The Meaning of Ruth 4:11 Explained

Ruth 4:11

KJV: 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 Bethlehem:

YLT: And all the people who are in the gate say -- also the elders -- 'Witnesses! Jehovah make the woman who is coming in unto thy house as Rachel and as Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel; and do thou virtuously in Ephrathah, and proclaim the Name in Beth-Lehem;

Darby: And all the people that were in the gate and the elders said, We are witnesses. Jehovah make the woman that cometh into thy house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel; and acquire power in Ephratah, and make thyself a name in Bethlehem;

ASV: And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. Jehovah make the woman that is come into thy house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephrathah, and be famous in Bethlehem:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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 Bethlehem: 

What does Ruth 4:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Ruth 4:1-22 - In The Line Of David's Ancestry
We are admitted here to a graphic picture of the old world. Men's memories were longer and stronger than ours: and what was done publicly in the Gate, the place of public concourse, had the seal of permanence irrevocably attached to it. The transference of the shoe indicated the inferior position of woman, though she was honored in Israel more than in the neighboring nations.
What a happy ending! The gleaner need never again tread the fields, following the reaper's footsteps. All the broad acres were now hers, since she had become one with the owner. When we are one with Christ, we no longer work for redemption; but being redeemed, we bring forth fruit unto God, Romans 7:4. The curtain falls on a blessed group. The tiny babe lies on Naomi's bosom. The women who had gone together into the valley of the shadow of death stand together in the light of the mountain-top. God turns mourning into gladness, Psalms 30:11. And let us Gentiles learn that we too have a part in Christ. In Him is neither Jew nor Greek, Colossians 3:11 [source]

Chapter Summary: Ruth 4

1  Boaz calls into judgment the next kinsman
6  He refuses the redemption according to the manner in Israel
9  Boaz buys the inheritance
11  He marries Ruth
13  She bears Obed, the grandfather of David
18  The generations of Pharez unto David

What do the individual words in Ruth 4:11 mean?

And said all the people who [were] at the gate and the elders [We are] witnesses Make Yahweh - the woman who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah who built the two - the house of Israel and may you prosper in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem
וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ כָּל־ הָעָ֧ם אֲשֶׁר־ בַּשַּׁ֛עַר וְהַזְּקֵנִ֖ים עֵדִ֑ים יִתֵּן֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֶֽת־ הָאִשָּׁ֜ה הַבָּאָ֣ה אֶל־ בֵּיתֶ֗ךָ כְּרָחֵ֤ל ׀ וּכְלֵאָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר בָּנ֤וּ שְׁתֵּיהֶם֙ אֶת־ בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַעֲשֵׂה־ חַ֣יִל בְּאֶפְרָ֔תָה וּקְרָא־ שֵׁ֖ם בְּבֵ֥ית לָֽחֶם

וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הָעָ֧ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
אֲשֶׁר־  who  [were] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
בַּשַּׁ֛עַר  at  the  gate 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
וְהַזְּקֵנִ֖ים  and  the  elders 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: זָקֵן  
Sense: old.
עֵדִ֑ים  [We  are]  witnesses 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: עֵד  
Sense: witness.
יִתֵּן֩  Make 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
יְהוָ֨ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֶֽת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָאִשָּׁ֜ה  the  woman 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
הַבָּאָ֣ה  who  is  coming 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, feminine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
בֵּיתֶ֗ךָ  your  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
כְּרָחֵ֤ל ׀  like  Rachel 
Parse: Preposition-k, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: רָחֵל  
Sense: daughter of Laban, wife of Jacob, and mother of Joseph and Benjamin.
וּכְלֵאָה֙  and  Leah 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: לֵאָה  
Sense: daughter of Laban, first wife of Jacob, and mother of Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, and Dinah.
בָּנ֤וּ  built 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: בָּנָה  
Sense: to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue.
שְׁתֵּיהֶם֙  the  two 
Parse: Number, fdc, third person masculine plural
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
בֵּ֣ית  the  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
וַעֲשֵׂה־  and  may  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
חַ֣יִל  prosper 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חַיִל 
Sense: strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army.
בְּאֶפְרָ֔תָה  in  Ephrathah 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶפְרָת 
Sense: a place near Bethel where Rachel died and was buried.
שֵׁ֖ם  be  famous 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
לָֽחֶם  Bethlehem 
Parse: Preposition, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: בֵּית לֶחֶם  
Sense: a city in Judah, birthplace of David.