New Living Translation
Ruth 2:4
4While she was there, Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters. “The Lord be with you!” he said. “The Lord bless you!” the harvesters replied.
Ruth 2:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And, behold, Boaz came from Beth–lehem, and said unto the reapers, The Lord be with you. And they answered him, The Lord bless thee.
- New International Version (NIV)Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, “The Lord be with you!” “The Lord bless you!” they answered.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem. And he said to the reapers, "The Lord be with you!" And they answered, "The Lord bless you."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, “The Lord be with you!” And they answered him, “The Lord bless you!”
Context of Ruth 2:4
2One day Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go out into the harvest fields to pick up the stalks of grain left behind by anyone who is kind enough to let me do it.” Naomi replied, “All right, my daughter, go ahead.” 3So Ruth went out to gather grain behind the harvesters. And as it happened, she found herself working in a field that belonged to Boaz, the relative of her father-in-law, Elimelech. While she was there, Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters. “The Lord be with you!” he said. “The Lord bless you!” the harvesters replied. 5Then Boaz asked his foreman, “Who is that young woman over there? Who does she belong to?” 6And the foreman replied, “She is the young woman from Moab who came back with Naomi.
Read all of Ruth 2Ruth 2:4 word by word
וְהִנֵּה־בֹ֗עַז בָּ֚א מִבֵּ֣ית לֶ֔חֶם וַיֹּ֥אמֶר לַקּוֹצְרִ֖ים יְהוָ֣ה עִמָּכֶ֑ם וַיֹּ֥אמְרוּ ל֖וֹ יְבָרֶכְךָ֥ יְהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Ruth 2:4
- Psalms 118:26Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord.
- Psalms 129:7ignored by the harvester, despised by the binder.
- Luke 1:28Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”
- 2 Thessalonians 3:16Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.
- 2 Timothy 4:22May the Lord be with your spirit. And may his grace be with all of you.
- 2 John 1:10If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement.
- Ruth 4:11Then 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.
- Genesis 18:19I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. Then I will do for Abraham all that I have promised.”
- Joshua 24:15But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”
- Psalms 133:1How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!
- 1 Timothy 6:2If the masters are believers, that is no excuse for being disrespectful. Those slaves should work all the harder because their efforts are helping other believers who are well loved. Teach these things, Timothy, and encourage everyone to obey them.
Commentaries on Ruth 2:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Boaz came from Beth-lehem - This salutation between Boaz and his reapers is worthy of particular regard; he said, עמחם יהוה Yehovah immachem, "Jehovah be with you!" They said, יהוה יברכך yebarechecha Yehovah, "May Jehovah bless thee!" Can a pious mind read these godly salutations without wishing for a return of those simple primitive times? The words may be thus paraphrased: "May God be with you, to preserve you from accidents, and strengthen you to…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-16Verses 4-16 The pious and kind language between Boaz and his reapers shows that there were godly persons in Israel. Such language as this is seldom heard in our field; too often, on the contrary, what is immoral and corrupt. A stranger would form a very different opinion of our land, from that which Ruth would form of Israel from the converse and conduct of Boaz and his reapers. But true religion will teach a man to behave aright in all states and…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-234. Boaz came from Beth-lehem, and said unto the reapers, The Lord be with you--This pious salutation between the master and his laborers strongly indicates the state of religious feeling among the rural population of Israel at that time, as well as the artless, happy, and unsuspecting simplicity which characterized the manners of the people. The same patriarchal style of speaking is still preserved in the East.Read the comment
Topics related to Ruth 2:4
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