Bible Strands
Ruth 4:11
“We are witnesses,” said the elders and all the people at the gate. “May the LORD make the woman entering your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you be prosperous in Ephrathah and famous in Bethlehem.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The elders and all the people gathered at the gate respond to Boaz’s public declaration by formally witnessing the redemption transaction and pronouncing a blessing over the woman entering his household.
The words — The assembly declares עֵדִים ('e.Dim), literally "witnesses," and invokes יִתֵּן (yi.Ten), "may he make," as they call for divine action regarding the woman entering the household.
The thread — The text links prosperity in Ephrathah and fame in Bethlehem to Micah 5:2 and Matthew 2:6, while the comparison to Rachel and Leah references the matriarchs who established the Israelite lineage.
Why it lands — The verse requires recognition of public witness in legal and covenant matters, and it frames domestic blessing through the concrete expectation of lineage and civic prominence rather than abstract piety.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Beth–lehem:
Cross-references
- Genesis 29:32 And Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben, for she said, “The LORD has seen my affliction. Surely my husband will love me now.”
- Micah 5:2 But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me One to be ruler over Israel—One whose origins are of old, from the days of eternity.
- Matthew 2:6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of My people Israel.’”
- Psalms 127:3 Children are indeed a heritage from the LORD, and the fruit of the womb is His reward.
- Genesis 35:16 Later, they set out from Bethel, and while they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth, and her labor was difficult.
- Genesis 46:8 Now these are the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn.
- Numbers 26:1 After the plague had ended, the LORD said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron the priest,
- Deuteronomy 25:9 his brother’s widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, remove his sandal, spit in his face, and declare, “This is what is done to the man who will not maintain his brother’s line.”
- Ruth 1:2 The man’s name was Elimelech, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah, and they entered the land of Moab and settled there.
- Psalms 128:3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine flourishing within your house, your sons like olive shoots sitting around your table.