Ruth 4:13-17

A Grandson is Born to Naomi

4:13 So Boaz married Ruth and had sexual relations with her. The Lord enabled her to conceive and she gave birth to a son. 4:14 The village women said to Naomi, “May the Lord be praised because he has not left you without a guardian today! May he become famous in Israel! 4:15 He will encourage you and provide for you when you are old, for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, has given him birth. She is better to you than seven sons!” 4:16 Naomi took the child and placed him on her lap; she became his caregiver. 4:17 The neighbor women named him, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. 10  Now he became the father of Jesse – David’s father!


tn Heb “and Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife and he went in to her.” Here the phrase “went in to her” (so NASB) is a euphemism for having sexual relations (cf. NCV); NLT “When he slept with her.”

tn Heb “gave her conception” (so KJV); NRSV “made her conceive”; NLT “enabled her to become pregnant.”

tn Or “redeemer.” See the note on the phrase “guardian of the family interests” in 3:9. As the following context indicates, the child is referred to here.

tn The “guardian” is the subject of the verb, as the next verse makes clear.

tn Heb “may his name be called [i.e., “perpetuated”; see Gen 48:16] in Israel.”

tn Heb “and he will become for you a restorer of life and a sustainer of your old age” (NASB similar).

tn Heb “who, she”; KJV “which is better to thee.”

tn Or “breast”; KJV, NRSV “in her bosom.”

tn Heb “his nurse,” but this refers to a dry nurse, not a medical attendant. Cf. NIV “and cared for him”; TEV “and took (+ good CEV) care of him.”

10 tn The name “Obed” means “one who serves,” perhaps anticipating how he would help Naomi (see v. 15).