Ruth 4:17
What does Ruth 4:17 mean?
A plain-English look at Ruth 4:17 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Ruth 4:17 means
The neighbor women name the child Obed, meaning “servant,” signaling a life that will serve family and, by extension, God’s purposes. They exclaim, “There is a son born to Naomi,” honoring how her line has been restored through Ruth. The text then adds a crucial note: Obed is the father of Jesse, the father of David. This humble story thus blossoms into royal significance. From Ruth and Boaz’s faithful obedience comes the lineage of Israel’s great king. The New Testament reveals that through David’s line comes the Messiah, Jesus Christ, so this birth quietly advances God’s redemptive plan for the world.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And 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.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And 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.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And 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.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And 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.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and the neighbouring women give to him a name, saying, `There hath been a son born to Naomi,' and they call his name Obed; he <FI>is<Fi> father of Jesse, father of David.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And the women, her neighbours, congratulating with her, and saying, There is a son born to Noemi, called his name Obed: he is the father of Isai, the father of David.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And 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.
Context
The narrative moves from local joy to national and redemptive significance. Naming the child anchors him in Naomi’s restoration, while the note about Jesse and David propels the story forward into Israel’s monarchy. The genealogy that follows will trace the line from Perez to David, embedding Ruth’s story within Judah’s history. The book’s conclusion therefore links ordinary faithfulness to extraordinary outcomes in God’s providence.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Luke 1:58
And her neighbors and her kinsfolk heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy towards her; and they rejoiced with her.
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