Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options

Ruth 3-4
New English Translation

Naomi Instructs Ruth

3 At that time,[a] Naomi, her mother-in-law, said to her, “My daughter, I must find a home for you so you will be secure.[b] 2 Now Boaz, with whose female servants you worked, is our close relative.[c] Look, tonight he is winnowing barley at the threshing floor.[d] 3 So bathe yourself,[e] rub on some perfumed oil,[f] and get dressed up.[g] Then go down[h] to the threshing floor. But don’t let the man know you’re there until he finishes his meal.[i] 4 When he gets ready to go to sleep,[j] take careful notice of the place where he lies down. Then go, uncover his legs,[k] and lie down[l] beside him.[m] He will tell[n] you what you should do.” 5 Ruth replied to Naomi,[o] “I will do everything you have told[p] me[q] to do.”[r]

Ruth Visits Boaz

6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law had instructed her to do.[s] 7 When Boaz had finished his meal and was feeling satisfied, he lay down to sleep at the far end of the grain heap.[t] Then Ruth[u] crept up quietly,[v] uncovered his legs,[w] and lay down beside him.[x] 8 In the middle of the night he was startled[y] and turned over.[z] Now[aa] he saw a woman[ab] lying beside him![ac] 9 He said, “Who are you?”[ad] She replied, “I am Ruth, your servant.[ae] Marry your servant,[af] for you are a guardian of the family interests.”[ag] 10 He said, “May you be rewarded[ah] by the Lord, my dear![ai] This act of devotion[aj] is greater than what you did before.[ak] For you have not sought to marry[al] one of the young men, whether rich or poor.[am] 11 Now, my dear, don’t worry![an] I intend to do for you everything you propose,[ao] for everyone in the village[ap] knows that you are a worthy woman.[aq] 12 Now yes, it is true that[ar] I am a guardian,[as] but there is another guardian who is a closer relative than I am. 13 Remain here tonight. Then in the morning, if he agrees to marry you,[at] fine,[au] let him do so.[av] But if he does not want to do so, I promise, as surely as the Lord lives, to marry you.[aw] Sleep here until morning.”[ax] 14 So she slept beside him[ay] until morning. She woke up while it was still dark.[az] Boaz thought,[ba] “No one must know that a woman visited the threshing floor.”[bb] 15 Then he said, “Hold out the shawl[bc] you are wearing[bd] and grip it tightly.” As she held it tightly, he measured out about sixty pounds[be] of barley into the shawl[bf] and put it on her shoulders. Then he[bg] went into town, 16 and she returned to her mother-in-law.

Ruth Returns to Naomi

When Ruth returned to her mother-in-law, Naomi[bh] asked,[bi] “How did things turn out for you,[bj] my daughter?” Ruth[bk] told her about all the man had done for her. 17 She said, “He gave me these sixty pounds of barley, for he said to me,[bl] ‘Do not go to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”[bm] 18 Then Naomi[bn] said, “Stay put,[bo] my daughter, until you know how the matter turns out. For the man will not rest until he has taken care of the matter today.”

Boaz Settles the Matter

4 Now Boaz went up[bp] to the village gate and sat there. Then along came the guardian[bq] whom Boaz had mentioned to Ruth.[br] Boaz said, “Come[bs] here, what’s-your-name,[bt] and sit down.” So he came[bu] and sat down. 2 Boaz chose ten of the village leaders[bv] and said, “Sit down here!” So they sat down. 3 Then Boaz said to the guardian,[bw] “Naomi, who has returned from the region of Moab, is selling[bx] the portion of land that belongs to our relative Elimelech. 4 So I am legally informing you:[by] Acquire it before those sitting here and before the leaders of my people.[bz] If you want to exercise your right to redeem it, then do so.[ca] But if not, then tell me[cb] so I will know.[cc] For you possess the first option to redeem it; I am next in line after you.”[cd] He replied, “I will redeem it.” 5 Then Boaz said, “When[ce] you acquire the field[cf] from Naomi,[cg] you must also[ch] acquire Ruth the Moabite,[ci] the wife of our deceased relative,[cj] in order to preserve his family name by raising up a descendant who will inherit his property.”[ck] 6 The guardian said, “Then I am unable to redeem it, for I would ruin my own inheritance[cl] in that case. You may exercise my redemption option, for I am unable to redeem it.”[cm] 7 (Now this used to be the customary way to finalize a transaction involving redemption in Israel:[cn] A man would remove his sandal and give it to the other party.[co] This was a legally binding act[cp] in Israel.) 8 So the guardian said to Boaz, “You may acquire it,” and he removed his sandal.[cq] 9 Then Boaz said to the leaders and all the people, “You are witnesses today that I have acquired from Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech, Kilion, and Mahlon. 10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, as my wife to raise up a descendant who will inherit his property[cr] so the name of the deceased might not disappear[cs] from among his relatives and from his village.[ct] You are witnesses today.” 11 All the people who were at the gate and the elders replied, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is entering your home like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built up the house of Israel! May[cu] you prosper[cv] in Ephrathah and become famous[cw] in Bethlehem. 12 May your family[cx] become like the family of Perez[cy]—whom Tamar bore to Judah—through the descendants[cz] the Lord gives you by this young woman.”

A Grandson is Born to Naomi

13 So Boaz married Ruth and slept with her.[da] The Lord enabled her to conceive[db] and she gave birth to a son. 14 The village women said to Naomi, “May the Lord be praised because he has not left you without a guardian[dc] today! May he[dd] become famous in Israel![de] 15 He will encourage you and provide for you when you are old,[df] for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, has given him birth. She[dg] is better to you than seven sons!” 16 Naomi took the child and placed him on her lap;[dh] she became his caregiver.[di] 17 The neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed.[dj] Now he became the father of Jesse—David’s father.

Epilogue: Obed in the Genealogy of David

18 These are the descendants[dk] of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron, 19 Hezron was the father of Ram, Ram was the father of Amminadab, 20 Amminadab was the father of Nachshon, Nachshon was the father of Salmah, 21 Salmon[dl] was the father of Boaz, Boaz was the father of Obed, 22 Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of David.[dm]

Footnotes

  1. Ruth 3:1 tn The phrase “sometime later” does not appear in Hebrew but is supplied to mark the implicit shift in time from the events in chapter 2.
  2. Ruth 3:1 tn Heb “My daughter, should I not seek for you a resting place so that it may go well for you [or which will be good for you]?” The idiomatic, negated rhetorical question is equivalent to an affirmation (see 2:8-9) and has thus been translated in the affirmative (so also NAB, NCV, NRSV, TEV, CEV, NLT).
  3. Ruth 3:2 tn Heb “Is not Boaz our close relative, with whose female servants you were?” The idiomatic, negated rhetorical question is equivalent to an affirmation (see Ruth 2:8-9; 3:1) and has thus been translated in the affirmative (so also NCV, NRSV, TEV, CEV, NLT).
  4. Ruth 3:2 tn Heb “look, he is winnowing the barley threshing floor tonight.”sn Winnowing the threshed grain involved separating the kernels of grain from the straw and chaff. The grain would be thrown into the air, allowing the wind to separate the kernels (see O. Borowski, Agriculture in Iron Age Israel, 65-66). The threshing floor itself was usually located outside town in a place where the prevailing west wind could be used to advantage (Borowski, 62-63).
  5. Ruth 3:3 tn The perfect with prefixed vav (ו) consecutive here introduces a series of instructions. See GKC 335 §112.aa for other examples of this construction.
  6. Ruth 3:3 tn For the meaning of the verb סוּךְ (sukh), see HALOT 745-46 s.v. II סוך, and F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther (WBC), 150. Cf. NAB, NRSV “anoint yourself”; NIV “perfume yourself”; NLT “put on perfume.”
  7. Ruth 3:3 tc The consonantal text (Kethib) has the singular שִׂמְלֹתֵךְ (simlotekh, “your outer garment”), while the marginal reading (Qere) has the plural שִׂמְלֹתַיִךְ (simlotayikh) which might function as a plural of number (“your outer garments”) or a plural of composition (“your outer garment [composed of several parts]).”tn Heb “and put your outer garment on yourself”; NAB “put on your best attire.” The noun שִׂמְלָה (simlah) may refer to clothes in general (see R. L. Hubbard, Jr., Ruth [NICOT], 197, n. 7) or a long outer garment (see F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther [WBC], 150-51). Mourners often wore mourning clothes and refrained from washing or using cosmetics (Gen 38:14, 19; 2 Sam 12:20; 14:2), so Ruth’s attire and appearance would signal that her period of mourning was over and she was now available for remarriage (see Bush, 152).
  8. Ruth 3:3 tc The consonantal text (Kethib) has וְיָרַדְתִּי (veyaradti, “then I will go down”; Qal perfect first person common singular), while the marginal reading (Qere) is וְיָרַדְתְּ (veyaradet, “then you go down”; Qal perfect second person feminine singular) which makes more much sense in context. It is possible that the Kethib preserves an archaic spelling of the second person feminine singular form (see F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther [WBC], 144-45).
  9. Ruth 3:3 tn Heb “until he finishes eating and drinking”; NASB, NIV, NRSV, TEV, CEV “until he has finished.”
  10. Ruth 3:4 tn Heb “and let it be when he lies down”; NAB “But when he lies down.”
  11. Ruth 3:4 tn Some define the noun מַרְגְּלוֹת (margelot) as “the place for the feet” (see HALOT 631 s.v.; cf. KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT), but in Dan 10:6 the word refers to the legs, or “region of the legs.” For this reason “legs” or “lower body” is the preferred translation (see F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther [WBC], 152). Because “foot” is sometimes used euphemistically for the genitals, some feel that Ruth uncovered Boaz’s genitals. For a critique of this view see Bush, 153. While Ruth and Boaz did not actually have a sexual encounter at the threshing floor, there is no doubt that Ruth’s actions are symbolic and constitute a marriage proposal.
  12. Ruth 3:4 tc The consonantal text (Kethib) has וְשָׁכָבְתִּי (veshakhavtiy, “then I will lie down”; Qal perfect first person common singular), while the marginal reading (Qere) is וְשָׁכָבְתְּ (veshakhavet, “then you lie down”; Qal perfect second person feminine singular) which makes more sense. It is possible that the Kethib preserves an archaic spelling of the second person feminine singular form (see F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther [WBC], 144-45).
  13. Ruth 3:4 tn The words “beside him” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons; cf. NLT “lie down there.”
  14. Ruth 3:4 tn The disjunctive clause structure (vav [ו] + subject + verb) highlights this final word of instruction or signals the conclusion of the instructions.
  15. Ruth 3:5 tn Heb “she said to her.” The referents (Ruth and Naomi) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
  16. Ruth 3:5 tn The Hebrew imperfect is used, even though Naomi’s instructions appear to be concluded. The imperfect can sometimes express actions which although (strictly speaking) are already finished, yet are regarded as still lasting into the present, or continuing to operate in it (GKC 316 §107.h).
  17. Ruth 3:5 tc The MT (Kethib) lacks the preposition אֵלַי (ʾelay, “to me”) which is attested in the marginal reading (Qere). Many medieval Hebrew mss agree with the marginal reading (Qere) by including the phrase.
  18. Ruth 3:5 tn Heb “everything which you are saying I will do.” The Hebrew word order emphasizes Ruth’s intention to follow Naomi’s instructions to the letter.
  19. Ruth 3:6 tn Heb “and she did according to all which her mother-in-law commanded her” (NASB similar). Verse 6 is a summary statement, while the following verses (vv. 7-15) give the particulars.
  20. Ruth 3:7 tn Heb “and Boaz ate and drank and his heart was well and he went to lie down at the end of the heap”; NAB “at the edge of the sheaves.”
  21. Ruth 3:7 tn Heb “she”; the referent (Ruth) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  22. Ruth 3:7 sn Ruth must have waited until Boaz fell asleep, for he does not notice when she uncovers his legs and lies down beside him.
  23. Ruth 3:7 tn See the note on the word “legs” in v. 4.
  24. Ruth 3:7 tn The words “beside him” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. Cf. TEV “at his feet”; CEV “near his feet.”
  25. Ruth 3:8 tn Heb “trembled, shuddered”; CEV, NLT “suddenly woke up.” Perhaps he shivered because he was chilled.
  26. Ruth 3:8 tn The verb לָפַת (lafat) occurs only here, Job 6:18, and Judg 16:29 (where it seems to mean “grab hold of”). Here the verb seems to carry the meaning “bend, twist, turn,” like its Arabic cognate (see HALOT 533 s.v. לפת, and F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther [WBC], 163).
  27. Ruth 3:8 tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, NASB). The narrator invites the reader to view the situation through Boaz’s eyes.
  28. Ruth 3:8 sn Now he saw a woman. The narrator writes from Boaz’s perspective. Both the narrator and the reader know the night visitor is Ruth, but from Boaz’s perspective she is simply “a woman.”
  29. Ruth 3:8 tn Heb “[at] his legs.” See the note on the word “legs” in v. 4.
  30. Ruth 3:9 tn When Boaz speaks, he uses the feminine form of the pronoun, indicating that he knows she is a woman.
  31. Ruth 3:9 tn Here Ruth uses אָמָה (ʾamah), a more elevated term for a female servant than שִׁפְחָה (shifkhah), the word used in 2:13. In Ruth 2, where Ruth has just arrived from Moab and is very much aware of her position as a foreigner (v. 10), she acknowledges Boaz’s kindness and emphasizes her own humility by using the term שִׁפְחָה, though she admits that she does not even occupy that lowly position on the social scale. However, here in chap. 3, where Naomi sends her to Boaz to seek marriage, she uses the more elevated term אָמָה to describe herself because she is now aware of Boaz’s responsibility as a close relative of her deceased husband and she wants to challenge him to fulfill his obligation. In her new social context she is dependent on Boaz (hence the use of אָמָה), but she is no mere שִׁפְחָה.
  32. Ruth 3:9 tn Heb “and spread your wing [or skirt] over your servant.” Many medieval Hebrew mss have the plural/dual “your wings” rather than the singular “your wing, skirt.” The latter is more likely here in the context of Ruth’s marriage proposal. In the metaphorical account in Ezek 16:8, God spreads his skirt over naked Jerusalem as an act of protection and as a precursor to marriage. Thus Ruth’s words can be taken, in effect, as a marriage proposal (and are so translated here; cf. TEV “So please marry me”). See F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther (WBC), 164-65.
  33. Ruth 3:9 tn Heb “for you are a גֹאֵל [goʾel],” sometimes translated “redeemer” (cf. NIV “a kinsman-redeemer”; NLT “my family redeemer”). In this context Boaz, as a “redeemer,” functions as a guardian of the family interests who has responsibility for caring for the widows of his deceased kinsmen. For a discussion of the legal background, see F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther (WBC), 166-69.sn By proposing marriage, Ruth goes beyond the letter of Naomi’s instructions (see v. 4, where Naomi told Ruth that Boaz would tell her what to do). Though she is more aggressive than Naomi told her to be, she is still carrying out the intent of Naomi’s instructions, which were designed to lead to marriage.
  34. Ruth 3:10 tn Or “blessed” (so NASB, NRSV).
  35. Ruth 3:10 tn Heb “my daughter.” This form of address is a mild form of endearment, perhaps merely rhetorical. A few English versions omit it entirely (e.g., TEV, CEV). The same expression occurs in v. 11.
  36. Ruth 3:10 tn Heb “latter [act of] devotion”; NRSV “this last instance of your loyalty.”
  37. Ruth 3:10 tn Heb “you have made the latter act of devotion better than the former”; NIV “than that which you showed earlier.”sn Greater than what you did before. Ruth’s former act of devotion was her decision to remain and help Naomi. The latter act of devotion is her decision to marry Boaz to provide a child to carry on her deceased husband’s (and Elimelech’s) line and to provide for Naomi in her old age (see Ruth 4:5, 10, 15).
  38. Ruth 3:10 tn Heb “by not going after the young men” (NASB similar); TEV “You might have gone looking for a young man.”
  39. Ruth 3:10 tn Heb “whether poor or rich” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV); the more common English idiom reverses the order (“rich or poor”; cf. NIV, NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT).sn Whether rich or poor. This statement seems to indicate that Ruth could have married anyone. However, only by marrying a גֹּאֵל (goʾel, “family guardian”; traditionally “redeemer”) could she carry on her dead husband’s line and make provision for Naomi.
  40. Ruth 3:11 tn Heb “do not fear” (so NASB); NRSV “do not be afraid.”
  41. Ruth 3:11 tn Heb “everything which you are saying I will do for you.” The Hebrew word order emphasizes Boaz’s intention to fulfill Ruth’s request. As in v. 5, the Hebrew imperfect is used (note “you are saying”), even though Ruth’s request appears to be concluded. According to GKC 316 §107.h, the imperfect can sometimes “express actions, etc., which although, strictly speaking, they are already finished, are regarded as still lasting on into the present time, or continuing to operate in it.” The imperfect אֶעֱשֶׂה (ʾeʿeseh) could be translated “I will do” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT), but since there are legal complications which must first be resolved, it is better to take the form as indicating Boaz’s desire or intention, if the legal matters can be worked out.
  42. Ruth 3:11 tn Heb “all the gate of the town,” which by metonymy could refer to everyone in town (NIV “All my fellow townsmen”; NLT “everyone in town”), or only to the leaders and prominent citizens of the community (Boaz’s peers) who transacted business and made legal decisions at the town gate (NRSV “all the assembly of my people”).
  43. Ruth 3:11 tn Or “woman of strong character” (cf. NIV “woman of noble character”). The same phrase is used in Prov 31:10 to describe the ideal wife. Prov 31 emphasizes the ideal wife’s industry, her devotion to her family, and her concern for others, characteristics which Ruth had demonstrated.
  44. Ruth 3:12 tc The sequence כִּי אָמְנָם כִּי אִם (ki ʾomnam ki ʾim; Kethib) occurs only here in the OT, as does the sequence כִּי אָמְנָם כִּי (Qere). It is likely that כִּי אִם is dittographic (note the preceding sequence כִּי אָמְנָם). The translation assumes that the original text was simply the otherwise unattested וְעַתָּה כִּי אָמְנָם, with אָמְנָם and כִּי both having an asseverative (or emphatic) function.
  45. Ruth 3:12 tn Sometimes translated “redeemer” (also later in this verse). See the note on the phrase “guardian of the family interests” in v. 9.
  46. Ruth 3:13 tn Heb “if he redeems you”; NIV “if he wants to redeem”; NRSV “if he will act as next-of-kin for you.” The verb גֹּאֵל (goʾel) here refers generally to fulfilling his responsibilities as a guardian of the family interests. In this case it specifically entails marrying Ruth.
  47. Ruth 3:13 tn Or “good” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV); TEV “well and good.”
  48. Ruth 3:13 tn Heb “let him redeem” (so NIV); NLT “then let him marry you.”
  49. Ruth 3:13 tn Heb “but if he does not want to redeem you, then I will redeem you, I, [as] the Lord lives” (NASB similar).
  50. Ruth 3:13 sn Sleep here. Perhaps Boaz tells her to remain at the threshing floor because he is afraid she might be hurt wandering back home in the dark. See Song 5:7 and R. L. Hubbard, Jr., Ruth (NICOT), 218.
  51. Ruth 3:14 tc The consonantal text (Kethib) has the singular מַרְגְּלָתוֹ (margelato, “his leg”), while the marginal reading (Qere) has the plural מַרְגְּלוֹתָיו (margelotayv, “his legs”). tn Heb “[at] his legs.” See the note on the word “legs” in v. 4.
  52. Ruth 3:14 tn Heb “and she arose before a man could recognize his companion”; NRSV “before one person could recognize another”; CEV “before daylight.”
  53. Ruth 3:14 tn Heb “and he said” (so KJV, NASB, NIV). Some translate “he thought [to himself]” (cf. NCV).
  54. Ruth 3:14 tn Heb “let it not be known that the woman came [to] the threshing floor” (NASB similar). The article on הָאִשָּׁה (haʾishah, “the woman”) is probably dittographic (note the final he on the preceding verb בָּאָה [baʾah, “she came”]).
  55. Ruth 3:15 tn Or “cloak” (so NAB, NRSV, NLT); CEV “cape.” The Hebrew noun occurs only here and in Isa 3:22.
  56. Ruth 3:15 tn Heb “which [is] upon you”; NIV, NRSV “you are wearing.”
  57. Ruth 3:15 tn Heb “and she gripped it tightly and he measured out six of barley and placed upon her.” The unit of measure is not indicated in the Hebrew text, although it would probably have been clear to the original hearers of the account. Six ephahs, the equivalent of 180-300 pounds, is clearly too heavy, especially if carried in a garment. Six omers (an omer being a tenth of an ephah) seems too little, since this would have amounted to six-tenths of an ephah, less than Ruth had gleaned in a single day (cf. 2:17). Thus a seah (one third of an ephah) may be in view here; six seahs would amount to two ephahs, about 60 pounds (27 kg). See R. L. Hubbard, Jr., Ruth (NICOT), 222, and F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther (WBC), 178.
  58. Ruth 3:15 tn The phrase “into the shawl” are supplied in the translation for clarity.
  59. Ruth 3:15 tc The MT preserves the third person masculine singular form וַיָּבֹא (vayyavoʾ, “then he went”; cf. ASV, NAB, NIV, NCV, NRSV, NLT), while many medieval mss (supported by the Syriac and Vulgate) have the third person feminine singular form וַתָּבֹא (vattavoʾ, “then she went”; cf. KJV, NASB, TEV).
  60. Ruth 3:16 tn Heb “she”; the referent (Naomi) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  61. Ruth 3:16 tn Heb “said.” Since what follows is a question, the present translation uses “asked” here.
  62. Ruth 3:16 tn Heb “Who are you?” In this context Naomi is clearly not asking for Ruth’s identity. Here the question has the semantic force “Are you his wife?” See R. L. Hubbard, Jr., Ruth (NICOT), 223-24, and F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther (WBC), 184-85.
  63. Ruth 3:16 tn Heb “she”; the referent (Ruth) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  64. Ruth 3:17 tc The MT (Kethib) lacks the preposition אֵלַי (ʾelay, “to me”) which is attested in the marginal reading (Qere).
  65. Ruth 3:17 sn ‘Do not go to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’ In addition to being a further gesture of kindness on Boaz’s part, the gift of barley served as a token of his intention to fulfill his responsibility as family guardian. See R. L. Hubbard, Jr., Ruth (NICOT), 225-26, and F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther (WBC), 187.
  66. Ruth 3:18 tn Heb “she”; the referent (Naomi) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  67. Ruth 3:18 tn Heb “sit”; KJV “Sit still”; NAB “Wait here”; NLT “Just be patient.”
  68. Ruth 4:1 tn The disjunctive clause structure (note the pattern vav [ו] + subject + verb) here signals the beginning of a new scene.
  69. Ruth 4:1 tn Sometimes translated “redeemer.” See the note on the phrase “guardian of the family interests” in 3:9.
  70. Ruth 4:1 tn Heb “look, the guardian was passing by of whom Boaz had spoken.”
  71. Ruth 4:1 tn Heb “turn aside” (so KJV, NASB); NIV, TEV, NLT “Come over here.”
  72. Ruth 4:1 tn The Hebrew idiom, פְּלֹנִי אַלְמֹנִי (peloni ʾalmoni) literally means “such and such” or “a certain one” (BDB 811-12 s.v. פְּלֹנִי. The idiom is used when one wishes to be ambiguous (1 Sam 21:3; 2 Kgs 6:8). Certainly Boaz would have known his relative’s name, especially in such a small village, and would have uttered his actual name. However the narrator refuses to record his name in a form of poetic justice because he refused to preserve Mahlon’s “name” (lineage) by marrying his widow (see 4:5, 9-10). This close relative, who is a literary foil for Boaz, refuses to fulfill the role of family guardian and is relegated to anonymity in a chapter otherwise filled with names and in contrast to Boaz’s prominence. Because the actual name of this relative is not recorded, the translation of this expression is difficult. Contemporary English style expects either a name or title, but the purpose of the expression is to remove his name. This is usually supplied in modern translations: “friend” (NASB, NIV, RSV, NRSV, NLT), “so-and-so” (JPS, NJPS). Perhaps “Mr. So-And-So!” or “Mr. No-Name!” makes the point. For discussion see Adele Berlin, Poetics and Interpretation of Biblical Narrative, 99-101; R. L. Hubbard, Jr., Ruth (NICOT), 233-35; F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther (WBC), 196-97.
  73. Ruth 4:1 tn Heb “and he turned aside” (so KJV, NASB); NRSV “And he went over.”
  74. Ruth 4:2 tn Heb “and he took ten men from the elders of the town.”
  75. Ruth 4:3 tn Or “redeemer.” See the note on the phrase “guardian of the family interests” in 3:9.
  76. Ruth 4:3 tn The perfect form of the verb here describes as a simple fact an action that is underway (cf. NIV, NRSV, CEV, NLT); NAB “is putting up for sale.”sn Naomi…is selling. The nature of the sale is uncertain. Naomi may have been selling the property rights to the land, but this seems unlikely in light of what is known about ancient Israelite property laws. It is more likely that Naomi, being a woman, held only the right to use the land until the time of her remarriage or death (F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther [WBC], 202-4). Because she held this right to use of the land, she also had the right to buy it back from the its current owner. (This assumes that Elimelech sold the land prior to going to Moab.) Since she did not possess the means to do so, however, she decided to dispose of her rights in the matter. She was not selling the land per se, but disposing of the right to its redemption and use, probably in exchange for room and board with the purchaser (Bush, 211-15). If this is correct, it might be preferable to translate, “Naomi is disposing of her rights to the portion of land,” although such a translation presumes some knowledge of ancient Israelite property laws.
  77. Ruth 4:4 tn Heb “and I said [or perhaps, “thought to myself”], ‘I will [or “must”] uncover your ear, saying’”; NAB “So I thought I would inform you”; NIV “I thought I should bring the matter to your attention.”
  78. Ruth 4:4 tn The phrase “before those sitting here and before the leaders of my people” appears to refer to the leaders who were specially chosen as witnesses (v. 2) and the larger group of community leaders standing by. It is possible, however, that the phrases “before those sitting here” and “before the leaders of my people” are appositional and that both refer to the ten leaders mentioned in v. 2 (cf. NLT “in the presence of these witnesses”).
  79. Ruth 4:4 tn Heb “if you will redeem, redeem” (KJV, NASB, NRSV all similar); NCV “If you want to buy back the land, then buy it.”
  80. Ruth 4:4 tn Heb “but if he will not redeem, tell me.” Most English versions emend the third person verb form (“he”) to the second person form because Boaz is addressing the closer relative. But it is possible that he briefly addresses the witnesses and refers to the closer relative in the third person. See J. M. Sasson, Ruth, 118.
  81. Ruth 4:4 tn Following the imperative, the prefixed verb form with vav indicates purpose or result.
  82. Ruth 4:4 tn Heb “for there is no one besides you to redeem, and I am after you” (NASB similar).
  83. Ruth 4:5 tn Heb “in the day”; NASB, NIV “On the day.”
  84. Ruth 4:5 sn Acquire the field. This probably refers to the right to redeem and use the field. See the note on the word “selling” in v. 3.
  85. Ruth 4:5 tn Heb “from the hand of Naomi” (so NASB, NRSV).
  86. Ruth 4:5 tc The MT וּמֵאֵת (umeʾet) may be understood in two ways: (1) “and from” (vav conjunction “and,” plus preposition מִן [min] “from,” plus definite direct object marker אֵת) parallel to the preceding מִיַד (miyyad, “from [the hand of]”), suggesting the field would be purchased from Naomi and from Ruth; or (2) “and” (vav [ו] conjunction “and,” plus enclitic mem [ם], plus direct object marker [אֵת]) introducing the second part of the acquisition: the nearest kinsman would be acquiring the field and Ruth (for discussion see F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther [WBC], 202). However, the BHS editors suggest reading גם את (“as well as…”; emphatic particle גם [“also”] and the definite direct object marker אֵת) introducing the second part of the acquisition: He would be acquiring the field and Ruth. This alternate reading is reflected in the Vulgate reading quoque (“and also”) and supported by parallel usage in v. 9, “I am acquiring the field from Naomi, and also (גָּם אֵת, gam ʾet) Ruth the Moabitess the wife of the deceased.”
  87. Ruth 4:5 tc The MT (Kethib) reads קָנִיתִי (qaniti, “I acquire,” Qal perfect first person common singular): “When you acquire the field from the hand of Naomi, I acquire Ruth the Moabitess….” However, the marginal reading (Qere) is קָנִיתָה (qanitah, “you acquire,” Qal perfect second person masculine singular, reflected in second person masculine singular forms in Greek, Latin, Aramaic, and Syriac): “When you acquire the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabitess…” The Qere is probably original because the Kethib is too difficult syntactically and contextually, while the Qere makes perfect sense: (1) Boaz stated in 3:13 that the nearest kinsman had the first right to acquire Ruth if he wanted to do so, and only the Qere reading here presents him with that option; and (2) Boaz announces in 4:9-10 that he was acquiring the field and Ruth as a package deal in 4:9-10, and only the Qere reading here presents the nearest kinsman with the same package deal. The Kethib probably arose by a scribe trying to harmonize 4:5 with the first person common singular form in 4:9-10 without fully understanding the ploy of Boaz in 4:5. See F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther (WBC), 216-17.
  88. Ruth 4:5 tc The presence of two difficult textual problems in this line (see two preceding notes) has produced a combination of four different ways in which this line can be rendered: (1) “When you acquire the field from Naomi, you must acquire [it] from Ruth the Moabitess the wife of the deceased” (KJV, NKJV); (2) “When you acquire the field from Naomi and from Ruth the Moabitess, you must acquire the wife of the deceased” (JPS, NJPS, NIV); (3) “When you acquire the field from Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabitess the wife of the deceased” (NASB, NCV, TEV, RSV, NRSV, NLT); and (4) “When you acquire the field from Naomi, then I acquire Ruth the Moabitess the wife of the deceased” (REB). The third option is adopted here. sn Our deceased relative. This refers to Mahlon, viewed as Elimelech’s heir.
  89. Ruth 4:5 tn Heb “in order to raise up the name of the deceased over his inheritance” (NASB similar); NRSV “to maintain the dead man’s name on his inheritance.”
  90. Ruth 4:6 sn I would ruin my own inheritance. It is not entirely clear how acquiring Ruth and raising up an heir for the deceased Elimelech would ruin this individual’s inheritance. Perhaps this means that the inheritance of his other children would be diminished. See R. L. Hubbard, Jr., Ruth (NICOT), 245-46.
  91. Ruth 4:6 tn Heb “redeem for yourself, you, my right of redemption for I am unable to redeem.”sn Here it appears that the acquisition of Ruth along with the land was an obligatory package deal (“When you acquire the field from Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth…”). On the other hand, Boaz viewed marriage to Ruth as voluntary in 3:13 (“If he does not want to redeem you, I will redeem you”), and presented the acquisition of the field as voluntary in 4:4 (“If you want to exercise your right…but if not, tell me!”). Initially, Boaz makes the transaction appear to be a mere land deal in 4:4. When the nearest relative jumped at the land offer, Boaz confronted him with the attendant social/family obligation of marrying Ruth to raise up an heir for the deceased to inherit this very land. By conducting the transaction in public where the close relative would need to save face, Boaz forced him either to reject the offer entirely or to include Ruth in the deal—but he could not take the land and reject Ruth. Either way, Ruth would be cared for and Elimelech’s line continued. But if he took Ruth, the acquisition of the land would be more economically burdensome than beneficial, so he yielded his purchase option to Boaz. For discussion, see F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther (WBC), 229-33.
  92. Ruth 4:7 tn Heb “and this formerly in Israel concerning redemption and concerning a transfer to ratify every matter.”
  93. Ruth 4:7 tn Heb “a man removed his sandal and gave [it] to his companion”; NASB “gave it to another”; NIV, NRSV, CEV “to the other.”
  94. Ruth 4:7 tn Heb “the legal witness”; KJV “a testimony”; ASV, NASB “the manner (form NAB) of attestation.”
  95. Ruth 4:8 tc The LXX adds “and gave it to him” (cf. TEV, CEV), which presupposes the reading ויתן לו. This seems to be a clarifying addition (see v. 7), but it is possible the scribe’s eye jumped from the final ו (vav) on נַעֲלוֹ (naʿalo, “his sandal”) to the final ו (vav) on לוֹ (lo, “to him”), accidentally omitting the intervening letters.
  96. Ruth 4:10 tn Heb “in order to raise up the name of the deceased over his inheritance” (NASB similar).
  97. Ruth 4:10 tn Heb “be cut off” (so NASB, NRSV); NAB “may not perish.”
  98. Ruth 4:10 tn Heb “and from the gate of his place” (so KJV, ASV); NASB “from the court of his birth place”; NIV “from the town records.”
  99. Ruth 4:11 tn Following the jussive, the imperative with prefixed vav indicates purpose or result.
  100. Ruth 4:11 tn The phrase וַעֲשֵׂה־חַיִל (vaʿaseh khayil, literally, “do strength”) has been variously translated: (1) financial prosperity: “may you become rich” (TEV), “may you be a rich man” (CEV), “may you achieve wealth” (NASB), “may you prosper” (NKJV, NJPS); (2) social prominence: “may you become powerful” (NCV), “may you have standing” (NIV), “may you be great” (NLT), “may you do well” (NAB); (3) reproductive fertility: “may you produce children” (NRSV); and (4) social activity: “may you do a worthy deed” (REB).
  101. Ruth 4:11 tc Heb “and call a name.” This statement appears to be elliptical. Usually the person named and the name itself follow this expression. Perhaps וּקְרָא־שֵׁם (uqeraʾ shem) should be emended to וְיִקָּרֵא־שֵׁם (veyiqqareʾ shem), “and your name will be called out,” that is, “perpetuated” (see Gen 48:16, cf. also Ruth 4:14b). The omission of the suffix with “name” could be explained as virtual haplography (note the letter ב (bet), which is similar to כ (kaf), at the beginning of the next word). The same explanation could account for the omission of the prefixed י (yod) on the verb “call,” as י (yod) and ו (vav) are similar in appearance. Whether one reads the imperative (the form in the MT) or the jussive (the emended form), the construction indicates purpose or result following the earlier jussive “may he make.”
  102. Ruth 4:12 tn Heb “your house” (so NAB, NASB, NRSV).
  103. Ruth 4:12 tn Heb “and may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, from the offspring whom the Lord gives to you from this young woman.”sn Perez is an appropriate comparison here, because (1) he was an ancestor of Boaz, (2) he was born to Tamar by a surrogate father (Judah) after the death of her husband, and (3) he had an unbroken line of male descendants extending over several generations (see vv. 18-22).
  104. Ruth 4:12 tn Heb “from the seed” (KJV, ASV both similar); NASB, NIV “through the offspring”; NRSV “through the children.”
  105. Ruth 4:13 tn Heb “and Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife and he approached her.” The verb לָקַח (laqakh), “to take,” acts as in idiom meaning “to take [a wife], to marry.” The phrase בּוֹא אֶל (boʾ ʾel) means “come to” or “approach,” but is also used as a euphemism for sexual relations.
  106. Ruth 4:13 tn Heb “gave her conception” (so KJV); NRSV “made her conceive”; NLT “enabled her to become pregnant.”
  107. Ruth 4:14 tn Or “redeemer.” See the note on the phrase “guardian of the family interests” in 3:9. As the following context indicates, the child is referred to here.
  108. Ruth 4:14 tn The “guardian” is the subject of the verb, as the next verse makes clear.
  109. Ruth 4:14 tn Heb “may his name be called [i.e., “perpetuated”; see Gen 48:16] in Israel.”
  110. Ruth 4:15 tn Heb “and he will become for you a restorer of life and a sustainer of your old age” (NASB similar).
  111. Ruth 4:15 tn Heb “who, she”; KJV “which is better to thee.”
  112. Ruth 4:16 tn Or “breast”; KJV, NRSV “in her bosom.”
  113. Ruth 4:16 tn Heb “his nurse,” but this refers to a dry nurse, not a medical attendant. Cf. NIV “and cared for him”; TEV “and took (+ good CEV) care of him.”
  114. Ruth 4:17 tn The name “Obed” means “one who serves,” perhaps anticipating how he would help Naomi (see v. 15).
  115. Ruth 4:18 tn Or “generations” (so KJV, NASB); NIV, NLT “family line.”sn The concluding genealogy demonstrates that the prayers of blessing made earlier were fulfilled. Boaz’s line did become like the line of Perez, and both Boaz and Obed became famous. God’s blessing upon Ruth and Boaz extended beyond their lifetime and immediate family, for their great descendant, David, became the greatest of Israel’s kings, and his descendant in turn, Jesus the Messiah, became greater still.
  116. Ruth 4:21 sn Salmon appears to be an alternate spelling of Salmah in the preceding line.
  117. Ruth 4:22 sn The theological message of the Book of Ruth may be summarized as follows: God cares for needy people like Naomi and Ruth; he is their ally in this chaotic world. He richly rewards people like Ruth and Boaz who demonstrate sacrificial love and in so doing become his instruments in helping the needy. God’s rewards for those who sacrificially love others sometimes exceed their wildest imagination and transcend their lifetime.
Next
Ruth 2
1 Samuel 1
Next
Previous Next

1 Chronicles 2:3-16
New English Translation

Judah’s Descendants

3 The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, and Shelah. These three were born to him by Bathshua,[a] a Canaanite woman. Er, Judah’s firstborn, displeased the Lord, so the Lord killed him.[b]

4 Tamar, Judah’s[c] daughter-in-law, bore to him Perez and Zerah. Judah had five sons in all.

5 The sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul.

6 The sons of Zerah: Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Kalkol, Dara[d]—five in all.

7 The son[e] of Carmi: Achan,[f] who brought the disaster on Israel when he stole what was devoted to God.[g]

8 The son[h] of Ethan: Azariah.

9 The sons born to Hezron: Jerahmeel, Ram, and Caleb.[i]

Ram’s Descendants

10 Ram was the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab was the father of Nahshon, the tribal chief of Judah. 11 Nahshon was the father of Salma,[j] and Salma was the father of Boaz. 12 Boaz was the father of Obed, and Obed was the father of Jesse.

13 Jesse was the father of Eliab, his firstborn; Abinadab was born second, Shimea third, 14 Nethanel fourth, Raddai fifth, 15 Ozem sixth, and David seventh. 16 Their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. Zeruiah’s three sons were Abshai,[k] Joab, and Asahel.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 2:3 tn The name means “daughter of Shua.” Shua is identified in Gen 38:2 as a “Canaanite man.”
  2. 1 Chronicles 2:3 tn Heb “was evil in the eyes of the Lord, so he [i.e., the Lord] killed him [i.e., Er].”
  3. 1 Chronicles 2:4 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Judah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  4. 1 Chronicles 2:6 tc Many medieval Hebrew mss, some LXX mss, and Syriac read “Darda” (see 1 Kgs 4:31 ET = 1 Kgs 5:11 HT).
  5. 1 Chronicles 2:7 tn Heb “sons.” The Hebrew text has the plural, but only one son is listed.
  6. 1 Chronicles 2:7 tc The Hebrew text has “Achar,” which means “disaster,” but a few medieval Hebrew mss read “Achan.” See Josh 7:1.
  7. 1 Chronicles 2:7 tn Heb “the troubler of Israel who was unfaithful with respect to the devoted [things].”
  8. 1 Chronicles 2:8 tn Heb “sons.” The Hebrew text has the plural, but only one son is listed.
  9. 1 Chronicles 2:9 tn The Hebrew text has “Celubai,” but see v. 18, where Caleb is described as the son of Hezron.
  10. 1 Chronicles 2:11 tc The LXX reads “Salmon” (cf. Ruth 4:21) and is followed by some English versions (e.g., NIV, NCV, TEV, NLT).
  11. 1 Chronicles 2:16 tn In 2 Sam 2:18 this name appears as “Abishai,” a spelling followed by many English versions here.
Next
1 Chronicles 1
1 Chronicles 3
Next
Previous Next

1 Samuel 1
New English Translation

Hannah Is Childless

1 There was a man from Ramathaim Zophim,[a] from the hill country of Ephraim. His name was Elkanah. He was the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 He had two wives;[b] the name of the first was Hannah and the name of the second was Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. 3 This man would go up from his city year after year[c] to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies at Shiloh.[d] (It was there that the two sons of Eli,[e] Hophni and Phinehas, served as the Lord’s priests.) 4 The day came, and Elkanah sacrificed.

(Now[f] he used to give meat portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. 5 But to Hannah he would give a double[g] portion because he loved Hannah,[h] although[i] the Lord had not enabled her to have children. 6 Her rival used to aggravate her to the point of exasperation,[j] just to irritate her,[k] since the Lord had not enabled her to have children. 7 This is how it would go[l] year after year. As often as she went up to the Lord’s house, Peninnah[m] would offend her in that way.)[n]

So she cried and refused to eat. 8 Then her husband Elkanah said to her, “Hannah, why are you crying and why won’t you eat? Why are you so upset?[o] Am I not better to you than ten[p] sons?” 9 So Hannah got up after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh.[q]

At the time[r] Eli the priest was sitting in his chair[s] by the doorpost of the Lord’s sanctuary.[t] 10 As for Hannah, she was very distressed.[u] She prayed to the Lord and was, in fact, weeping.[v] 11 She made a vow saying, “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, if you would truly look[w] on the suffering of your servant,[x] and would keep me in mind and not neglect[y] your servant, and give your servant a male child,[z] then I will dedicate him to the Lord all the days of his life. His hair will never be cut.”[aa]

12 It turned out[ab] that she did a great deal[ac] of praying before the Lord. Meanwhile[ad] Eli was watching her mouth. 13 As for Hannah, she was speaking in her mind.[ae] Only her lips were moving; her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought she was a drunkard.[af]

14 Then he[ag] said to her, “How much longer do you intend to get drunk? Put away your wine!”[ah] 15 But Hannah replied, “Not so, my lord! I am a woman under a great deal of stress.[ai] I haven’t drunk wine or beer. But I have poured out my soul before the Lord. 16 Don’t consider your servant a wicked woman.[aj] It’s just that,[ak] to this point, I have spoken from my deep pain[al] and anguish.”[am]

17 Eli replied, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant the request that you have asked of him.” 18 She said, “May I, your servant, find favor in your sight.”[an] So the woman went her way and got something to eat.[ao] Her face no longer looked sad.[ap]

19 They got up early the next morning. Then they worshiped[aq] the Lord and returned to their home at Ramathaim.[ar] Elkanah was intimate with[as] his wife Hannah, and the Lord called her to mind.[at] 20 Then Hannah became pregnant.

Hannah Dedicates Samuel to the Lord

In the course of time she gave birth to a son.[au] And she named him Samuel, thinking, “I asked the Lord for him.”[av] 21 Then the man Elkanah and all his family went up to make the yearly sacrifice[aw] to the Lord and to keep his vow.[ax] 22 But Hannah did not go up with them,[ay] because she had told[az] her husband, “Not[ba] until the boy is weaned. Then I will bring him so that he may appear before the Lord. And he will remain there from then on.”[bb]

23 Then her husband Elkanah said to her, “Do what you think best.[bc] Stay until you have weaned him. Only may the Lord fulfill his promise.”[bd]

So the woman stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him. 24 Then she took him up with her[be] as soon as she had weaned him, along with three bulls,[bf] an ephah[bg] of flour, and a container[bh] of wine. She came to the Lord’s house at Shiloh, and the boy was with them.[bi] 25 They slaughtered the bull, then brought the boy to Eli.[bj] 26 She said, “My lord. Just as surely as you are alive, my lord, I am the woman who previously stood here with you in order to pray to the Lord. 27 For this boy I prayed, and the Lord has given me the request that I asked of him. 28 So I also dedicate[bk] him to the Lord. For all the days of his life[bl] he is dedicated to the Lord.” Then he[bm] bowed down there in worship[bn] to the Lord.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 1:1 tc The translation follows the MT. The LXX reads “a man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite”; this is followed by a number of recent English translations. It is possible the MT reading צוֹפִים (tsofim) arose from dittography of the מ (mem) at the beginning of the following word.
  2. 1 Samuel 1:2 sn We do not know how Elkanah came to have two wives. A man whose brother had died without leaving children had, by custom, to marry his sister-in-law to raise up a son in his brother’s name (Deut 25:5). Childlessness, more than one wife, and rivalry are recurrent themes in the stories of Genesis. Sarai gave her servant Hagar to Abraham in an arrangement that would consider the child to be Sarai’s (Gen 16:2). Jacob was tricked into marrying Leah, but then also married Rachel, who initially could not have children (Gen 29:23-25; 30:1). This situation recalls the stories from Genesis and the dysfunction of the Patriarchs’ families.
  3. 1 Samuel 1:3 tn Heb “from days to days.” In this phrase “days” idiomatically means a year, as a set of days.
  4. 1 Samuel 1:3 sn From the book of Judges we know that Israel often struggled with idolatry during this time period. This introduction to Elkanah portrays him as a faithful worshiper of the Lord (whatever his faults may have been) at a time when “each man did what he considered to be right” (Judg 17:6; 21:25).
  5. 1 Samuel 1:3 tc LXX “Eli and his two sons.”
  6. 1 Samuel 1:4 tn The word “now” does not appear in the Hebrew. It is used here to signal that the narrator makes an aside. This begins an extended parenthetic remark which extends to the end of verse 7. sn The narrator supplies background information about the behavior patterns in this family which would routinely occur when they went to the tabernacle to worship on holy days.
  7. 1 Samuel 1:5 tn The exact sense of the Hebrew word אַפָּיִם (ʾappayim, “two nostrils” or “face”) is not certain here. The form is dual and is most likely used with the preceding expression (“one portion of two faces”) to mean a portion double than normally received. Although evidence for this use of the word derives primarily from Aramaic rather than from Hebrew usage, it provides an understanding that fits the context here better than other suggestions for the word do. The meaning “double” is therefore adopted in the present translation. Other possibilities for the meaning of the word include the following: “heavily” (cf. Vulg., tristis) and “worthy” or “choice” (cf. KJV and Targum). Some scholars have followed the LXX here, emending the word to אֶפֶס (ʾefes) and translating it as “but” or “however.” This seems unnecessary. The translators of the LXX may simply have been struggling to make sense of the word rather than following a Hebrew text that was different from the MT here.
  8. 1 Samuel 1:5 tn Heb “because Hannah he loved.” The Hebrew places the direct object, “Hannah,” first as a means of emphasis (topicalization). The emphasis on Hannah shows she was his favorite and may leave the audience wondering whether or how much he loves Peninnah. In turn this may typologically recall the ancestral story of Jacob loving Rachel more than Leah (Gen 29:30, 32), whom he was tricked into marrying.
  9. 1 Samuel 1:5 tn Or “and [because] the Lord had closed her womb.” So also in v. 6.” The conjunction, commonly “and,” could represent a second reason for giving her a double portion. Or because it is a noun first clause, it simply provides background information to be read in light of the statement that he loved her.sn The act of giving Hannah a double portion portrays Elkanah as having compassion on Hannah but also demonstrating favoritism. Exod 21:10 forbids diminishing the food of a second wife. This act is not the same as diminishing Peninnah’s food, but surely contributes to the tension between the women. While the extra food for Hannah may seem insignificant for the pain of childlessness, it was probably significant to Peninnah.
  10. 1 Samuel 1:6 tn The Hebrew construction is infrequent, employing גַּם (gam; “also”) and the noun כַּעַס (kaʿas; “grief, vexation, provocation”), which is a cognate to the verb (Hifil of כָּעַס; kaʿas, “to give grief, to provoke, to offend”). Both גַּם (gam; “also”) and use of the cognate noun strengthen the idea of aggravating her. A similar but negated construction appears in Jer 8:12. It suggests that this syntax speaks of attaining the notion in the verb to a significant level, in this case to the point of provocation or exasperation.
  11. 1 Samuel 1:6 tn Heb “for the purpose of troubling her.” The word “just” has been added for English idiom. The Hiphil form of the verb רָעַם (raʿam) may mean to disturb, humiliate, or provoke to anger. The picture seems to be that Peninnah would deliberately choose ways to irritate Hannah, for no other purpose except to see her provoked, humiliated, or depressed.
  12. 1 Samuel 1:7 tc The MT has a Qal masculine imperfect form of the verb here (יַעֲשֶׂה; yaʿaseh) “thus he used to do.” The imperfect form gives past habitual meaning and is modified by כֵּן (ken, “thus, so”). The subject would presumably be Elkanah, but this is an abrupt change of subject during a description of how Peninnah would aggravate Hannah. One approach is emend the first consonant and read the feminine form (תַּעֲשֶׂה; taʿaseh) “she used to do so.” The approach taken here is to retain the consonants and revocalize as a Niphal (i.e., יֵעָשֶׂה, yeʿaseh) “thus it would be done.” Cf. Gen 29:26.
  13. 1 Samuel 1:7 tn Heb “she”; the referent (Peninnah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  14. 1 Samuel 1:7 tn This concludes the background material of what used to happen. The next two verbs are preterites, which resume the main action line of the story from verse 4. Preterite verbs (also called vayyiqtol, or waw consecutive with imperfect) move the main line of actions forward in a story. The verbs in the main clauses from “he used to give” in vs. 4 to this point are perfect consecutives (also called veqatal or waw consecutive plus perfect) and second position imperfects used for past habitual actions. This is confirmed by the modifiers “year after year” and “as often as.” The story must at some point switch from telling what would happen on many occasions to what did happen on one occasion. Though the background statement is lengthy, it seems best to divide the habitual pattern from the particular occasion based on the known values of the verb forms.
  15. 1 Samuel 1:8 tn Heb “why is your heart displeased?” Here the heart (לֵבָב; levav) represents the emotions. The verb (רָעַע; raʿaʿ) can refer broadly to something bad or harmful and in this context may mean to be displeased, sad, or resentful. Presumably Hannah’s behavior was in opposition to the behavior expected at the worship festival.
  16. 1 Samuel 1:8 sn Like the number seven (cf. Ruth 4:15), the number ten is sometimes used in the OT as an ideal number (see, for example, Dan 1:20, Zech 8:23).
  17. 1 Samuel 1:9 tn Heb “after eating in Shiloh, and after drinking.” Since Hannah had refused to eat, it must refer to the others. The Hebrew also sets off the phrase “and after drinking” probably to prepare the reader for Eli’s mistaken assumption that Hannah had had too much too drink.tc The LXX adds “and stood before the Lord.” This is probably a textual expansion due to the terseness of the statement in the Hebrew text, but we do know from context that she went up to the tabernacle.
  18. 1 Samuel 1:9 tn The words “at the time” come from the syntax. As a noun clause (instead of having a preterite verb) it does not advance the time line of the story. It provides background information which is true at the same time as another event or, as in this case, is part of the setting for a new scene.
  19. 1 Samuel 1:9 tn Or perhaps, “on his throne.” See Joüon 2:506-7 §137.f.
  20. 1 Samuel 1:9 tn The term הֵיכָל (hekhal) often refers to the temple (so ASV, KJV, ESV, NASB, NIV), however, this story happens well before Solomon built the temple. The Sumerian word “E.GAL” means “big house” and came into Akkadian as “ekallu” referring to a “palace,” “temple” (the god’s palace), or the main room of a private house (CAD E, 52). The term later came into Hebrew as “palace” or “temple.” Considering it’s origin, it is appropriate for the tabernacle which is pictured as God’s dwelling. “Sanctuary” is preferred over “temple” to avoid confusion with Solomon’s temple.
  21. 1 Samuel 1:10 tn Heb “she was bitter [in] soul.” Here “soul” (נֶפֶשׁ; nefesh) represents “the center and transmitter of feelings and perceptions” (HALOT, s.v. נֶפֶשׁ). Elsewhere (Isa 38:15; Ezek 27:31) the phrase refers to heartache. The noun first clause is making a contrast between her and Eli as part of the new setting before starting the main line of action in the following preterite verbs.
  22. 1 Samuel 1:10 tn Heb “and weeping, she was weeping.” A paronomastic infinitive absolute (from the same root as the verb it precedes) highlights the modality of the main verb. In this case the indicative mood is emphasized because this weeping was unexpected at the religious festival (see Brian L. Webster, The Cambridge Introduction to Biblical Hebrew, 288). Another view is that for indicative verbs the infinitive absolute emphasizes the lexical meaning of the verb, such as “weeping greatly.” The imperfect verbal form emphasizes the continuation of the action in past time.
  23. 1 Samuel 1:11 tn Heb “looking you look.” The expression can refer, as here, to looking favorably upon another, in this case with compassion. The paronomastic infinitive absolute, emphasizing the modality of the verb is rendered here as “truly.”
  24. 1 Samuel 1:11 tn Heb “handmaid.” The use of this term (translated two more times in this verse and once each in vv. 16, 17 simply as “servant” for stylistic reasons) is an expression of humility.
  25. 1 Samuel 1:11 tn The verbs זָכַר (zakar) and שָׁכַח (shakhakh) are often translated “remember” and “forget.” But their meaning is not as narrow as the English terms. Hannah is not concerned with God’s memory capacity but about keeping her in mind to grant her request. tc The LXX omits “and not neglect your servant.”
  26. 1 Samuel 1:11 tn Heb “seed of men.”
  27. 1 Samuel 1:11 tc The LXX adds “wine and strong drink he will not drink.”tn Heb “a razor will not go up upon his head.”sn This alludes to the vow of the נָזִיר (nazir) in Num 6:5. A Nazirite, or consecrated person, would make a vow for a time or for a lifetime. Among the outer signs of consecration were abstinence from alcohol and not cutting the hair for the duration of the vow. Sampson was also dedicated as a Nazirite from birth (Judg 13:7).
  28. 1 Samuel 1:12 tn This verb form, waw plus Qal perfect of הָיָה (hayah; “to be”), is rare in narrative. Most often this appears in direct speech indicating a future event or a purpose (as types of propositional or event modality respectively). However, the form can also convey other modal meanings and here probably indicates result (a type of event modality). For other cases of this syntax see Judg 19:30; 1 Sam 10:9; 13:22.
  29. 1 Samuel 1:12 tn Heb “she made numerous to pray.” The Hiphil from of the verb רָבָה (ravah; “to be many”) means to “make numerous, plentiful, or continuous” (HALOT s.v. 1 רָבָה)
  30. 1 Samuel 1:12 tn The noun first syntax of this clause means that it indicates circumstances that are simultaneous to other actions in the story. The adverb “meanwhile” was chosen to represent this syntax. It shows that Eli was watching her, apparently mumbling, for some time during her praying before he approached her.
  31. 1 Samuel 1:13 tn The Hebrew word לֵב (lev) can refer to the seat of the emotions, will, and intellect and may be translated as “heart” or “mind.”
  32. 1 Samuel 1:13 tn The Hebrew term שִׁכּוֹר (shikkor) can refer to being drunk or being a drunkard. Slurred speech is a symptom of drunkenness, but because there is no audible speech Eli may be inferring confusion associated with alcoholic dementia, a result of long term drinking.
  33. 1 Samuel 1:14 tn Heb “Eli.” The pronoun (“he”) has been used in the translation in keeping with contemporary English style.tc LXX “Eli’s servant.”
  34. 1 Samuel 1:14 tc The LXX adds “And go away from the Lord’s face (i.e., presence).”
  35. 1 Samuel 1:15 tn The idiom קְשַׁת רוּחַ (qeshat ruakh) is unique to this passage. The adjective קְשַׁת (qeshat) may mean “hard, difficult, or distressed” and the noun רוּחַ (ruakh) may mean “spirit, or breath.” It could possibly refer to a “distressed spirit” (NIV, ESV “troubled;” NASB “oppressed;” KJV “sorrowful”) or “difficult of breath.” An appeal to some sort of shortness of breath could fit the context. The LXX has “for whom the day is difficult,” either mistaking the Hebrew word “day” יוֹם (yom) for “spirit” or choosing a way to communicate stress. The phrase has also been compared to “hard of face,” “hard of heart,” and “hard of neck” and understood to mean “obstinate” (Graeme Auld, I & II Samuel [Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2011] 31). Claiming to be obstinate seems an unlikely defense to present the high priest, but if this latter suggestion is on the right track, perhaps the idiom could be bland enough to mean “determined.”
  36. 1 Samuel 1:16 tn Heb “daughter of worthlessness.”
  37. 1 Samuel 1:16 tn Heb “for” or “indeed.” The English “It’s just that” is a colloquial expression that can express a reason.
  38. 1 Samuel 1:16 tn The term שִׂיחַ (siakh) can also refer to a lament or complaint.
  39. 1 Samuel 1:16 tn It is also possible for the term כַּעַס (kaʿas) to refer to provocation or anger.
  40. 1 Samuel 1:18 tc The LXX reads as an affirmation: “Your servant [has] found favor in your sight.”
  41. 1 Samuel 1:18 tc Several medieval Hebrew mss and the Syriac Peshitta lack the words “and got something to eat.” The LXX reads: “went her way. She entered her guest room. She ate with her husband, and drank.”
  42. 1 Samuel 1:18 tc NET follows the LXX: “her face was no longer fallen.” The MT reads: “her face, it did not belong to her any more.” The Hebrew is difficult to interpret; we may wonder if it is idiomatic for her expression having changed.
  43. 1 Samuel 1:19 tn Or “bowed before the Lord.” The posture of bowing often represents the act of worshiping.
  44. 1 Samuel 1:19 tc Heb “to Ramah;” LXX “Ramathaim.” Ramathaim, used in verse 1, is the dual form of Ramah.
  45. 1 Samuel 1:19 tn Heb “Elkanah knew his wife.” The Hebrew expression is a euphemism for sexual relations.
  46. 1 Samuel 1:19 tn The verbs זָכַר (zakar) is often translated “remember.” It does not simply mean the ability to recall (as “forgetting” does not simply mean the inability to recall). It means the decision to recall or to bear in mind, here with regard to her previous request. The Hebrew verb is often used in the OT for considering the needs or desires of people with favor and kindness.
  47. 1 Samuel 1:20 tc The translation follows the sequence of the LXX. The MT says: “It happened at the turning of the days. Hannah conceived. And she gave birth to a son.” The phrase “at the turning of the days” might refer to the new year or to end of the term of pregnancy.
  48. 1 Samuel 1:20 tn Heb “because from the Lord I asked him.” The name “Samuel” sounds like the Hebrew verb translated “asked.” The explanation of the meaning of the name “Samuel” that is provided in v. 20 is not a strict etymology. It seems to suggest that the first part of the name is derived from the Hebrew root שָׁאַל (shaʾal, “to ask”), but the consonants do not support this. Nor is it likely that the name comes from the root שָׁמַע (shamaʿ, “to hear”), for the same reason. It more probably derives from שֶׁם (shem, “name”), so that “Samuel” means “name of God.” Verse 20 therefore does not set forth a linguistic explanation of the meaning of the name, but rather draws a parallel between similar sounds. This figure of speech is known as paronomasia.
  49. 1 Samuel 1:21 tn Heb “sacrifice of days.” The plural “days” often refers to a set of days, commonly a year, thus an annual sacrifice (cf. 1 Sam 2:29; 20:6).
  50. 1 Samuel 1:21 tn The Hebrew suffix could be “his vow” or “its vow,” referring to his household’s vow. sn The only vow that has been mentioned so far is Hannah’s. This either implies an additional vow not made known to us, or implies Elkanah’s affirmation of her vow. According to Num 30:6-8 a husband could nullify his wife’s vow, or allow it to stand. tc The LXX adds “and all the tithes of his land.”
  51. 1 Samuel 1:22 tn The disjunctive clause is contrastive here. The words “with them” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  52. 1 Samuel 1:22 tn The perfect conjugation, used with a dynamic root, may be be past or past perfect. In a כִּי (ki) clause in narrative, it typically refers to a reason that occurred prior to the event in the main timeline. Most translations, however, render it as simple past (KJV, NRSV, NASB, NIV, ESV, Holman). sn According to this understanding, she and Elkanah have already discussed the issue. Her concern to not give the baby up while Samuel is nursing is most sensible; at the same time she affirms her long term commitment to her vow.
  53. 1 Samuel 1:22 tn Heb “until the boy is weaned.” The word “not” is implied and provided for clarity.
  54. 1 Samuel 1:22 tn Heb “until forever.”
  55. 1 Samuel 1:23 tn Heb “what is good in your eyes.”sn A similar phrase is a negative characterization in Judges, that “each would do what was right in his [own] eyes” (Judg 17:6; 21:25, cf. Prov 12:15; 21:2). However the phrase “in one’s own eyes” does not have to have a negative connotation (1 Chron 13:4; 30:4). As Hannah had done, Elkanah affirms the long term commitment to the vow.
  56. 1 Samuel 1:23 tc LXX and Qumran “establish what is coming out of your mouth.” MT “establish his word.”sn By reading “his word” (i.e., his promise) the MT is consistent with other passages that deal with establishing God’s word. But what it refers to is unclear. If Eli’s earlier response (v. 17) implies a promise, it has already been fulfilled in the birth. Other have suggested a connection to Deut 18:15, 18 and the promise to raise up a prophet like Moses. The reading preserved in the Greek text and at Qumran may well be the original. In this case Elkanah is affirming the conclusion of Hannah’s vow. Perhaps there is even an underlying admonition in the affirmation. Auld suggests it is possible that readers should discern in Elkanah an affirmation of the prophetic word through Hannah (Graeme Auld, I & II Samuel [Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2011] 33).
  57. 1 Samuel 1:24 tc LXX “she went up with him to Shiloh.”
  58. 1 Samuel 1:24 tc LXX “with a three year old bull and loaves.”
  59. 1 Samuel 1:24 sn The ephah was a standard dry measure in OT times; it was the equivalent of one-tenth of the OT measure known as a homer. The ephah was equal to approximately one-half to two-thirds of a bushel.
  60. 1 Samuel 1:24 tn The Hebrew term translated “container” may denote either a clay storage jar (cf. CEV “a clay jar full of wine”) or a leather container (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV “a skin of wine”; NCV “a leather bag filled with [full of TEV] wine”).
  61. 1 Samuel 1:24 tc The translation follows the LXX. Although “with her” can be conjectured instead of “with them,” the context of the LXX assumes the presence of Elkanah as well as Hannah. The MT has the unusual structure “and the boy was a boy,” possibly the result of dittography. If the MT is correct, perhaps we are to understand two different meanings of the same noun, e.g. “the boy was a servant.” The noun נַעַר (naʿar) is commonly understood to refer to a young man or a servant (HALOT s.v. נַעַר), however, it refers to the infant Moses (Exod 2:6) and to Benjamin when he may be well past adolescence (Gen 43:8). Further those called נַעַר (naʿar) may not simply be servants, but someone in line to receive a position of rank. Samuel does become a servant, or apprentice, and turns out to be in line to replace Eli. Yet since he has not yet been given to Eli, this seems like an odd place to remark on his being an apprentice.
  62. 1 Samuel 1:25 tc The LXX is longer, reading: “They brought [him] before the Lord and his father slaughtered the sacrifice which he would bring to the Lord from time to time. And he brought the child and slaughtered the calf. And Hannah, the child’s mother, brought him to Eli.”
  63. 1 Samuel 1:28 tn The Hiphil of שָׁאַל (shaʾal) might mean “to loan,” or “to treat as requested” (see HALOT s.v. שָׁאַל).
  64. 1 Samuel 1:28 tn Heb “all the days which he lives.”
  65. 1 Samuel 1:28 tc The MT is singular, apparently referring to Samuel (but cf. CEV “Elkanah”). A few medieval manuscripts and some ancient versions take the verb as plural (cf. TEV, NLT).
  66. 1 Samuel 1:28 sn This Hebrew verb, the Hishtaphel of חָוָה (havah), means “to bow down” or “to prostrate oneself.” When bowing to the Lord it is a gesture of worship. In this context, if Samuel is the subject (see the previous tc note), he demonstrates reverence to the Lord regarding his mother’s vow.
Next
Ruth 4
1 Samuel 2
Next
dropdown
New English Translation (NET)

NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.