^4:13So Boaz married Ruth and had sexual relations with her.³⁹ The Lord enabled her to conceive⁴⁰ and she gave birth to a son. ^4:14The village women said to Naomi, “May the Lord be praised because he has not left you without a guardian⁴¹ today! May he⁴² become famous in Israel!⁴³^4:15He will encourage you and provide for you when you are old,⁴⁴ for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, has given him birth. She⁴⁵ is better to you than seven sons!” ^4:16Naomi took the child and placed him on her lap;⁴⁶ she became his caregiver.⁴⁷^4:17The neighbor women named him, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed.⁴⁸ Now he became the father of Jesse—David’s father!

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Footnotes

39 Heb “and Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife and he went in to her.” Here the phrase “went in to her” (so ) is a euphemism for having sexual relations (cf. ); “When he slept with her.”
40 Heb “gave her conception” (so ); “made her conceive”; “enabled her to become pregnant.”
41 Or “redeemer.” See the note on the phrase “guardian of the family interests” in . As the following context indicates, the child is referred to here.
42 The “guardian” is the subject of the verb, as the next verse makes clear.
43 Heb “may his name be called [i.e., “perpetuated”; see Gen 48:16] in Israel.”
44 Heb “and he will become for you a restorer of life and a sustainer of your old age” ( similar).
45 Heb “who, she”; “which is better to thee.”
46 Or “breast”; , “in her bosom.”
47 Heb “his nurse,” but this refers to a dry nurse, not a medical attendant. Cf. “and cared for him”; “and took (+ good ) care of him.”
48 The name “Obed” means “one who serves,” perhaps anticipating how he would help Naomi (see v. 15).

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.”

Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. He slept with her, and the Lord granted conception to her, and she gave birth to a son. The women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you without a family redeemer today. May his name become well known in Israel. He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. Indeed, your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” Naomi took the child, placed him on her lap, and became a mother to him. The neighbor women said, “A son has been born to Naomi,” and they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

NLTNew Living Translation

So Boaz took Ruth into his home, and she became his wife. When he slept with her, the Lord enabled her to become pregnant, and she gave birth to a son. Then the women of the town said to Naomi, “Praise the Lord, who has now provided a redeemer for your family! May this child be famous in Israel. May he restore your youth and care for you in your old age. For he is the son of your daughter-in-law who loves you and has been better to you than seven sons!”

Naomi took the baby and cuddled him to her breast. And she cared for him as if he were her own. The neighbor women said, “Now at last Naomi has a son again!” And they named him Obed. He became the father of Jesse and the grandfather of David.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and Yahweh enabled her to conceive, and she bore a son. And the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be Yahweh who today did not leave you without a redeemer! And may his name be renowned in Israel! He shall be for you a restorer of life and a sustainer in your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is better for you than seven sons, has borne him.” And Naomi took the child and she put him on her bosom and became his nurse. And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” And they called his name Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

KJV 1900King James Version

So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bare a son. And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him. And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it. And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

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