Ruth 2 · Verse 4

Ruth 2:4

And, behold, Boaz came from Beth–lehem, and said unto the reapers, The Lord be with you. And they answered him, The Lord bless thee.
Ruth 2:4, King James Version

Ruth 2:4 in other translations

BSBJust then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and said to the harvesters, “The LORD be with you.” “The LORD bless you,” they replied.
WEBBehold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, “May the LORD be with you.” They answered him, “May the LORD bless you.”
ASVAnd, behold, Boaz came from Beth-lehem, and said unto the reapers, Jehovah be with you. And they answered him, Jehovah bless thee.
YLTAnd lo, Boaz hath come from Beth-Lehem, and saith to the reapers, ‘Jehovah is with you;' and they say to him, ‘Jehovah doth bless thee.'
DARBYAnd behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem; and he said to the reapers, Jehovah be with you! And they said to him, Jehovah bless thee!
BBEAnd Boaz came from Beth-lehem, and said to the grain-cutters, The Lord be with you. And they made answer, The Lord give you his blessing.
WebsterAnd behold, Boaz came from Beth-lehem, and said to the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee.

What does Ruth 2:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

Ru 2:4-23. He Takes Knowledge of Her, and Shows Her Favor.

4. Boaz came from Beth-lehem, and said unto the reapers, The Lord be with you--This pious salutation between the master and his laborers strongly indicates the state of religious feeling among the rural population of Israel at that time, as well as the artless, happy, and unsuspecting simplicity which characterized the manners of the people. The same patriarchal style of speaking is still preserved in the East.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 Boaz came from Beth-lehem - This salutation between Boaz and his reapers is worthy of particular regard; he said, יהוה עמחם Yehovah immachem, "Jehovah be with you!" They said, יברכך יהוה yebarechecha Yehovah, "May Jehovah bless thee!" Can a pious mind read these godly salutations without wishing for a return of those simple primitive times? The words may be thus paraphrased: "May God be with you, to preserve you from accidents, and strengthen you to accomplish your work!" "May God bless Thee with the increase of the field, and grace to use his bounty to the glory of the Giver!"

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ruth 2:4-16
The pious and kind language between Boaz and his reapers shows that there were godly persons in Israel. Such language as this is seldom heard in our field; too often, on the contrary, what is immoral and corrupt. A stranger would form a very different opinion of our land, from that which Ruth would form of Israel from the converse and conduct of Boaz and his reapers. But true religion will teach a man to behave aright in all states and conditions; it will form kind masters and faithful servants, and cause harmony in families. True religion will cause mutual love and kindness among persons of different ranks. It had these effects on Boaz and his men. When he came to them he prayed for them. They did not, as soon as he was out of hearing curse him, as some ill-natured servants that hate their master's eye, but they returned his courtesy. Things are likely to go on well where there is such good-will as this between masters and servants. They expressed their kindness to each other by praying one for another. Boaz inquired concerning the stranger he saw, and ordered her to be well treated. Masters must take care, not only that they do no hurt themselves, but that they suffer not their servants and those under them to do wrong. Ruth humbly owned herself unworthy of favours, seeing she was born and brought up a heathen. It well becomes us all to think humbly of ourselves, esteeming others better than ourselves. And let us, in the kindness of Boaz to Ruth, note the kindness of the Lord Jesus Christ to poor sinners.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Ruth 2:4 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְהִנֵּה\־ve.hi.neh-and there!H2009
בֹ֗עַזVo.'azBoazH1162
בָּ֚אba'[was] comingH935
מִבֵּ֣יתmi.Beitfrom Beth-H1035
לֶ֔חֶםLe.chem-lehemH1035
וַיֹּ֥אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
לַקּוֹצְרִ֖יםla.kotz.Rimto the harvestersH7114
יְהוָ֣הYah.wehYahwehH3068
עִמָּכֶ֑ם'i.ma.Khem[be] with youH5973
וַיֹּ֥אמְרוּvai.Yo.me.ruand they saidH559
ל֖וֹloto <the> him
יְבָרֶכְךָ֥ye.va.rekh.Khamay he bless youH1288
יְהוָֽה\׃Yah.wehYahwehH3068

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ruth 2:4

  • Psalms 129:7-8

    Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand; nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom. Neither do they which go by say, The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we bless you in the name of the Lord.

  • Luke 1:28

    And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

  • Judges 6:12

    And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.

  • 2 Timothy 4:22

    The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen. The second epistle unto Timotheus, ordained the first bishop of the church of the Ephesians, was written from Rome, when Paul was brought before Nero the second time.

  • 2 Thessalonians 3:16

    Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.

  • Psalms 118:26

    Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord: we have blessed you out of the house of the Lord.

  • Joshua 24:15

    And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

  • Genesis 18:19

    For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

  • Psalms 133:1-3

    A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

  • Ruth 4:11

    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:

  • 2 John 1:10-11

    If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

  • 1 Timothy 6:2

    And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
The Lord.
Ps 118:26; 129:7,8; Lu 1:28; 2Th 3:16; 2Ti 4:22; 2Jo 1:10,11
And they.
4:11; Ge 18:19; Jos 24:15; Ps 133:1-3; 1Ti 6:2

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Ruth 2:3

    And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.

  • Ruth 2:4

    And, behold, Boaz came from Beth–lehem, and said unto the reapers, The Lord be with you. And they answered him, The Lord bless thee.

  • Ruth 2:5

    Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this?

Read all of Ruth 2

Ruth 2:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y he aquí que Booz vino de Beth-lehem, y dijo á los segadores: Jehová sea con vosotros. Y ellos respondieron: Jehová te bendiga.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et voici, Boaz vint de Bethléhem; et il dit aux moissonneurs: L’ Éternel soit avec vous! Et ils lui dirent: L’ Éternel te bénisse!
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und siehe, Boas kam von Bethlehem und sprach zu den Schnittern: Jehova sei mit euch! Und sie sprachen zu ihm: Jehova segne dich!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et ecce, ipse veniebat de Bethlehem, dixitque messoribus: Dominus vobiscum. Qui responderunt ei: Benedicat tibi Dominus.