Naomi

The Hebrew that is transliterated as “Naomi” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign for “changed identity” referring to the many life changes that Naomi goes through in the book of Ruth. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Naomi” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

complete verse (Ruth 2:1)

Following are a number of back-translations of Ruth 2:1:

  • Noongar: “Now, a relative of Naomi, he was named Boaz. He was a relative of Naomi’s husband, famous in the tribe of Elimelech.” (Source: Bardip Ruth-Ang 2020)
  • Eastern Bru: “Naomi had a person from the clan of her husband Elimelech. That person was named Boaz, and he was a person who had great authority, and he was also rich.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: (verses 1-3) “One day, Ruth said to Noemi, ‘Allow me to go to the field to glean the heads-of-grain of a man who will-allow me to do it.’ Noemi said to her, ‘Okay child, you(sg) go.’ So Ruth went-out and gleaned the heads-of-grain that were-left-behind by the harvesters. And it-so-happened that she gleaned there at the field of Boaz the relative of Elimelec. Boaz was a wealthy and famous man.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “There was a man in Bethlehem who belonged to the clan of Naomi’s dead husband, Elimelech. He was rich and well-known/influential. His name was Boaz.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Ruth 2:1: A Cultural Commentary for Central Africa

Boaz is introduced at this point in anticipation of the major role that he is about to play in the narrative, namely, as a husband to Ruth. From the Tonga kinship perspective, however, he is on the wrong side of the family—that of Elimelech (i.e., patrilineal descent).
If this had been a Tonga setting, Boaz would have had to come from among the dead a Tonga setting, Boaz would have had to come from among the dead husband’s mother’s relatives, i.e., from Naomi’s line (matrilineal descent).

Source: Wendland 1987, p. 172.

Translation commentary on Ruth 2:1

Verse 1 is essentially an introductory statement anticipating information which would seem to belong in verse 3. In fact, some translators would prefer to place this information in verse 3, where it seems more logical. However, there is value in having the contents of verse 1 at the very beginning of the chapter, because the role of Boaz is so important to the rest of the story and because the mention of Boaz as being a rich and influential man emphasizes so significantly the theme of restoration, which is central to the whole story. See D. F. Rauber, op. cit., pages 30-32. It is also important that the theme of restoration and “filling” be brought about by the event of harvest, which, in a sense, is a kind of celebration of the fertility of the earth and therefore an implied abundance.

The term relative is literally in the Hebrew text “acquaintance,” but the text was understood by the Masoretes as “a kinsman,” and this interpretation is preferable. It is not always easy to obtain a satisfactory term for relative, since it must designate a person who is related to one by some kind of blood tie but who is not a member of the immediate family. In this instance, of course, the blood relation is with the husband Elimelech, not with Naomi. In some languages the closest equivalent is “cousin.” In other languages the equivalent is “brother,” using a term which may designate all blood relatives in the same generation. On the other hand, a number of languages would simply say that Boaz belonged to “the same clan as Elimelech.”

A rich and influential man translates what is literally in Hebrew “a mighty man of valor,” but this expression involves two different components: (1) importance or prominence (see New American Bible) and (2) “wealth” (see New English Bible “well-to-do man”). In this context, the expression probably designates a social class of wealthy landlords Compare W. Baumgartner, s.v. chayil: “als Standesbezeichnung: (Gross-) Grundbesitzer” and G. Gerleman, op. cit., ad loc. See also E. Meyer, Die Israeliten und Nachbarstämme, 1960, pages 428-429, 500. (see Moffatt, “a man of large property”). One could use in this context a phrase such as “a wealthy landlord” or “a rich and important man.” In some societies the equivalent is “a wealthy elder,” in which “elder” would emphasize cultural prominence rather than age.

Who belonged to the family of her husband Elimelech may be rendered in a number of languages as “who belonged to the clan of Elimelech, the husband of Naomi” or “who was a part of the extended family of Elimelech, the husband of Naomi.” In some languages it is essential to indicate the fact that Elimelech is now dead; for example, “the past husband of Naomi” or “the deceased husband of Naomi.”

In dealing with terms for a clan, family, and tribe in Hebrew, there is a certain flexibility in meaning, but this is not the result of loose popular language. See Johs. Pedersen, Israel, Its Life and Culture I-II, London and Copenhagen, 1946, pages 46-60. We simply do not understand precisely the range of the distinctions in ancient Hebrew, and therefore the meanings seem at times to be somewhat fluid. In general, a term for “family” tends to designate the larger family, and a term for “clan” may be almost synonymous with “tribe.”

The name Boaz sounds in Hebrew something like “in him is power.” Other derivations have also been proposed, but there is certainly no evident derivation, The Greek transliteration booz/s favors an interpretation “in him is power.” Modern research, however, suggests a relation with Arabic bagz (“quickness”). See especially W. Baumgartner, s.v., and M. Noth, op. cit., page 228. The Hebrew word has to be distinguished from its homonym occurring in 1 Kings 7.21 and 2 Chronicles 3.17: Boaz, as a name of the left temple column. Only Baumgartner rightly makes a distinction between the two roots on the base of semantically obscure relations. nor is there any indication that the meaning of the name Boaz has special relevance for the development of this story.

Quoted with permission from de Waard, Jan and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Ruth. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1978, 1992. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Ruth 2:1

Section 2:1–23

Ruth gathered grain in a field belonging to Boaz

This third section in the book of Ruth tells how Ruth met Boaz. Since Naomi and Ruth were poor at this time, Ruth asked Naomi for permission to glean in the grain fields in order to find them some food.

Ruth chose a field in which to glean. Although she did not know it, the man who owned that field, Boaz, was a relative of Elimelech. Boaz had heard about Ruth already, but he had not met her. He was sympathetic and kind to her that day, and told her to continue to work in his field during the rest of the harvest time.

That evening, Ruth returned home and told Naomi that the owner of the field where she had gleaned was called Boaz and that he had treated her well. Naomi was very pleased. She encouraged Ruth to continue to work there just as Boaz had invited her to do.

Here are some other examples of section headings:

Ruth Meets Boaz (English Standard Version)
-or-
Ruth Works in the Field of Boaz (NET Bible)

Paragraph 2:1–2

2:1a

Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side: This verse begins a new part of the story (2:1–23). It introduces an important character, Boaz, before he begins to speak or act in 2:4. This verse gives background information about Boaz. (See the Appendix, “Introduction to the Discourse Structure,” for more discussion about this.)

Introduce this verse in a way that is natural in your language to either begin a new part of the story or to indicate background information, or both. The Berean Standard Bible and many other English versions do this with the word Now. Used in this way, Now indicates a break in the sequence of actions from chapter 1. It is not a time word .

Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side: The phrase on her husband’s side means that Boaz and Naomi were related because of her marriage with Elimelech. The text does not exactly explain the relationship between Boaz and Elimelech, but it was a close one (see 2:20). Boaz may have been a cousin to Elimelech. He was not a “brother” in the sense of having the same father and mother. Probably Boaz was about the same age as Elimelech would have been if he were still alive. Use the correct kinship term in your language for such a relationship.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

who belonged to the family of her husband Elimelech (Good News Translation)
-or-
There was a cousin to the former/deceased husband of Naomi

2:1b

a prominent man of noble character from the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz: The Hebrew phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as a prominent man of noble character has a several possible meanings. It is literally “a mighty man of strength/wealth/ability/character.” Most often in the Hebrew Scriptures, the phrase describes a mighty warrior. But in the context of Ruth, it describes Boaz as an important and influential man in Bethlehem due to his wealth and good character.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

a rich and important man (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
a respected man of outstanding character
-or-
a wealthy, prominent man (NET Bible)

from the clan of Elimelech: Boaz was from the same extended family as Elimelech. The clan of Elimelech does not identify Elimelech as the head of the clan. Rather, Boaz and Elimelech shared a common ancestor. The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as clan refers here to a unit smaller than a tribe (as in “tribe of Judah”) but larger than a immediate family of parents and children.

Here is another way to translate this:

from the same extended family as Elimelech

General Comment on 2:1a-b

There is some repetition of information about Boaz. For example, saying that Boaz was a relative of Elimelech is similar to saying that he was from the same clan as Elimelech. In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder some of this information. For example:

Now there was a man named Boaz who was from the same clan as Naomi’s husband. He/Boaz was wealthy and respected.

See 2:1a-b (combined/reordered) in the Display for another example.

© 2024 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.