Ruth 4 · Verse 17

Ruth 4:17

And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
Ruth 4:17, King James Version

Ruth 4:17 in other translations

BSBThe neighbor women said, “A son has been born to Naomi,” and they named him Obed. He became the father of Jesse, the father of David.
WEBThe women, her neighbors, gave him a name, saying, “A son is born to Naomi”. They named him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
ASVAnd the women her neighbors gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
YLTand the neighbouring women give to him a name, saying, ‘There hath been a son born to Naomi,' and they call his name Obed; he is father of Jesse, father of David.
DARBYAnd the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi. And they called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
BBEAnd the women who were her neighbours gave it a name, saying, Naomi has a child; and they gave him the name of Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
WebsterAnd the women, her neighbors, gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

What does Ruth 4:17 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

Ru 4:13-18. She Bears Obed.

17. Obed--means "servant."

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 17 The neighbors gave it a name - That is, they recommended a name suitable to the circumstances of the case; and the parents and grandmother adopted it. They called his name Obed - עובד obed, serving, from עבד abad, he served. Why was this name given? Because he was to be the nourisher of her old age, Rut 4:15. And so he must be by lying in her bosom, even if services in future life were wholly left out of the question. These neighbors of Naomi were skillful people. See on Rut 4:16 (note). Other meanings, of which I am not ignorant, have been derived from these words; those who prefer them have my consent. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David - And for the sake of this conclusion, to ascertain the line of David, and in the counsel of God to fix and ascertain the line of the Messiah was this instructive little book written.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ruth 4:13-22

Ruth bore a son, through whom thousands and myriads were born to God; and in being the lineal ancestor of Christ, she was instrumental in the happiness of all that shall be saved by him; even of us Gentiles, as well as those of Jewish descent. She was a witness for God to the Gentile world, that he had not utterly forsaken them, but that in due time they should become one with his chosen people, and partake of his…

Read the full comment on Ruth 4:13-22 →

Ruth 4:17 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.

וַתִּקְרֶאנָה֩va.tik.re.Nahand they calledH7121
ל֨וֹlo<to> <the> him
הַשְּׁכֵנ֥וֹתha.she.khe.Notthe [female] neighborsH7934
שֵׁם֙shema nameH8034
לֵאמֹ֔רle.Mor<to> sayingH559
יֻלַּד\־yu.lad-he has been bornH3205
בֵּ֖ןbena sonH1121
לְנָעֳמִ֑יle.no.'o.Mito NaomiH5281
וַתִּקְרֶ֤אנָֽהva.tik.Re.nahand they calledH7121
שְׁמוֹ֙she.Moname hisH8034
עוֹבֵ֔דo.VedObedH5744
ה֥וּאhu'heH1931
אֲבִי\־'a.vi-[was] [the] father ofH1
יִשַׁ֖יyi.ShaiJesseH3448
אֲבִ֥י'a.Vi[the] father ofH1
דָוִֽד\׃\ \פda.VidDavidH1732

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

Cross references for Ruth 4:17

  • Luke 1:58-63

    And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her. And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John. And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. …

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the women.
Lu 1:58-63
Obed.That is, [douleuon,] serving, or a servant, as Josephus interprets it.
15

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

Context

  • Ruth 4:16

    And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.

  • Ruth 4:17

    And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

  • Ruth 4:18

    Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron,

Read all of Ruth 4

Ruth 4:17 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y las vecinas diciendo, A Noemi ha nacido un hijo, le pusieron nombre; y llamáronle Obed. Este es padre de Isaí, padre de David.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et les voisines lui donnèrent un nom, disant: Un fils est né à Naomi! Et elles l’appelèrent du nom d’Obed. Ce fut le père d’Isaï, père de David.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und die Nachbarinnen gaben ihm einen Namen, indem sie sprachen: Ein Sohn ist der Noomi geboren! und sie gaben ihm den Namen Obed. Er ist der Vater Isais, des Vaters Davids.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Vicinæ autem mulieris congratulantes ei, et dicentes: Natus est filius Noëmi: vocaverunt nomen ejus Obed: hic est pater Isai, patris David.