Ruth 4:20
What does Ruth 4:20 mean?
A plain-English look at Ruth 4:20 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Ruth 4:20 means
Amminadab fathered Nahshon, and Nahshon fathered Salmon. Elsewhere in Scripture, Nahshon is associated with leadership in Judah, suggesting that this line had prominence even before Boaz. The genealogy hints that God was preparing the way long before Ruth arrived in Bethlehem. Salmon, the next link, will father Boaz, tying notable ancestry to the man whose kindness fills this book. The list’s simplicity emphasizes God’s quiet, faithful work across time—He builds a house not by sudden leaps but by steady grace through successive generations.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000and Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon,
KJV
King James Version · 1611And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon,
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901and Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon,
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon became the father of Salmon;
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and Amminidab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Aminadab begot Nahasson, Nahasson begot Salmon,
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890and Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon,
Context
The list advances toward Boaz by naming Nahshon and Salmon, bringing the genealogy closer to the present story. This prepares for the explicit connection in the next verse: Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed. The rhythm accelerates toward the known characters, reminding readers that their lives sit within a broader tapestry that God has long been weaving toward David.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Numbers 1:7
Of Judah: Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
- Matthew 1:4
and Ram begat Amminadab; and Amminadab begat Nahshon; and Nahshon begat Salmon;
- Luke 3:32
the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,
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