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Ruth Chapter
Four
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO RUTH 4
This
chapter relates how an offer was made to the nearest kinsman of Ruth to redeem
her, and the field her husband left, which he refused to do, 4:1, upon which Boaz redeemed both, and married Ruth
before the elders of the city as witnesses, and who congratulated him and her
on that occasion, 4:9, to whom a son was born,
called Obed by the neighbours, 4:13 and the
chapter is concluded with the genealogy of David, who sprung from him, 4:18.
Ruth
4:1 Now Boaz went
up to the gate and sat down there; and behold, the close relative of whom Boaz
had spoken came by. So Boaz said, “Come aside, friend,[a] sit down
here.” So he came aside and sat down.
YLT 1And Boaz hath gone up to the gate, and
sitteth there, and lo, the redeemer is passing by of whom Boaz had spoken, and
he saith, `Turn aside, sit down here, such a one, such a one;' and he turneth
aside and sitteth down.
Then went Boaz up to the gate,.... In the middle of the
day, as JosephusF4Antiqu. l. 5. c. 9. sect. 4. says, to the gate of
the city, where people were continually passing and repassing to and from the
country, and where he was most likely to meet with the person he wanted to see
and converse with, and where courts of judicature were usually held, and where
it was proper to call one to determine the affair he had in hand; so the
Targum,"and Boaz went up to the gate of the house of judgment of the
sanhedrim:'
and set him down there; waiting for the person
or persons passing by, with whom be chose to speak:
and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; the kinsman
that was nearer than he, of whom he had spoke to Ruth, that if he would not
redeem her, he would; a "behold" is prefixed to this, to observe the
providence of God that ordered it so, that he should come that way just at the
time Boaz was sitting there, and waiting for him; who perhaps was going into
his field to look after his threshers and winnowers, as Boaz had been:
unto whom he said, ho, such an one; calling him by his name,
though it is not expressed; which the writer of this history might not know,
or, if he did, thought it not material to give it, some have been of opinion
that it is purposely concealed, as a just retaliation to him, that as he chose
not to raise up seed to his kinsman, to perpetuate his name, so his own is
buried in oblivion; though it might be done in his favour, that his name might
not be known, and lie under disgrace, for refusing to act the part he ought
according to the law to have done; hence the plucking off the shoe, and
spitting in his face, were done to such an one by way of contempt and reproach.
The words are "peloni almoni", words used by the Hebrews of persons
and places, whose names they either could not, or did not choose to mention,
which two words are contracted into "palmoni" in Daniel 8:13. The
name of this man was "Tob" or "Tobias", according to some
Jewish writers; see Gill on 3:13, to him Boaz
said,
turn aside, and sit down here; and he turned aside, and sat down; instead of
going right forward, as he intended, about his business, he turned on one side
as he was desired, and sat down by Boaz.
Ruth
4:2 2 And he took ten men of the
elders of the city, and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down.
YLT 2And he taketh ten men of the elders of the
city, and saith, `Sit down here;' and they sit down.
And he took ten men of the elders of the city,.... Who were
such, not merely in age but in office, who were the heads of thousands,
fifties, and tens; ten of whom were a quorum to do business in judiciary
affairs, to determine such matters as Boaz had propose, as to whom the right of
redemption of a brother and kinsman's widow, and her estate, belonged, and who
were the proper witnesses of the refusal of the one to do it, and of the
other's doing it and from hence the JewsF5Misnah Megillah, c. 4.
sect. 3. T. Bab. Cetubot, fol. 7. 1. Midrash Ruth, fol. 35. 1. gather, that the
blessing of the bride and bridegroom at their marriage is not to be done by
less than ten persons:
and said, sit down here, and they sat down; and so made a
full court.
Ruth
4:3 3 Then he said to the close
relative, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, sold the piece of
land which belonged to our brother Elimelech.
YLT 3And he saith to the redeemer, `A portion of
the field which [is] to our brother, to Elimelech, hath Naomi sold, who hath
come back from the fields of Moab;
And he said unto the kinsman,.... That is, Boaz said
to the kinsman he called to, and who sat down by him before the ten elders that
were present:
Naomi, that is come again out of the land of Moab, selleth a
parcel of land; meaning, that she was determined upon it, and was about to do
it, and would do it quickly, and he had it in commission to propose it to a
purchaser:
which was our brother Elimelech's; not in a strict sense,
but being akin to the kinsman and himself, and having been a neighbour of them
all, and an inhabitant of the place, he is called their brother; though some
Jewish writersF6Midrash Ruth, fol. 34. 2. say, that he was in a
strict sense a brother of Boaz and this kinsman, and that Tob, Elimelech, and
Boaz, were brethren, and so Tob was reckoned the nearest kinsman, and had the
first right to redeem, because he was the elder brother but this does not seem
likely; See Gill on 3:13.
Ruth
4:4 4 And I thought to inform
you, saying, ‘Buy it back in the presence of the inhabitants and the
elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if you[b] will not
redeem it, then tell me, that I may know; for there is no one but
you to redeem it, and I am next after you.’” And he said, “I will
redeem it.”
YLT 4and I said, I uncover thine ear, saying, Buy
before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people; if thou dost redeem
-- redeem, and if none doth redeem -- declare to me, and I know, for there is
none save thee to redeem, and I after thee.' And he saith, I redeem [it].'
And I thought to advertise thee,.... To give him notice
of it; or "I said"F7ואני אמרתי "et ego dixi", Pagninus, Montanus, &c.
; he said in his heart and mind, purposing to do it; or he said it to Ruth,
promising her that he would do it:
saying, buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my
people; or before those that sat there, even the elders, as witnesses of
the purchase:
if thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: for it was redeemable by
a near kinsman according to the law, even when said to another, in Leviticus 25:25,
but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know; what to do in
this affair, whether to redeem it or not:
for there is none to redeem it besides thee, and I am after thee; he was the
first, and Boaz was the next near kinsman, to whom the right of redemption
belonged:
and he said, I will redeem it: he chose to make the
purchase, he liked the land, which he probably full well knew, and it might lie
near his own, and make a good addition to it; and as the widow was determined,
and under a necessity to sell, he might expect to have it at a cheap rate; all
which might induce him at once to agree to be the purchaser.
Ruth
4:5 5 Then Boaz said, “On the
day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also buy it from
Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to perpetuate[c] the name
of the dead through his inheritance.”
YLT 5And Boaz saith, `In the day of thy buying the
field from the hand of Naomi, then from Ruth the Moabitess, wife of the dead,
thou hast bought [it], to raise up the name of the dead over his inheritance.'
Then said Boaz,.... In order to try the kinsman, whether he
would abide by his resolution, he acquaints him with what he had as yet
concealed:
what day thou buyest the field of Naomi, thou must buy it also of
Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead; the wife of Mahlon, who
was dead, the eldest son of Naomi, and so his widow, Ruth the Moabitess, had
the reversion of the estate; wherefore the purchase must be made of her as well
as of Naomi, and the purchase could not be made of her without marrying her;
which, though no law obliged to, yet it seems to be a condition of the purchase
annexed to it by Naomi, that she would sell it to no man, unless he would
consent to marry Ruth, for whose settlement she had a great concern, having
been very dutiful and affectionate to her; which is clearly intimated in the
next clause:
to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance; and so Naomi
had another end to answer thereby, not only to provide a good husband for her
daughter-in-law, but to perpetuate the name of her son, agreeably to the design
of the law in Deuteronomy 25:5.
Ruth
4:6 6 And the close relative
said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I ruin my own inheritance.
You redeem my right of redemption for yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”
YLT 6And the redeemer saith, `I am not able to
redeem [it] for myself, lest I destroy mine inheritance; redeem for thyself --
thou -- my right of redemption, for I am not able to redeem.'
And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself,.... On such a
condition, because he had a wife, as the Targum suggests; and to take another
would, as that intimates, tend to introduce contention into his family, and
make him uncomfortable; so Josephus saysF8Antiqu. l. 5. c. 9. sect.
4. , he had a wife and children, for that reason it was not convenient for him
to take the purchase on such a condition:
lest I mar my own inheritance; he considered, that as
he had a wife and children already and as he might have more by marrying Ruth,
his family expenses would be increased, and his estate diminished; and what
would remain must be divided among many, and this estate in particular go to
Ruth's firstborn, whereby his own inheritance would be scattered and crumbled,
and come to little or nothing; add to all which, he might suppose that her
ancient mother Naomi would be upon his hands to maintain also:
redeem thou my right for thyself which I am ready to give
up to thee, for thou hast no wife, as the Targum expresses it:
for I can not redeem it; in the circumstances I
am, and upon the condition annexed to the purchase.
Ruth
4:7 7 Now this was the custom
in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging, to confirm
anything: one man took off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this
was a confirmation in Israel.
YLT 7And this [is] formerly in Israel for
redemption and for changing, to establish anything: a man hath drawn off his
sandal, and given [it] to his neighbour, and this [is] the testimony in Israel.
Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning
redeeming,.... It is a custom, and not a law, that seems here referred to,
when an estate was bought and sold; not the law in Leviticus 25:25,
though that respects the redemption of an estate by a near kinsman, yet no such
manner was enjoined as here practised afterwards, made mention of; nor the law
in Deuteronomy 25:5
which does not concern the redemption of estates, nor a kinsman's marrying the
widow of a deceased kinsman, but a brother's marrying the widow of a deceased
brother, and the rites and ceremonies there enjoined upon refusal are different
from those here used; though JosephusF9Antiqu. l. 5. c. 9. sect. 4.
is express for it, that the law is here referred to; but this is not only
concerning purchase of estates, but "concerning changing" also one
field for another as Aben Ezra interprets it: "for to confirm all
things"; the following custom was observed for the confirmation of any
bargain whatever, whether by sale or barter, and where there was no marriage in
the case:
a man plucked off his shoe and gave it to his neighbour; signifying
thereby, that he yielded his right to him in the thing sold or bartered; the
Targum says, he plucked off the glove of his right hand, which perhaps was then
in use, when the Targumist wrote, and answered the same purpose; and, according
to Jarchi, it was a linen cloth, vail, or handkerchief, that was used, and
delivered by the one to the other; and of this way of buying writes EliasF11Tishbi,
p. 207. See Leo Modena's History of the Rites, &c. of the present Jews,
part 2. c. 6. ; at this day, says he, we purchase by a linen cloth or
handkerchief called "sudar", which is a garment; and this two
witnesses take, and explain before them the words of their agreement, and each
of the witnesses stretches out the skirt of the garment, and those that take
upon them to confirm every matter, touch the skirt of their garments; and this
is called purchasing by "sudar", or the linen cloth:
and this was a testimony in Israel; a witness to, or a
confirmation of the bargain made; but who gave the shoe, whether the kinsman or
Boaz, is not certain from the text; and about which the Jewish writers are
divided, as Jarchi observes.
Ruth
4:8 8 Therefore the close
relative said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself.” So he took off his sandal.
YLT 8And the redeemer saith to Boaz, `Buy [it] for
thyself,' and draweth off his sandal.
And therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, buy it for me,.... Which is
repeated to show he gave his full consent to it, that he should make the
purchase of it if he pleased, and which he confirmed by the following rite:
so he drew off his shoe; thereby signifying that
he relinquished his right to the purchase of the estate, and ceded it to him;
the Targum has it,"and Boaz drew off the glove off his right hand, and
bought it of him;'and so Aben Ezra,"and Boaz drew off his shoe, and gave
it to his kinsman,'as if this was some acknowledgment for yielding his right
unto him; and about this there is a great dissension among the Jewish writersF12Midrash
Ruth, fol. 35. 2. ; one says it was the shoe of Boaz that was plucked off;
another says it was the shoe of the kinsman; which latter seems most correct:
and it may be observed, that this custom is different from what is enjoined Deuteronomy 25:6
there the woman was to pluck off the shoe of him that refused to marry her, but
here the man plucked off his own shoe, who chose not to redeem; nor is there
mention of spitting in his face; nor does it appear that Ruth did the one or
the other; though JosephusF13Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 9. sect.
4.) affirms it, and says, that she both plucked off his shoe, and spit in his
face; neither of which are mentioned.
Ruth
4:9 9 And Boaz said to the
elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have
bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and
Mahlon’s, from the hand of Naomi.
YLT 9And Boaz saith to the elders, and [to] all
the people, `Witnesses [are] ye to-day that I have bought all that [is] to
Elimelech, and all that [is] to Chilion and Mahlon, from the hand of Naomi;
And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people,.... Who were
present at the gate of the city, or in court:
ye are witnesses this day that I have bought all that was
Elimelech's; all the land which belonged to him, who was the husband of
Naomi, and the father of Ruth's husband, whose estate Boaz now bought, paying
the value for it to Naomi:
and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's; the two sons
of Elimelech, who, had they been living, would have enjoyed their father's
estate; but they being dead, it devolved on the mother, and after her on the
widows, who must therefore agree to the sale of the estate, as Ruth did, see 4:5. Of Orpah no notice is taken, because she returned
to her own land; and besides Mahlon, the husband of Ruth, was the elder
brother, and therefore had the first right to the inheritance; but as it was in
the hands of Naomi now, the purchase was made of her principally, and therefore
Boaz is said to purchase it
of the hand of Naomi; to whom the money was
paid, and who delivered the estate to him.
Ruth
4:10 10 Moreover, Ruth the
Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, I have acquired as my wife, to perpetuate the
name of the dead through his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be
cut off from among his brethren and from his position at the gate.[d] You are
witnesses this day.”
YLT 10and also Ruth the Moabitess, wife of Mahlon,
I have bought to myself for a wife, to raise up the name of the dead over his
inheritance; and the name of the dead is not cut off from among his brethren,
and from the gate of his place; witnesses ye [are] to-day.'
Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased
to be my wife,.... Which was the condition on which the purchase of the land
was, that whoever bought that should take her for his wife; nor did Boaz do
evil in marrying her, though a Moabitess. Moab was not one of the nations with
whom marriage was forbidden; and though it was a Heathenish and idolatrous
nation, and so on that account it was not fit and proper to marry with such,
yet Ruth was become a proselytess; nor was this contrary to the law in Deuteronomy 23:3,
since, according to the sense the Jews give of it, it respects men, and not
women, and such men who otherwise were capable of bearing offices in the
congregation;"an Ammonite, and a Moabite (they sayF14Misn.
Yebamot, c. 8. sect. 3. ) are forbidden, and their prohibition is a perpetual
one, but their women are free immediately:"
to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance; the name of
Mahlon, Ruth's former husband, to whom the inheritance would have come had he
lived; the raising up of his name is not upon a son of hers by Boaz, for her
firstborn was called Obed, and not Mahlon, and is always spoken of as the son
of Boaz, and not of Mahlon, but upon his inheritance, having bought his wife
along with it, which the register of the purchase would show, and so cause his
name to be remembered; and, as Jarchi says, when Ruth went in and out upon the
estate or inheritance, they would say, this was the wife of Mahlon, and so
through her his name would be made mention of:
that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren,
and from the gate of this place; might not be quite forgotten both in the
city and in the court, and be remembered no more:
ye are witnesses this day; this is repeated, that
they might answer to it, as they do in the next verse.
Ruth
4:11 11 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.
YLT 11And all the people who [are] in the gate say
-- also the elders -- `Witnesses! Jehovah make the woman who is coming in unto
thy house as Rachel and as Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel; and do
thou virtuously in Ephrathah, and proclaim the Name in Beth-Lehem;
And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, we
are witnesses,.... Both of the purchase of the estate by Boaz being legally
made, and of the marriage of Ruth to him, the condition of the bargain:
the Lord make the woman that is come into thine house; not into his
house, strictly and literally taken, the place of his habitation; for both he
and she were now at the gate of the city, and as yet she was not introduced
into his house; but by his marriage of her she was brought into his family, and
was become a principal part of it, being his wife. This is a wish, prayer, or
benediction of the elders, of one in the name of the rest, congratulating the
married couple, and wishing them well; and particularly that the woman Boaz had
married before them, as witnesses, might be
like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: the two wives
of Jacob; the Targum adds, with twelve tribes; for though some of the tribes
sprung from their maids, which they gave to Jacob, yet the children born of
them were reckoned theirs by a moral estimation, as some express it. Rachel is
set before Leah, though the youngest, and had the fewest children, because she
was his first wife in his intention, and according to the covenant made with
her father, though imposed upon and deceived; and she was his more lawful wife,
and his most beloved one. By the children of these two, and their maidens, the
house or family of Israel was built up, and became a great nation, consisting
of twelve tribes, very numerous:
and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem; two names of
one and the same place, Genesis 35:19.
These words seem to be directed to Boaz, particularly praying that he might
continue to do worthy and virtuous actions, as well as increase in wealth and
riches, power and authority, and retain his name and fame, and grow in credit
and reputation among his fellow citizens.
Ruth
4:12 12 May your house be like the
house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring which the Lord will give you
from this young woman.”
YLT 12and let thy house be as the house of Pharez
(whom Tamar bare to Judah), of the seed which Jehovah doth give to thee of this
young woman.'
And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare
unto Judah,.... Of whose tribe the Bethlehemites were, and were also of the
house or family of Pharez, as appears from 4:18,
&c. who was born to Judah of Tamar, one of another nation, as Ruth was, and
from whom sprung a very numerous family, one of the five families of Judah; and
they wish that the family of Boaz, by Ruth, might be as numerous; and if Boaz
was the same with Ibzan, as the Jews say, though that wants proof, he had a
very numerous offspring, thirty sons and thirty daughters, Judges 12:8.
of the seed which the Lord shall give thee of this young woman; by which it
is plain Ruth was present, for they do, as it were, point to her, and that she
was a young woman, though a widow: the Jews say she was forty years of age, as
observed in 3:10 and the elders wish and pray he
might have a numerous family of the children the Lord would give him by her;
and this might be the rather expected of her, as being a young woman, yet only
as the gift of God, as children are, Psalm 127:3.
Ruth
4:13 13 So Boaz took Ruth and she
became his wife; and when he went in to her, the Lord gave her
conception, and she bore a son.
YLT 13And Boaz taketh Ruth, and she becometh his
wife, and he goeth in unto her, and Jehovah giveth to her conception, and she
beareth a son.
So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife,.... Without
any other rites or ceremonies than what are here expressed; for as yet the
rites and ceremonies now in use with the JewsF15Vid. Buxtorf.
Synagog. Jud. c. 39. Leo Modena's History of the Rites of the present Jews,
part 4. c. 3. , in marriages had not obtained: and when he went in unto her;
which is a modest expression of the conjugal duty performed him:
the Lord gave her conception; for this is of God, let
the circumstance of the person, as to age, be as it may:
and she bare a son; at the year's end, as JosephusF16Ut
supra. (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 9. sect. 4.) relates,
Ruth
4:14 14 Then the women said to
Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you
this day without a close relative; and may his name be famous in Israel!
YLT 14And the women say unto Naomi, `Blessed [is]
Jehovah who hath not let a redeemer cease to thee to-day, and his name is
proclaimed in Israel,
And the women said unto Naomi,.... The inhabitants of
Bethlehem, as they fell into her company; or perhaps these were the women that
were called to the labour of Ruth, and attended the birth of the child:
blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee this day without a
kinsman; a grandchild born to her that day. In Moab she was bereaved of
her husband and of two sons; but now she is not left without a relation, a
kinsman, and a redeemer, for which the women blessed God, and stirred her up to
do the same. Alshech observes, that the women said, blessed be the Lord,
because from him would spring the Messiah of the Lord, as did. Some refer this
to Boaz, to whom the name of kinsman, or redeemer, more properly belonged; and
who appeared to have done the office and duty of such an one, by redeeming the
estate of his kinsman, and marrying his widow, the effect of which was, that a
son was born, who would be heir of the estate; but the text speaks of what was
done that day, and what is after said in the next verse all relates to the
child born:
that his name may be famous in Israel; some refer
this to the name of God, by whose providence this was brought about; others to
Boaz, who was well spoken of for his charity, integrity, and humility, shown in
redeeming the estate, and taking Ruth to wife; or rather it refers to the
newborn child, of whom they express their hope and confidence, that when he
came to man's estate would be very famous and honourable in Israel, being a
worthy and virtuous man himself, and the progenitor of such illustrious persons
as Jesse, David, &c. and even of the Messiah.
Ruth
4:15 15 And may he be to you a
restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who
loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him.”
YLT 15and he hath been to thee for a restorer of
life, and for a nourisher of thine old age, for thy daughter-in-law who hath
loved thee -- who is better to thee than seven sons -- hath borne him.'
And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life,.... Of the
joys, pleasures, and comforts of it, which she had been deprived of through the
death of her husband and her two sons, ever since which she had lived a
sorrowful life; all the comfort she had was from her daughter-in-law, and now a
grandchild being born to her of her would be a means of restoring comfort to
her mourning sorrowful spirit, and give her pleasure in those years in which
she did not expect any:
and a nourisher of thine old age; that would when grown up
feed her, support her, and supply her with all necessaries of life, being heir
to a large and rich estate:
for thy daughter in law which loveth thee; Ruth the wife
of Boaz, who had shown her love, in leaving her own country and kindred, to
come along with her into a strange land, and who had laboured for her support
in it, and still retained the same affection for her:
which is better to thee than seven sons, hath borne him: either which
had been so in the time of her widowhood, as the Targum; or rather which was so
now, being the wife of so rich a person, and having now brought forth a son,
heir to the estate, who would be more capable of doing for her than if she had
seven sons living, having no other than their paternal estate.
Ruth
4:16 16 Then Naomi took the child
and laid him on her bosom, and became a nurse to him.
YLT 16And Naomi taketh the lad, and layeth him in
her bosom, and is to him for a nurse;
And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom,.... As a
token of her most tender love and affection for it; this it is probable she did
quickly after the birth of it:
and became a nurse unto it; that is, after the
mother had suckled and weaned it, then she took it from her, and brought it up.
Ruth
4:17 17 Also the neighbor women
gave him a name, saying, “There is a son born to Naomi.” And they called his
name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
YLT 17and the neighbouring women give to him a
name, saying, `There hath been a son born to Naomi,' and they call his name
Obed; he [is] father of Jesse, father of David.
And the women her neighbours gave it a name,.... Josephus
saysF17Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 9. sect. 4.) Naomi gave it, by
the advice of her neighbours; very probably on the eighth day when he was
circumcised, and the neighbours were invited on that occasion, at which time it
seems it was usual to give names to children, see Luke 1:59. The Romans
gave names to females on the eighth day, to the males on the ninth; hence the
goddess Nundina had her nameF18Alex. ab Alex. Genial. Dier. l. 2. c.
25. ; the Greeks generally on the tenth, sometimes on the seventhF19Harpocration
& Suidas in voce εβδομευομηνου, Scholiast. in
Aristoph. Aves, p. 565. & Euripid. & Aristot. in ib. : it was commonly
the province of the father to give the name, and sometimes his neighbours and
nearest friends were called, and in their presence the name was given, and by any
of them he should choose in his steadF20Vid. Sperling. de Baptism.
Ethnic. c. 14. & 15. :
saying, there is a son born to Naomi; to her
family, and even to herself, being born of her who had been wife to her eldest
son; and this was to her as instead of him, and was as he to her; so Aben Ezra
compares this with Exodus 2:10 and
moreover, this child was born, as the neighbours presaged, for the great
comfort and advantage of Naomi, to be her supporter and nourisher in her old
age, 4:15.
and they called his name Obed; which signifies
"serving", as JosephusF21Ibid. rightly observes, though he
does not always give the true sense of Hebrew words: this name was given, not
in remembrance of the service his mother was obliged to, before marriage with
Boaz; but rather on the account of the service that he would be of to Naomi, as
they hoped and believed; though the reason of it, as given by the Targum, is
not to be overlooked, which interprets it,"who served the Lord of the
world with a perfect heart;'and so they might have some respect to his being
hereafter a servant of the Lord:
he is the father of Jesse, and the father of David: so Jesse is
called the Bethlehemite, 1 Samuel 16:1,
being of the city of Bethlehem, of which city Boaz was when his son Obed was
born, who was the father of Jesse; of whom was David king of Israel, and from
whom sprung the Messiah, for whose sake this book was written, that his
genealogy might clearly appear; and of which use it is made by the Evangelists
Matthew; and Luke.
Ruth
4:18 18 Now this is the
genealogy of Perez: Perez begot Hezron;
YLT 18And these are genealogies of Pharez: Pharez
begat Hezron,
Now these are the generations of Pharez,.... The son
of Judah, by Tamar before mentioned, 4:12, for the
intention of this genealogy is to confirm the truth of Jacob's prophecy, of
Shiloh the Messiah coming from the tribe of Judah, Genesis 49:10 and
therefore it begins with Pharez, well known to be the son of Judah, and ends
with David, whose son the Messiah was to be, as is owned by all Jews and
Gentiles that believe the divine revelation:
Pharez begat Hezron; who was one of those
that went down with Jacob into Egypt, being born in the land of Canaan, Genesis 47:12
called Esrom in Matthew 1:3.
Ruth
4:19 19 Hezron begot Ram, and Ram
begot Amminadab;
YLT 19and Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat
Amminidab,
And Hezron begat Ram,.... Called Aram by the
Septuagint, and so in Matthew 1:3,
and Ram begat Amminadab; in whose name there is
no variation, neither in the book of Chronicles nor in the Evangelists; both
these, as well as the next, were born in Egypt.
Ruth
4:20 20 Amminadab begot Nahshon,
and Nahshon begot Salmon;[e]
YLT 20and Amminidab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon
begat Salmon,
And Amminadab begat Nahshon,.... The prince of the
tribe of Judah, as the Targum adds; and so he was when the Israelites were come
out of Egypt, and were in the wilderness at the time of the dedication of the
altar, Numbers 7:12 called
Nahsson, Matthew 1:4, and
Nahshon begat Salmon; or, as in the Hebrew text, Salmah, and in 1 Chronicles 2:11,
Salma; and yet in the verse following Salmon, as we read it.
Ruth
4:21 21 Salmon
begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed;
YLT 21and Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,
And Salmon begat Boaz,.... Of Rahab the harlot,
whom he married, Matthew 1:5 the
very same person that makes a principal part of this book, and whom the Targum
here takes to be the judge Ibzan; see Gill on 1:1.
and Boaz begat Obed; of Ruth; of whom see the
preceding verses.
Ruth
4:22 22 Obed begot Jesse, and
Jesse begot David.
YLT 22and Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.
And Obed begat Jesse,.... The Bethlehemite,
the father of David:
and Jesse begat David; the Targum adds, the
king of Israel; and so the Syriac and Arabic versions add, the king; from
whence it is by some concluded that this book was written by Samuel, not only
after the birth of David, but after he had been anointed king by him: here
being but four generations mentioned, from the coming of the Israelites into
Canaan, to the birth of David, which was three hundred and sixty years, each of
the four persons, Salmon, Boaz, Obed, and Jesse, must beget a son when one
hundred years old and upwards; and which is not at all incredible, as appears
by instances in later times, and therefore not at all improbable, that in those
ancient times men of sobriety and good constitutions should have children at
such an age.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)