Ruth
Ruth 3:9–13
9“Who are you?” he asked.
“I am your servant Ruth,” she replied. “Spread the corner of your garmenta over me, for you are a kinsman-redeemer.b”
10Then Boaz said, “May the LORD bless you, my daughter. You have shown more kindness now than before, because you have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. 11And now do not be afraid, my daughter. I will do for you whatever you request, since all my fellow townspeople know that you are a woman of noble character. 12Yes, it is true that I am a kinsman-redeemer, but there is a redeemer nearer than I.c 13Stay here tonight, and in the morning, if he wants to redeem you, good. Let him redeem you. But if he does not want to redeem you, as surely as the LORD lives, I will. Now lie here until morning.”
Footnotes
- a 3:9 Or Spread your wing; the word for wing can also mean corner of a garment; see Ruth 2:12|RUT 2:12.
- b 3:9 The Hebrew word for kinsman-redeemer or guardian-redeemeris a legal term for the kinsman who redeems or vindicates a relative; similarly in verses 12 and 13; see Leviticus 25:25–55|LEV 25:25-55.
- c 3:12 That is, more closely related
Word by word
Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.
Ruth 3:9
| English | Hebrew | Sounds like | Grammar | Word study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who | מִי־ | mî- | Interrogative | H4310 who? |
| are you | אָ֑תּ | ʾå̄t | Pronoun - second person feminine singular | H859 thou |
| he asked | וַיֹּ֖אמֶר | way·yō·mer | Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | H559 utter, say |
| I | אָנֹכִי֙ | ’ā·nō·ḵî | Pronoun - first person common singular | H595 I |
| your servant | אֲמָתֶ֔ךָ | ’ă·mā·ṯe·ḵā | Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular | H519 maid, handmaid |
| Ruth | ר֣וּת | rūṯ | Noun - proper - feminine singular | H7327 Ruth |
| she replied | וַתֹּ֗אמֶר | wat·tō·mer | Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular | H559 utter, say |
| Spread | וּפָרַשְׂתָּ֤ | ū·p̄ā·raś·tā | Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular | H6566 spread out, spread |
| the corner of your garment | כְנָפֶ֙ךָ֙ | ḵə·nā·p̄e·ḵā | Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular | H3671 wing, extremity |
| over | עַל־ | ‘al- | Preposition | H5921 height |
| me | אֲמָ֣תְךָ֔ | ’ă·mā·ṯə·ḵā | Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular | H519 maid, handmaid |
| for | כִּ֥י | kî | Conjunction | H3588 burning, branding |
| you | אָֽתָּה׃ | ’āt·tāh | Pronoun - second person masculine singular | H859 thou |
| are a kinsman-redeemer | גֹאֵ֖ל | ḡō·’êl | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular | H1350 redeem, act as kinsman |
Ruth 3:10
| English | Hebrew | Sounds like | Grammar | Word study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Then | וַיֹּ֗אמֶר | way·yō·mer | Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | H559 utter, say |
| May the LORD | לַֽיהוָה֙ | Yah·weh | Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular | H3068 Yahweh |
| bless | בְּרוּכָ֨ה | bə·rū·ḵāh | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular | H1288 kneel, bless |
| you | אַ֤תְּ | ’at | Pronoun - second person feminine singular | H859 thou |
| my daughter | בִּתִּ֔י | bit·tî | Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular | H1323 daughter |
| You have shown | הֵיטַ֛בְתְּ | hê·ṭaḇt | Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person feminine singular | H3190 be good, well, glad, pleasing |
| more kindness | חַסְדֵּ֥ךְ | ḥas·dêḵ | Noun - masculine singular construct; second person feminine singular | H2617 goodness, kindness |
| now | הָאַחֲר֖וֹן | hā·’a·ḥă·rō·wn | Article; Adjective - masculine singular | H314 coming after |
| than | מִן־ | min- | Preposition | H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not |
| before | הָרִאשׁ֑וֹן | hā·ri·šō·wn | Article; Adjective - masculine singular | H7223 former, first, chief |
| because you have not | לְבִלְתִּי־ | lə·ḇil·tî- | Preposition-l | H1115 not, except |
| run | לֶ֗כֶת | le·ḵeṯ | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | H1980 go, come, walk |
| after | אַחֲרֵי֙ | ’a·ḥă·rê | Preposition | H310 behind |
| the younger men | הַבַּ֣חוּרִ֔ים | hab·ba·ḥū·rîm | Article; Noun - masculine plural | H970 young man |
| whether | אִם־ | ’im- | Conjunction | H518 if |
| rich | עָשִֽׁיר׃ | ‘ā·šîr | Adjective - masculine singular | H6223 rich |
| or | וְאִם־ | wə·’im- | Conjunction | H518 if |
| poor | דַּ֖ל | dal | Adjective - masculine singular construct | H1800 low, weak, poor, thin |
Ruth 3:11
| English | Hebrew | Sounds like | Grammar | Word study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| And now | וְעַתָּ֗ה | wə·‘at·tāh | Conjunctive waw; Adverb | H6258 now |
| do not | אַל־ | ’al- | Adverb | H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . . |
| be afraid | תִּ֣ירְאִ֔י | tî·rə·’î | Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person feminine singular | H3372 fear |
| my daughter | בִּתִּי֙ | bit·tî | Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular | H1323 daughter |
| I will do | אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־ | ’e·‘ĕ·śeh- | Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular | H6213 do, make |
| for you | לָּ֑ךְ | lāḵ | Preposition; second person feminine singular | |
| whatever | כֹּ֥ל | kōl | Noun - masculine singular | H3605 the whole, all |
| you request | תֹּאמְרִ֖י | tō·mə·rî | Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person feminine singular | H559 utter, say |
| since | כִּ֤י | kî | Conjunction | H3588 burning, branding |
| all | כָּל־ | kāl- | Noun - masculine singular construct | H3605 the whole, all |
| my fellow townspeople | עַמִּ֔י | ‘am·mî | Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular | H5971 people |
| know | יוֹדֵ֙עַ֙ | yō·w·ḏê·a‘ | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular | H3045 know |
| that | כִּ֛י | kî | Conjunction | H3588 burning, branding |
| you | אָֽתְּ׃ | ’āt | Pronoun - second person feminine singular | H859 thou |
| are a woman | אֵ֥שֶׁת | ’ê·šeṯ | Noun - feminine singular construct | H802 woman, wife, female |
| of noble character | חַ֖יִל | ḥa·yil | Noun - masculine singular | H2428 strength, efficiency, wealth, army |
Ruth 3:12
| English | Hebrew | Sounds like | Grammar | Word study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | כִּ֣י | kî | Conjunction | H3588 burning, branding |
| it is true | אָמְנָ֔ם | ’ā·mə·nām | Conjunction | H551 verily, truly |
| that | כִּ֥י | kî | Conjunction | H3588 burning, branding |
| I | אָנֹ֑כִי | ’ā·nō·ḵî | Pronoun - first person common singular | H595 I |
| a kinsman-redeemer | גֹאֵ֖ל | ḡō·’êl | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular | H1350 redeem, act as kinsman |
| but | וְגַ֛ם | wə·ḡam | Conjunction | H1571 also, moreover, yea |
| there is | יֵ֥שׁ | yêš | Adverb | H3426 being, substance, existence |
| a redeemer | גֹּאֵ֖ל | gō·’êl | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular | H1350 redeem, act as kinsman |
| nearer | קָר֥וֹב | qā·rō·wḇ | Adjective - masculine singular | H7138 near |
| than I | מִמֶּֽנִּי׃ | mim·men·nî | Preposition; first person common singular | H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not |
Ruth 3:13
| English | Hebrew | Sounds like | Grammar | Word study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stay here tonight | לִ֣ינִי׀ | lî·nî | Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular | H3885 lodge, pass the night |
| and in the morning | בַבֹּ֙קֶר֙ | ḇab·bō·qer | Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular | H1242 morning |
| if | אִם־ | ’im- | Conjunction | H518 if |
| he wants to redeem you | יִגְאָלֵ֥ךְ | yiḡ·’ā·lêḵ | Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; second person feminine singular | H1350 redeem, act as kinsman |
| good | טוֹב֙ | ṭō·wḇ | Adjective - masculine singular | H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good |
| Let him redeem you | יִגְאָ֔ל | yiḡ·’āl | Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | H1350 redeem, act as kinsman |
| But if | וְאִם־ | wə·’im- | Conjunction | H518 if |
| he does not | לֹ֨א | lō | Adverb - Negative particle | H3808 not |
| want | יַחְפֹּ֧ץ | yaḥ·pōṣ | Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | H2654 delight in |
| to redeem you | לְגָֽאֳלֵ֛ךְ | lə·ḡā·’o·lêḵ | Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; second person feminine singular | H1350 redeem, act as kinsman |
| as surely as the LORD | יְהוָ֑ה | Yah·weh | Noun - proper - masculine singular | H3068 Yahweh |
| lives | חַי־ | ḥay- | Noun - masculine singular | H2416 alive, living |
| I | אָנֹ֖כִי | ’ā·nō·ḵî | Pronoun - first person common singular | H595 I |
| will | וּגְאַלְתִּ֥יךְ | ū·ḡə·’al·tîḵ | Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular; second person feminine singular | H1350 redeem, act as kinsman |
| Now lie here | שִׁכְבִ֖י | šiḵ·ḇî | Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular | H7901 lie down |
| until | עַד־ | ‘aḏ- | Preposition | H5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while |
| morning | הַבֹּֽקֶר׃ | hab·bō·qer | Article; Noun - masculine singular | H1242 morning |
Cross-references
Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.
Ruth 3:9 Ezekiel 16:8 · Ruth 2:20 · Ruth 3:12 · Ruth 2:10–13 · Luke 14:11 · 1 Samuel 25:41
Ruth 3:10 Ruth 2:20 · 1 Corinthians 13:4–5 · Ruth 2:4 · Ruth 1:8
Ruth 3:11 Proverbs 31:29–31 · Proverbs 31:10 · Proverbs 12:4
Ruth 3:12 Ruth 4:1 · 1 Thessalonians 4:6 · Matthew 7:12
Ruth 3:13 Jeremiah 4:2 · Ruth 4:5 · Ruth 2:20 · Deuteronomy 25:5–9 · Judges 8:19 · Hebrews 6:16 · Matthew 22:24–27 · 2 Corinthians 1:23
Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.
Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.