New Living Translation
Ruth 4:11
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.
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 elders and to the crowd standing around, “You are witnesses that today I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelech, Kilion, and Mahlon. 10And with the land I have acquired Ruth, the Moabite widow of Mahlon, to be my wife. This way she can have a son to carry on the family name of her dead husband and to inherit the family property here in his hometown. You are all witnesses today.” 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. 12And may the Lord give you descendants by this young woman who will be like those of our ancestor Perez, the son of Tamar and Judah.” 13So Boaz took Ruth into his home, and she became his wife. When he slept with her, the Lord enabled her to become pregnant, 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 24:60They gave her this blessing as she parted: “Our sister, may you become the mother of many millions! May your descendants be strong and conquer the cities of their enemies.”
- Psalms 127:3Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.
- Psalms 128:3Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine, flourishing within your home. Your children will be like vigorous young olive trees as they sit around your table.
- Genesis 29:32So Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, “The Lord has noticed my misery, and now my husband will love me.”
- Genesis 30:1When Rachel saw that she wasn’t having any children for Jacob, she became jealous of her sister. She pleaded with Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!”
- Genesis 35:16Leaving Bethel, Jacob and his clan moved on toward Ephrath. But Rachel went into labor while they were still some distance away. Her labor pains were intense.
- Genesis 46:8These are the names of the descendants of Israel—the sons of Jacob—who went to Egypt: Reuben was Jacob’s oldest son.
- Numbers 26:1After the plague had ended, the Lord said to Moses and to Eleazar son of Aaron the priest,
- Deuteronomy 25:9the widow must walk over to him in the presence of the elders, pull his sandal from his foot, and spit in his face. Then she must declare, ‘This is what happens to a man who refuses to provide his brother with children.’
- Proverbs 14:1A wise woman builds her home, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.
- Ruth 1:2The man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife was Naomi. Their two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. And when they reached Moab, they settled there.
- Psalms 132:6We heard that the Ark was in Ephrathah; then we found it in the distant countryside of Jaar.
- Micah 5:2But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf.
- Matthew 2:6‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for 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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