Rut 4:14-22

4:14 The village women said to Naomi, “May the Lord be praised because he has not left you without a guardian ¹  today! May he ²  become famous in Israel! ³  4:15 He will encourage you and provide for you when you are old, ⁴  for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, has given him birth. She ⁵  is better to you than seven sons!” 4:16 Naomi took the child and placed him on her lap; ⁶  she became his caregiver. ⁷  4:17 The neighbor women named him, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. ⁸  Now he became the father of Jesse – David’s father!

Epilogue: Obed in the Genealogy of David

4:18 These are the descendants ⁹  of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron, 4:19 Hezron was the father of Ram, Ram was the father of Amminadab, 4:20 Amminadab was the father of Nachshon, Nachshon was the father of Salmah, 4:21 Salmon ¹⁰  was the father of Boaz, Boaz was the father of Obed, 4:22 Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of David. ¹¹ 

[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.

[4:14]  ² tn The “guardian” is the subject of the verb, as the next verse makes clear.

[4:14]  ³ tn Heb “may his name be called [i.e., “perpetuated”; see Gen 48:16] in Israel.”

[4:15]  ⁴ tn Heb “and he will become for you a restorer of life and a sustainer of your old age” (NASB similar).

[4:15]  ⁵ tn Heb “who, she”; KJV “which is better to thee.”

[4:16]  ⁶ tn Or “breast”; KJV, NRSV “in her bosom.”

[4:16]  ⁷ 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.”

[4:17]  ⁸ tn The name “Obed” means “one who serves,” perhaps anticipating how he would help Naomi (see v. 15).

[4:18]  ⁹ tn Or “generations” (so KJV, NASB); NIV, NLT “family line.”

[4:18]  sn The concluding genealogy demonstrates that the prayers of blessing made earlier were fulfilled. Boaz’s line did become like the line of Perez, and both Boaz and Obed became famous. God’s blessing upon Ruth and Boaz extended beyond their lifetime and immediate family, for their great descendant, David, became the greatest of Israel’s kings, and his descendant in turn, Jesus the Messiah, became greater still.

[4:21]  ¹⁰ sn Salmon appears to be an alternate spelling of Salmah in the preceding line.

[4:22]  ¹¹ sn The theological message of the Book of Ruth may be summarized as follows: God cares for needy people like Naomi and Ruth; he is their ally in this chaotic world. He richly rewards people like Ruth and Boaz who demonstrate sacrificial love and in so doing become his instruments in helping the needy. God’s rewards for those who sacrificially love others sometimes exceed their wildest imagination and transcend their lifetime.