Ezekiel 16:6

16:6 “‘I passed by you and saw you kicking around helplessly in your blood. I said to you as you lay there in your blood, “Live!” I said to you as you lay there in your blood, “Live!” ¹ 

Deuteronomy 7:6-8

7:6 For you are a people holy ²  to the Lord your God. He ³  has chosen you to be his people, prized ⁴  above all others on the face of the earth.

The Basis of Israel’s Election

7:7 It is not because you were more numerous than all the other peoples that the Lord favored and chose you – for in fact you were the least numerous of all peoples. 7:8 Rather it is because of his ⁵  love ⁶  for you and his faithfulness to the promise ⁷  he solemnly vowed ⁸  to your ancestors ⁹  that the Lord brought you out with great power, ¹⁰  redeeming ¹¹  you from the place of slavery, from the power ¹²  of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

Ruth 3:9

3:9 He said, “Who are you?” ¹³  She replied, “I am Ruth, your servant. ¹⁴  Marry your servant, ¹⁵  for you are a guardian of the family interests.” ¹⁶ 

Ruth 3:1

Naomi Instructs Ruth

3:1 At that time, ¹⁷  Naomi, her mother-in-law, said to her, “My daughter, I must find a home for you so you will be secure. ¹⁸ 

Ruth 1:22

1:22 So Naomi returned, accompanied by her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, who came back with her from the region of Moab. ¹⁹  (Now they ²⁰  arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.) ²¹ 

Isaiah 41:8-9

The Lord Encourages His People

41:8 “You, my servant Israel,

Jacob whom I have chosen,

offspring of Abraham my friend, ²² 

41:9 you whom I am bringing back ²³  from the earth’s extremities,

and have summoned from the remote regions –

I told you, “You are my servant.”

I have chosen you and not rejected you.

Isaiah 43:4

43:4 Since you are precious and special in my sight, ²⁴ 

and I love you,

I will hand over people in place of you,

nations in place of your life.

Isaiah 63:7-9

A Prayer for Divine Intervention

63:7 I will tell of the faithful acts of the Lord,

of the Lord’s praiseworthy deeds.

I will tell about all ²⁵  the Lord did for us,

the many good things he did for the family of Israel, ²⁶ 

because of ²⁷  his compassion and great faithfulness.

63:8 He said, “Certainly they will be my people,

children who are not disloyal.” ²⁸ 

He became their deliverer.

63:9 Through all that they suffered, he suffered too. ²⁹ 

The messenger sent from his very presence ³⁰  delivered them.

In his love and mercy he protected ³¹  them;

he lifted them up and carried them throughout ancient times. ³² 

Jeremiah 2:2-3

2:2 “Go and declare in the hearing of the people of Jerusalem: ³³  ‘This is what the Lord says: “I have fond memories of you, ³⁴  how devoted you were to me in your early years. ³⁵  I remember how you loved me like a new bride; you followed me through the wilderness, through a land that had never been planted. 2:3 Israel was set apart to the Lord; they were like the first fruits of a harvest to him. ³⁶  All who tried to devour them were punished; disaster came upon them,” says the Lord.’”

Jeremiah 31:3

31:3 In a far-off land the Lord will manifest himself to them.

He will say to them, ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love.

That is why I have continued to be faithful to you. ³⁷ 

Hosea 11:1

Reversal of the Exodus: Return to Egypt and Exile in Assyria

11:1 When Israel was a young man, I loved him like a son, ³⁸ 

and I summoned my son ³⁹  out of Egypt.

Malachi 1:2

1:2 “I have shown love to you,” says the Lord, but you say, “How have you shown love to us?”

“Esau was Jacob’s brother,” the Lord explains, “yet I chose Jacob

Romans 5:8

5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 9:10-13

9:10 Not only that, but when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, ⁴⁰  our ancestor Isaac – 9:11 even before they were born or had done anything good or bad (so that God’s purpose in election ⁴¹  would stand, not by works but by ⁴²  his calling) ⁴³  – 9:12 ⁴⁴  it was said to her, “The older will serve the younger,” ⁴⁵  9:13 just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” ⁴⁶ 

[16:6]  ¹ tc The translation reflects the Hebrew text, which repeats the statement, perhaps for emphasis. However, a few medieval Hebrew manuscripts, the Old Greek, and the Syriac do not include the repetition. The statement could have been accidentally repeated or the second occurrence could have been accidentally omitted. Based on the available evidence it is difficult to know which is more likely.

[7:6]  ² tn That is, “set apart.”

[7:6]  ³ tn Heb “the Lord your God.” The pronoun has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons to avoid redundancy.

[7:6]  ⁴ tn Or “treasured” (so NIV, NRSV); NLT “his own special treasure.” The Hebrew term סְגֻלָּה (sÿgullah) describes Israel as God’s choice people, those whom he elected and who are most precious to him (cf. Exod 19:4-6; Deut 14:2; 26:18; 1 Chr 29:3; Ps 135:4; Eccl 2:8 Mal 3:17). See E. Carpenter, NIDOTTE 3:224.

[7:8]  ⁵ tn Heb “the Lord’s.” See note on “He” in 7:6.

[7:8]  ⁶ tn For the verb אָהַב (’ahav, “to love”) as a term of choice or election, see note on the word “loved” in Deut 4:37.

[7:8]  ⁷ tn Heb “oath.” This is a reference to the promises of the so-called “Abrahamic Covenant” (cf. Gen 15:13-16).

[7:8]  ⁸ tn Heb “swore on oath.”

[7:8]  ⁹ tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 12, 13).

[7:8]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “by a strong hand” (NAB similar); NLT “with such amazing power.”

[7:8]  ¹¹ sn Redeeming you from the place of slavery. The Hebrew verb translated “redeeming” (from the root פָּדָה, padah) has the idea of redemption by the payment of a ransom. The initial symbol of this was the Passover lamb, offered by Israel to the Lord as ransom in exchange for deliverance from bondage and death (Exod 12:1-14). Later, the firstborn sons of Israel, represented by the Levites, became the ransom (Num 3:11-13). These were all types of the redemption effected by the death of Christ who described his atoning work as “a ransom for many” (Matt 20:28; cf. 1 Pet 1:18).

[7:8]  ¹² tn Heb “hand” (so KJV, NRSV), a metaphor for power or domination.

[3:9]  ¹³ tn When Boaz speaks, he uses the feminine form of the pronoun, indicating that he knows she is a woman.

[3:9]  ¹⁴ tn Here Ruth uses אָמָה (’amah), a more elevated term for a female servant than שִׁפְחָה (shifkhah), the word used in 2:13. In Ruth 2, where Ruth has just arrived from Moab and is very much aware of her position as a foreigner (v. 10), she acknowledges Boaz’s kindness and emphasizes her own humility by using the term שִׁפְחָה, though she admits that she does not even occupy that lowly position on the social scale. However, here in chap. 3, where Naomi sends her to Boaz to seek marriage, she uses the more elevated term אָמָה to describe herself because she is now aware of Boaz’s responsibility as a close relative of her deceased husband and she wants to challenge him to fulfill his obligation. In her new social context she is dependent on Boaz (hence the use of אָמָה), but she is no mere שִׁפְחָה.

[3:9]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “and spread your wing [or skirt] over your servant.” Many medieval Hebrew mss have the plural/dual “your wings” rather than the singular “your wing, skirt.” The latter is more likely here in the context of Ruth’s marriage proposal. In the metaphorical account in Ezek 16:8, God spreads his skirt over naked Jerusalem as an act of protection and as a precursor to marriage. Thus Ruth’s words can be taken, in effect, as a marriage proposal (and are so translated here; cf. TEV “So please marry me”). See F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther (WBC), 164-65.

[3:9]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “for you are a גֹאֵל [go’el],” sometimes translated “redeemer” (cf. NIV “a kinsman-redeemer”; NLT “my family redeemer”). In this context Boaz, as a “redeemer,” functions as a guardian of the family interests who has responsibility for caring for the widows of his deceased kinsmen. For a discussion of the legal background, see F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther (WBC), 166-69.

[3:1]  ¹⁷ tn The phrase “sometime later” does not appear in Hebrew but is supplied to mark the implicit shift in time from the events in chapter 2.

[3:1]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “My daughter, should I not seek for you a resting place so that it may go well for you [or which will be good for you]?” The idiomatic, negated rhetorical question is equivalent to an affirmation (see 2:8-9) and has thus been translated in the affirmative (so also NAB, NCV, NRSV, TEV, CEV, NLT).

[1:22]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “and Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, the one who returned from the region of Moab.”

[1:22]  ²⁰ tn The pronoun appears to be third person masculine plural in form, but it is probably an archaic third person dual form (see F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther [WBC], 94).

[1:22]  ²¹ tn This statement, introduced with a disjunctive structure (vav [ו] + subject + verb) provides closure for the previous scene, while at the same time making a transition to the next scene, which takes place in the barley field. The reference to the harvest also reminds the reader that God has been merciful to his people by replacing the famine with fertility. In the flow of the narrative the question is now, “Will he do the same for Naomi and Ruth?”

[41:8]  ²² tn Or perhaps, “covenantal partner” (see 1 Kgs 5:15 HT [5:1 ET]; 2 Chr 20:7).

[41:9]  ²³ tn Heb “whom I have taken hold of [i.e., to lead back].”

[43:4]  ²⁴ tn Heb “Since you are precious in my eyes and you are honored.”

[63:7]  ²⁵ tn Heb “according to all which.”

[63:7]  ²⁶ tn Heb “greatness of goodness to the house of Israel which he did for them.”

[63:7]  ²⁷ tn Heb “according to.”

[63:8]  ²⁸ tn Heb “children [who] do not act deceitfully.” Here the verb refers to covenantal loyalty.

[63:9]  ²⁹ tn Heb “in all their distress, there was distress to him” (reading לוֹ [lo] with the margin/Qere).

[63:9]  ³⁰ tn Heb “the messenger [or “angel”] of his face”; NIV “the angel of his presence.”

[63:9]  ³¹ tn Or “redeemed” (KJV, NAB, NIV), or “delivered.”

[63:9]  ³² tn Heb “all the days of antiquity”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “days of old.”

[2:2]  ³³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[2:2]  ³⁴ tn Heb “I remember to/for you.”

[2:2]  ³⁵ tn Heb “the loyal love of your youth.”

[2:3]  ³⁶ sn Heb “the first fruits of his harvest.” Many commentators see the figure here as having theological significance for the calling of the Gentiles. It is likely, however, that in this context the metaphor – here rendered as a simile – is intended to bring out the special relationship and inviolability that Israel had with God. As the first fruits were the special possession of the Lord, to be eaten only by the priests and off limits to the common people, so Israel was God’s special possession and was not to be “eaten” by the nations.

[31:3]  ³⁷ tn Or “The people of Israel who survived the onslaughts of Egypt and Amalek found favor in the wilderness as they journeyed to find rest. At that time long ago the Lord manifested himself to them. He said, ‘I have…That is why I have drawn you to myself through my unfailing kindness.’” For the basis for each of these translations see the translator’s note. There is debate whether the reference here is to God’s preservation of Israel during their wandering in the Sinai desert or his promise to protect and preserve them on their return through the Arabian desert on the way back from Assyria and Babylon (see e.g., Isa 42:14-16; 43:16-21; Jer 16:14-15; 23:7-8). The only finite verbs in vv. 2-3a before the introduction of the quote are perfects which can denote either a past act or a future act viewed as certain of fulfillment (the prophetic perfect; see GKC 312-13 §106.n and see examples in Jer 11:16; 13:17; 25:14; 28:4). The phrase at the beginning of v. 3 can either refer to temporal (cf. BDB 935 s.v. רָחוֹק 2.b and Isa 22:11) or spatial distance (cf. BDB 935 s.v. רָחוֹק 2.a[2] and Isa 5:29; 59:14). The verb in the final clause in v. 3 can refer to either the continuance of God’s love as in Ps 36:10 (cf. BDB 604 s.v. מָשַׁךְ Qal.5) or drawing someone to him in electing, caring love as in Hos 11:4 (cf. BDB 604 s.v. מָשַׁךְ Qal.1). The translation has opted for the prophetic reference to future deliverance because of the preceding context, the use of מֵרָחוֹק (merakhoq) to refer to the far off land of exile in Jer 30:10; 46:27; 51:50, and the reference to survivors from the sword being called on to remember the Lord in that far off land in 51:50.

[11:1]  ³⁸ tn The words “like a son” are not in the Hebrew text, but are necessary to clarify what sort of love is intended (cf. also NLT).

[11:1]  ³⁹ tc The MT reads בְנִי (vÿni, “My son”); however, the LXX reflects בָנָיו (vanav, “his sons”). The MT should be retained as original here because of internal evidence; it is much more appropriate to the context.

[9:10]  ⁴⁰ tn Or possibly “by one act of sexual intercourse.” See D. Moo, Romans (NICNT), 579.

[9:11]  ⁴¹ tn Grk “God’s purpose according to election.”

[9:11]  ⁴² tn Or “not based on works but based on…”

[9:11]  ⁴³ tn Grk “by the one who calls.”

[9:12]  ⁴⁴ sn Many translations place this verse division before the phrase “not by works but by his calling” (NA²⁷/UBS⁴, NIV, NRSV, NLT, NAB). Other translations place this verse division in the same place that the translation above does (NASB, KJV, NKJV, ASV, RSV). The translation has followed the latter to avoid breaking the parenthetical statement.

[9:12]  ⁴⁵ sn A quotation from Gen 25:23.

[9:13]  ⁴⁶ sn A quotation from Mal 1:2-3.