Ruth 2:4

Boaz and Ruth Meet

2:4 Now at that very moment, ¹  Boaz arrived from Bethlehem ²  and greeted ³  the harvesters, “May the Lord be with you!” They replied, ⁴  “May the Lord bless you!”

Ruth 2:12

2:12 May the Lord reward your efforts! ⁵  May your acts of kindness be repaid fully ⁶  by the Lord God of Israel, from whom you have sought protection!” ⁷ 

Ruth 4:14

4:14 The village women said to Naomi, “May the Lord be praised because he has not left you without a guardian ⁸  today! May he ⁹  become famous in Israel! ¹⁰ 

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¹ tn Heb “and look”; NIV, NRSV “Just then.” The narrator invites the audience into the story, describing Boaz’s arrival as if it were witnessed by the audience.

² map For location see Map5-B1; Map7-E2; Map8-E2; Map10-B4.

³ tn Heb “said to.” Context indicates that the following expression is a greeting, the first thing Boaz says to his workers.

⁴ tn Heb “said to him.” For stylistic reasons “replied” is used in the present translation.

⁵ tn Heb “repay your work”; KJV, ASV “recompense thy work.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive of prayer (note the jussive form in the next clause).

⁶ tn Heb “may your wages be complete”; NCV “May your wages be paid in full.” The prefixed verbal form is a distinct jussive form, indicating that this is a prayer for blessing.

⁷ tn Heb “under whose wings you have sought shelter”; NIV, NLT “have come to take refuge.”

⁸ 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.

⁹ tn The “guardian” is the subject of the verb, as the next verse makes clear.

¹⁰ tn Heb “may his name be called [i.e., “perpetuated”; see Gen 48:16] in Israel.”