New International Version
Ruth 4:11
11Then 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.
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:
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Then the elders and all the people standing in the gate replied, “We are witnesses! May the Lord make this woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, from whom all the nation of Israel descended! May you prosper in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem.
Context of Ruth 4:11
9Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon. 10I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from his hometown. Today you are witnesses!” 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. 12Through the offspring the Lord gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.” 13So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, 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 24:60And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “Our sister, may you increase to thousands upon thousands; may your offspring possess the cities of their enemies.”
- Psalms 127:3Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.
- Psalms 128:3Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.
- Genesis 29:32Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.”
- Genesis 30:1When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she became jealous of her sister. So she said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!”
- Genesis 35:16Then they moved on from Bethel. While they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth and had great difficulty.
- Genesis 46:8These are the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt: Reuben the firstborn of Jacob.
- Numbers 26:1After the plague the Lord said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest,
- Deuteronomy 25:9his brother’s widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals, spit in his face and say, “This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother’s family line.”
- Proverbs 14:1The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.
- Ruth 1:2The man’s name was Elimelek, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there.
- Psalms 132:6We heard it in Ephrathah, we came upon it in the fields of Jaar:
- Micah 5:2“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
- Matthew 2:6“ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for 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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