Ruth 4:13-17

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ruth 4:13-22

Here is, I. Ruth a wife. Boaz took her, with the usual solemnities, to his house, and she became his wife (Ruth 4:13), all the city, no doubt, congratulating the preferment of a virtuous woman, purely for her virtues. We have reason to think that Orpah, who returned from Naomi to her people and her gods, was never half so well preferred as Ruth was. He that forsakes all for Christ shall find more than all with him; it shall be recompensed a hundred-fold in this present time. Now Orpah wished... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ruth 4:13

So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife ,.... Without any other rites or ceremonies than what are here expressed; for as yet the rites and ceremonies now in use with the Jews F15 Vid. Buxtorf. Synagog. Jud. c. 39. Leo Modena's History of the Rites of the present Jews, part 4. c. 3. , in marriages had not obtained: and when he went in unto her; which is a modest expression of the conjugal duty performed him: the Lord gave her conception ; for this is of God, let the circumstance of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ruth 4:14

And the women said unto Naomi ,.... The inhabitants of Bethlehem, as they fell into her company; or perhaps these were the women that were called to the labour of Ruth, and attended the birth of the child: blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman ; a grandchild born to her that day. In Moab she was bereaved of her husband and of two sons; but now she is not left without a relation, a kinsman, and a redeemer, for which the women blessed God, and stirred her... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ruth 4:15

And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life ,.... Of the joys, pleasures, and comforts of it, which she had been deprived of through the death of her husband and her two sons, ever since which she had lived a sorrowful life; all the comfort she had was from her daughter-in-law, and now a grandchild being born to her of her would be a means of restoring comfort to her mourning sorrowful spirit, and give her pleasure in those years in which she did not expect any: and a nourisher of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ruth 4:16

And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom ,.... As a token of her most tender love and affection for it; this it is probable she did quickly after the birth of it: and became a nurse unto it ; that is, after the mother had suckled and weaned it, then she took it from her, and brought it up. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ruth 4:17

And the women her neighbours gave it a name ,.... Josephus says F17 Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 9. sect. 4.) Naomi gave it, by the advice of her neighbours; very probably on the eighth day when he was circumcised, and the neighbours were invited on that occasion, at which time it seems it was usual to give names to children, see Luke 1:59 . The Romans gave names to females on the eighth day, to the males on the ninth; hence the goddess Nundina had her name F18 Alex. ab Alex.... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ruth 4:13

So Boaz took Ruth - The law of Moses had prohibited the Moabites, even to the tenth generation, from entering into the congregation of the Lord; but this law, the Jews think, did not extend to women; and even if it had, Ruth's might be considered an exempt case, as she had been already incorporated into the family by marriage; and left her own country, people, and gods, to become a proselyte to the true God in the land of Israel. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ruth 4:16

Naomi took the child - This might do for Naomi, but it was bad for the child. A child, unless remarkably healthy and robust, will suffer considerably by being nursed by an old woman, especially if the child sleep with her. The aged gain refreshment and energy by sleeping with the young; and from the same means the young derive premature decrepitude. The vigor which is absorbed by the former is lost by the latter. It is a foolish and destructive custom to permit young children, which is... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ruth 4:17

The neighbors gave it a name - That is, they recommended a name suitable to the circumstances of the case; and the parents and grandmother adopted it. They called his name Obed - עובד obed , serving, from עבד abad , he served. Why was this name given? Because he was to be the nourisher of her old age, Rth 4:15. And so he must be by lying in her bosom, even if services in future life were wholly left out of the question. These neighbors of Naomi were skillful... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ruth 4:13

And Boaz took Ruth, and she became to him his wife; and he went in to her, and Yahveh gave her conception, and she bore a son. read more

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