Ruth 4:11
in Ruth 4“We are witnesses,” said the elders and all the people at the gate. “May the LORD make the woman entering your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you be prosperous in Ephrathah and famous in Bethlehem.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. Jehovah make the woman that is come into thy house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephrathah, and be famous in Beth-lehem:
KJV
And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Beth–lehem:
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This verse in Ruth 4
Commentary
9 notes on this verseThe elders confirmed the marriage with a blessing, saying, "The Lord made this woman," etc. Moreover, "So that she may be an example of virtue in Ephrathah," they predicted the salvific birth through which Bethlehem was made famous among all people.
This site's exposition
We are witnesses
on Ruth 4:11-12
The elders name Rachel and Leah over a Moabite bride, and Genesis 35:19 buries Rachel on the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. Micah 5:2 names the same town by the same double name. The blessing also names "Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah", one irregular line set over another.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
It was an old custom that if a groom wished to divorce his bride he took off his sandal and this was the sign of the divorce. Consequently, he was ordered to take off his sandals, lest he approach the church wearing sandals like a …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Rachel and Leah - Amiable and fruitful. These two are singled out, because they were of a foreign original, and yet ingrafted into God's people, as Ruth was; and because of that fertility which God vouchsafed unto them above their predecessors, Sarah and Rebecca. Rachel is placed before Leah, because she was his most lawful, and best-beloved wife.
) when they said, We are witnesses. That it was attended with many prayers. The elders and all the people, when they witnessed to it, wished well to it, and blessed it,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, we are witnesses,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
There was no signing of deeds; yet was the transfer made, and complete security given, by the public manner in which the whole matter was carried on and concluded. the Lord make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah--This was the usual bridal benediction.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
We are witnesses - It is not very likely that any writing was drawn up. There was an appeal made to the people then present, whether they had seen and understood the transaction; who answered, We have witnessed it. If any minutes of court were kept, then the transaction was entered probably in some such words as these: “On day of , Boaz bought the land of Elimelech from Naomi his widow, and took Ruth, her daughter-in-law, to wife; , who had the nearest right, refusing to buy the land on the conditions then proposed.” The Lord make this woman - like Rachel and like Leah - May thy family be increased by her means, as the tribes were formed by means of Rachel and Leah, wives of the patriarch Jacob! Which two did build the house of Israel - We have already seen that בן ben, a son, comes from the root בנה banah, he built; and hence אבן eben, a stone, because as a house is built of stones, so is a family of children. There is a similar figure in Plautus, Mostell. Act i., sec. 2, ver. 37. - Nunc etiam volo Dicere, ut homines aedium esse similes arbitremini. Primum dum parentes fabri liberum sunt, Et fundamentum liberorum substruunt. “I would also observe, that ye men are similar to houses; ye parents are the fabricators of the children, and they are the foundation of the building.”
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
See the margin. There is something of a poetical turn in this speech of the elders, and something prophetic in the blessing pronounced by them. It is unique and obscure. The Greek Version (lxx) is unintelligible.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Like Rachel and like Leah. Even though they were from the tribe of Yehudah and of the descendants of Leah, they conceded that Rachel was the mainstay of the household and they mentioned Rachel before Leah. 8 Alternatively, the blessing was for (Naomi)[Ruth] who was the daughter of idolaters.
2 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
To perpetuate the name of the deceased upon his inheritance: Since his wife goes and comes on the estate and brings in and takes out [items], people say, “This is Machlon’s wife,” and thereby his name is remembered upon it.
Like the house of Peretz. From whom they were descended. 9 Otherwise they should have blessed Bo’az to be like Ephrayim and Menashe.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 2 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
29 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ | vaiyomeru | and they said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הָעָ֧ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| בַּשַּׁ֛עַר | bashaar | [was] at the gate | H8179 → | 374 times |
| וְהַזְּקֵנִ֖ים | vehazekenim | and the elders | H2205 → | 178 times |
| עֵדִ֑ים | ʾedim | [we are] witnesses | H5707 → | 70 times |
| יִתֵּן֩ | yiten | may he make | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| יְהוָ֨ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֶֽת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הָאִשָּׁ֜ה | haishah | the woman | H802 → | 781 times |
| הַבָּאָ֣ה | habaah | who is about to come | H935 → | 2568 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | into | H413 → | 5510 times |
| בֵּיתֶ֗ךָ | beitekha | house your | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| כְּרָחֵ֤ל׀ | kerachel | like Rachel | H7354 → | |
| וּכְלֵאָה֙ | ukheleah | and like Leah | H3812 → | |
| אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ʾasher | who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| בָּנ֤וּ | banu | they built | H1129 → | |
| שְׁתֵּיהֶם֙ | sheteihem | [the] two of them | H8147 → | 768 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בֵּ֣ית | beit | [the] house of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| וַעֲשֵׂה־ | vaaseh- | and make | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| חַ֣יִל | chayil | wealth | H2428 → | 246 times |
| בְּאֶפְרָ֔תָה | beefratah | in Ephrathah | H672 → | |
| וּקְרָא־ | ukera'- | and proclaim | H7121 → | 733 times |
| שֵׁ֖ם | shem | a name | H8034 → | 864 times |
| בְּבֵ֥ית | beveit | in Beth- | H1035 → | 82 times |
| לָֽחֶם׃ | lachem | -lehem | H1035 → | 82 times |
וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּand they said
vaiyomeruH559 →5305 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הָעָ֧םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
בַּשַּׁ֛עַר[was] at the gate
bashaarH8179 →374 times
וְהַזְּקֵנִ֖יםand the elders
vehazekenimH2205 →178 times
עֵדִ֑ים[we are] witnesses
ʾedimH5707 →70 times
יִתֵּן֩may he make
yitenH5414 →2011 times
יְהוָ֨הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֶֽת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הָאִשָּׁ֜הthe woman
haishahH802 →781 times
הַבָּאָ֣הwho is about to come
habaahH935 →2568 times
אֶל־into
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
בֵּיתֶ֗ךָhouse your
beitekhaH1004 →2046 times
כְּרָחֵ֤ל׀like Rachel
kerachelH7354 →
וּכְלֵאָה֙and like Leah
ukheleahH3812 →
אֲשֶׁ֨רwho
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
בָּנ֤וּthey built
banuH1129 →
שְׁתֵּיהֶם֙[the] two of them
sheteihemH8147 →768 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
בֵּ֣ית[the] house of
beitH1004 →2046 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
וַעֲשֵׂה־and make
vaaseh-H6213 →2628 times
חַ֣יִלwealth
chayilH2428 →246 times
בְּאֶפְרָ֔תָהin Ephrathah
beefratahH672 →
וּקְרָא־and proclaim
ukera'-H7121 →733 times
שֵׁ֖םa name
shemH8034 →864 times
בְּבֵ֥יתin Beth-
beveitH1035 →82 times
לָֽחֶם׃-lehem
lachemH1035 →82 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
Matthew 2:6‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of My people…
it leads to
- Ezekiel 34:23–25
I will appoint over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will feed them. He will feed them and be their shepherd.
- Micah 5:2
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me One to be ruler over Israel—One whose origins are of old, from the days…
- Isaiah 9:6–7
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Genesis 49:10
The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes and the allegiance of the nations is his.
- Ezekiel 34:23–25
Through
Micah 5:2But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me One to be ruler over Israel—One whose origins are of old, from the days…
it leads to
- John 7:42
Doesn’t the Scripture say that the Christ will come from the line of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Matthew 2:6
‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of My people…
- Luke 1:31–33
Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus.
- Psalms 90:2
Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God.
- John 7:42
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies18
On this verse
On this chapter
About Ruth
Who and where
3 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonPatriarchsLeahJacob's unloved first wife, on whom the LORD's eye fell — the mother of Judah, the messianic tribe, and of Levi, the priestly trib…
- PersonPatriarchsRachelJacob's beloved wife; mother of Joseph and Benjamin, who dies on the road to Bethlehem — later wept for in the prophets (Jer 31:15…
- PlaceBethlehemBethlehemDavid’s town, six miles south of Jerusalem, where Ruth gleaned, where Samuel anointed a shepherd boy, and where Jesus was born as…
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Isidore of Seville, ON RUTH; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; 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.