Ruth 2:20
in Ruth 2Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed by the LORD, who has not withdrawn His kindness from the living or the dead.” Naomi continued, “The man is a close relative. He is one of our kinsman-redeemers.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Naomi said unto her daughter-in-law, Blessed be he of Jehovah, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is nigh of kin unto us, one of our near kinsmen.
KJV
And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the Lord, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.
⋯
This verse in Ruth 2
Commentary
9 notes on this verseTo the living and to the dead - Naomi and Ruth were the living; and they were also the representatives of Elimelech and Mahlon, who were dead. Naomi was of the family; and Ruth, though not of the family, was a representative of one of its deceased branches, being the widow of Mahlon. One of our next kinsmen - מגאלינו miggoaleynu, of our redeemers, one who has the right to redeem the forfeited inheritance of the family.
This site's exposition
Then her mother-in-law asked her
on Ruth 2:19-20
Naomi blesses the man before she hears his name. The word behind "His kindness" is chesed, her word at 1:8, and here it belongs to God and reaches "the living or the dead", Elimelech and her sons. She then names the office, "one of our kinsman-redeemers", the goel of Leviticus 25:25 and 25:48-49, bound to buy back a relative's land or person.
This site's exposition
He is one of our kinsman-redeemers
Adam Clarke explains the word as goel, the relative with the right to buy back a family's lost inheritance. The living are Naomi and Ruth, and the dead are Elimelech and Mahlon, whom they represent. Naomi's hope returns in this sentence.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
With a heart thankful for the remembrance of kindness, Naomi rewarded the absent benefactor of her daughter-in-law with a blessing. For she said, "May he who has acknowledged you be blessed, for he has filled an empty soul by doing what he did. He took …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
2 And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter. 3 And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
Naomi bethinks herself who that should be, and presently recollects herself: " The man is near of kin to us; now that I hear his name, I remember him very well." This thought brings in another: "He is our next kinsman, our goel, that has the right to redeem our estate that was mortgaged, and therefore from him we may expect further kindness.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, blessed be he of the Lord,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
the man is . . . one of our next kinsmen--Hebrew, "one of our redeemers," on whom it devolves to protect us, to purchase our lands, and marry you, the widow of his next kinsman. She said, "one of them," not that there were many in the same close relationship, but that he was a very near kinsman, one other individual only having the precedence.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Blessed be he of the Lord ... - We may gather from Naomi’s allusion to the dead that both her husband and son had been faithful servants of Jehovah, the God of Israel. His kindness to the dead consisted in raising up (as Naomi hoped) an heir to perpetuate the name; and, in general, in His care for their widows. One of our next kinsmen - The word here is גאל gā'al, the redeemer, who had the right: (1) of redeeming the inheritance of the person; (2) of marrying the widow; (3) of avenging the death. (See Lev 25:25-31, Lev 25:47-55; Deu 25:5-10; Deu 19:1-13.) Since these rights belonged to the next of kin, גאל gā'al came to mean the nearest kinsman.
The words behind it
22 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַתֹּ֨אמֶר | vatomer | and she said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| נָעֳמִ֜י | noomi | Naomi | H5281 → | 21 times |
| לְכַלָּתָ֗הּ | lekhalatah | to daughter-in-law her | H3618 → | 34 times |
| בָּר֥וּךְ | barukh | [be] blessed | H1288 → | 330 times |
| הוּא֙ | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| לַיהוָ֔ה | layahweh | by Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֲשֶׁר֙ | ʾasher | who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| עָזַ֣ב | ʾazav | he has forsaken | H5800 → | 215 times |
| חַסְדּ֔וֹ | chasdo | covenant loyalty his | H2617 → | 247 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | with | H854 → | 929 times |
| הַחַיִּ֖ים | hachaiyim | the living | H2416 → | |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and with | H854 → | 929 times |
| הַמֵּתִ֑ים | hametim | the dead | H4191 → | 839 times |
| וַתֹּ֧אמֶר | vatomer | and she said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לָ֣הּ | lah | to <the> her | ||
| נָעֳמִ֗י | noomi | Naomi | H5281 → | 21 times |
| קָר֥וֹב | karov | [is] near | H7138 → | |
| לָ֙נוּ֙ | lanu | to <the> us | ||
| הָאִ֔ישׁ | haish | the man | H376 → | 1663 times |
| מִֽגֹּאֲלֵ֖נוּ | migoalenu | [is] one of kinsman-redeemer[s] our | H1350 → | 104 times |
| הֽוּא׃ | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
וַתֹּ֨אמֶרand she said
vatomerH559 →5305 times
נָעֳמִ֜יNaomi
noomiH5281 →21 times
לְכַלָּתָ֗הּto daughter-in-law her
lekhalatahH3618 →34 times
בָּר֥וּךְ[be] blessed
barukhH1288 →330 times
הוּא֙he
hu'H1931 →1879 times
לַיהוָ֔הby Yahweh
layahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֲשֶׁר֙who
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
עָזַ֣בhe has forsaken
ʾazavH5800 →215 times
חַסְדּ֔וֹcovenant loyalty his
chasdoH2617 →247 times
אֶת־with
ʾet-H854 →929 times
הַחַיִּ֖יםthe living
hachaiyimH2416 →
וְאֶת־and with
veetH854 →929 times
הַמֵּתִ֑יםthe dead
hametimH4191 →839 times
וַתֹּ֧אמֶרand she said
vatomerH559 →5305 times
לָ֣הּto <the> her
lah
נָעֳמִ֗יNaomi
noomiH5281 →21 times
קָר֥וֹב[is] near
karovH7138 →
לָ֙נוּ֙to <the> us
lanu
הָאִ֔ישׁthe man
haishH376 →1663 times
מִֽגֹּאֲלֵ֖נוּ[is] one of kinsman-redeemer[s] our
migoalenuH1350 →104 times
הֽוּא׃he
hu'H1931 →1879 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Samuel 2:5So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead to tell them, “The LORD bless you, because you showed this kindness to Saul your lord when you buried him.
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 23:21
“May you be blessed by the LORD,” replied Saul, “for you have had compassion on me.
- Psalms 115:15
May you be blessed by the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
- Ruth 3:10
Then Boaz said, “May the LORD bless you, my daughter. You have shown more kindness now than before, because you have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor.
- 1 Samuel 25:32–33
Then David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who sent you to meet me this day!
- 1 Samuel 24:19
When a man finds his enemy, does he let him go away unharmed? May the LORD reward you with good for what you have done for me this day.
- 1 Samuel 23:21
Through
Leviticus 25:25If your brother becomes impoverished and sells some of his property, his nearest of kin may come and redeem what his brother has sold.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 32:7–8
Behold! Hanamel, the son of your uncle Shallum, is coming to you to say, ‘Buy for yourself my field in Anathoth, for you have the right of redemption to buy it.’
- Ruth 3:9
“Who are you?” he asked. “I am your servant Ruth,” she replied. “Spread the corner of your garment over me, for you are a kinsman-redeemer.”
- Ruth 3:12
Yes, it is true that I am a kinsman-redeemer, but there is a redeemer nearer than I.
- Jeremiah 32:7–8
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Ruth
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theodoret of Cyrus, QUESTIONS ON RUTH.