Section 4:13–17
Boaz and Ruth married and had a son
This section tells us about Boaz marrying Ruth and the birth of their son Obed. After Obed was born, the women of the town spoke encouraging words to Naomi.
Here are some other possible headings for this section:
Ruth gave birth to Naomi’s grandson
-or-
Boaz married Ruth and they had a son
Paragraph 4:13–17
4:13a
So: The Hebrew conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as So continues the story after the quotation in the previous paragraph. It also indicates the result of the decision that the elders and witnesses had made at the town gate.
Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife: The Hebrew clauses that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife mean that Boaz married Ruth. The Berean Standard Bible, following the Hebrew, uses two phrases to say this. In some languages, it may be better to combine these ideas into one clause and say that he married her.
Here are some other ways to translate this sentence:
Boaz and Ruth married one another
-or-
Boaz married Ruth (Contemporary English Version)
– or –
Then Boaz took Ruth home, and she became his wife. (God’s Word)
took: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as took means that Boaz took Ruth to his house. This was the custom of the Israelite people. In cultures where such a custom is unknown, the phrase may sound as if Boaz took Ruth without her consent. Because of this, it may be best to use a general word for “married.” See the other ways of translating this word listed above.
4:13b
And when he had relations with her: The Hebrew clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as when he had relations with her means that Boaz and Ruth had sexual relations. The Hebrew is more literally “And he went in to her.” The Berean Standard Bible translation is a euphemism. It is a way of politely saying that Boaz and Ruth had sexual relations. In some cultures, it may be acceptable to translate this without a euphemism. The phrase you choose should be one that it is acceptable to read or say in a church meeting or at any other public occasion.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
when he slept with her (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
then they lay down together
-or-
and had sexual relations with her (NET Bible)
Some versions (Contemporary English Version, Good News Translation) leave this clause implied, because the meaning is clear from the following context. For example:
and the Lord blessed her with a son (Contemporary English Version)
the LORD enabled her to conceive: The Hebrew clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the LORD enabled her to conceive means that the LORD made it possible for Ruth to become pregnant. You need to be careful how you translate this. If you say, “The LORD caused her to become pregnant,” it could give a wrong meaning. The author meant that the LORD worked to allow Ruth to conceive.
Here are some other ways to translate this sentence:
The LORD blessed her and she became pregnant
-or-
The Lord let her become pregnant (New Century Version)
-or-
The LORD helped her and she became pregnant
and she gave birth to a son: The Hebrew clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as she gave birth to a son means that Ruth gave birth to a male child.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
and she gave birth to a male child
-or-
and she bore a son (New Revised Standard Version)
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