Ruth 4:12
What does Ruth 4:12 mean?
A plain-English look at Ruth 4:12 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Ruth 4:12 means
The people further bless Boaz, asking that his house be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah. Perez’s line became prominent in Judah, from which Boaz himself descends. The reference carries both realism and hope: God brought good even through a tangled family past, and He can now bring abundant seed from this young woman by the Lord’s gift. The blessing seeks enduring strength, growth, and honor rooted in God’s providence, not mere human effort. It ties Boaz and Ruth into the larger story of Judah’s tribe, hinting that their union will have far-reaching, gracious consequences for Israel.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000and let thy house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which Jehovah shall give thee of this young woman.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the Lord shall give thee of this young woman.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901and let thy house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which Jehovah shall give thee of this young woman.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949May your family be like the family of Perez, the son whom Tamar gave to Judah, from the offspring which the Lord may give you by this young woman.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and let thy house be as the house of Pharez (whom Tamar bare to Judah), of the seed which Jehovah doth give to thee of this young woman.'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And that the house may be, as the house of Phares, whom Thamar bore unto Juda, of the seed which the Lord shall give thee of this young woman.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890and let thy house become like the house of Pherez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, of the seed which Jehovah shall give thee of this young woman.
Context
The community’s second blessing deepens the first by naming a specific ancestral model from Judah’s history. This anticipates the genealogy at the chapter’s end, where Perez’s line leads to Boaz and beyond. The blessing forms a bridge from prayer to fulfillment. Immediately after, the narrative records the marriage and the Lord’s gift of conception. The story moves from petition to provision, showing that the desired fruitfulness and enduring house begin to take shape in the birth of a son.
v.11And 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 Beth-lehem:
v.12This passage
v.13So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife; and he went in unto her, and Jehovah gave her conception, and she bare a son.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Matthew 1:3
and Judah begat Perez and Zerah of Tamar; and Perez begat Hezron; and Hezron begat Ram;
- Genesis 46:12
And the sons of Judah: Er, and Onan, and Shelah, and Perez, and Zerah; but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. And the sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.
- Genesis 38:29
And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, Wherefore hast thou made a breach for thyself? therefore his name was called Perez.
- Numbers 26:20
And the sons of Judah after their families were: of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites; of Perez, the family of the Perezites; of Zerah, the family of the Zerahites.
- 1 Chronicles 2:4
And Tamar his daughter-in-law bare him Perez and Zerah. All the sons of Judah were five.
- Ruth 4:18
Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez begat Hezron,
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