Text -- Ruth 4:13-17 (NET)

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. Now he became the father of Jesse– David’s father!

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Rut 4:13

¹ 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.”

² tn Heb “gave her conception” (so KJV); NRSV “made her conceive”; NLT “enabled her to become pregnant.”

NET Notes: Rut 4:14

¹ 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.

² tn The “guardian” is the subject of the verb, as the next verse makes clear.

³ tn Heb “may his name be called [i.e., “perpetuated”; see Gen 48:16] in Israel.”

NET Notes: Rut 4:15

¹ tn Heb “and he will become for you a restorer of life and a sustainer of your old age” (NASB similar).

² tn Heb “who, she”; KJV “which is better to thee.”

NET Notes: Rut 4:16

¹ tn Or “breast”; KJV, NRSV “in her bosom.”

² 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.”

NET Notes: Rut 4:17

¹ tn The name “Obed” means “one who serves,” perhaps anticipating how he would help Naomi (see v. 15).