New Living Translation
Ruth 2:20
20“May the Lord bless him!” Naomi told her daughter-in-law. “He is showing his kindness to us as well as to your dead husband. That man is one of our closest relatives, one of our family redeemers.”
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 into town and showed it to her mother-in-law. Ruth also gave her the roasted grain that was left over from her meal. 19“Where did you gather all this grain today?” Naomi asked. “Where did you work? May the Lord bless the one who helped you!” So Ruth told her mother-in-law about the man in whose field she had worked. She said, “The man I worked with today is named Boaz.” “May the Lord bless him!” Naomi told her daughter-in-law. “He is showing his kindness to us as well as to your dead husband. That man is one of our closest relatives, one of our family redeemers.” 21Then Ruth said, “What’s more, Boaz even told me to come back and stay with his harvesters until the entire harvest is completed.” 22“Good!” Naomi exclaimed. “Do as he said, my daughter. Stay with his young women right through the whole harvest. You might be harassed in other fields, but you’ll be safe with him.”
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 3:10“Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world.
- 2 Samuel 2:5he sent them this message: “May the Lord bless you for being so loyal to your master Saul and giving him a decent burial.
- Job 29:12For I assisted the poor in their need and the orphans who required help.
- 2 Timothy 1:16May the Lord show special kindness to Onesiphorus and all his family because he often visited and encouraged me. He was never ashamed of me because I was in chains.
- 2 Samuel 9:1One day David asked, “Is anyone in Saul’s family still alive—anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”
- Proverbs 17:17A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.
- Philippians 4:10How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me.
- Ruth 3:9“Who are you?” he asked. “I am your servant Ruth,” she replied. “Spread the corner of your covering over me, for you are my family redeemer.”
- Ruth 4:6“Then I can’t redeem it,” the family redeemer replied, “because this might endanger my own estate. You redeem the land; I cannot do it.”
- Leviticus 25:25If one of your fellow Israelites falls into poverty and is forced to sell some family land, then a close relative should buy it back for him.
- Deuteronomy 25:5“If two brothers are living together on the same property and one of them dies without a son, his widow may not be married to anyone from outside the family. Instead, her husband’s brother should marry her and have intercourse with her to fulfill the duties of a brother-in-law.
- Job 19:25“But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last.
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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries