theme Note; see also study note on Leviticus 25:25).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. the man is ... one of our next kinsmen--Hebrew, "one of our redeemers," on whom it devolves to protect us, to purchase our lands, and marry you, the widow of his next kinsman. She said, "one of them," not that there were many in the same close relationship, but that he was a very near kinsman, one other individual only having the precedence.Read the comment
Topics related to Ruth 2:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ruth 2
- 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
- EGW Writings
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