Ruth 2:20 web — Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, "Blessed be he of Yahweh, who has not left off his kindness to the living and to the…

World English Bible

"Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, "Blessed be he of Yahweh, who has not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead." Naomi said to her, "The man is a close relative to us, one of our near kinsmen.""

— Ruth 2:20, World English Bible

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Ruth 2:20 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the Lord, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.”

  • ASV

    “And Naomi said unto her daughter-in-law, Blessed be he of Jehovah, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is nigh of kin unto us, one of our near kinsmen. ”

  • NET

    “Naomi said to her daughter-in-law,“May he be rewarded by the LORD because he has shown loyalty to the living on behalf of the dead!” Then Naomi said to her,“This man is a close relative of ours; he is our guardian.””

  • DRB

    “And Noemi answered her: Blessed be he of the Lord: because the same kindness which he shewed to the living, he hath kept also to the dead. And again she said: The man is our kinsman.”

  • BBE

    “And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, May the blessing of the Lord, who has at all times been kind to the living and to the dead, be on him. And Naomi said to her, The man is of our family, one of our near relations.”

  • KJVA

    “And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the Lord, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.”

Ruth 2 — Context

17

So she gleaned in the field until evening; and she beat out that which she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley.

18

She took it up, and went into the city; and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth and gave to her that which she had left after she was sufficed.

19

Her mother-in-law said to her, "Where have you gleaned today? Where have you worked? Blessed be he who noticed you." She showed her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and said, "The man's name with whom I worked today is Boaz."

20

Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, "Blessed be he of Yahweh, who has not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead." Naomi said to her, "The man is a close relative to us, one of our near kinsmen."

21

Ruth the Moabitess said, "Yes, he said to me, 'You shall stay close to my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.'"

22

Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, "It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his maidens, and that they not meet you in any other field."

23

So she stayed close to the maidens of Boaz, to glean to the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and she lived with her mother-in-law.

Ruth 2:20 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Ruth 2:20 say?
Ruth 2:20 in the World English Bible reads: “Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, "Blessed be he of Yahweh, who has not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead." Naomi said to her, "The man is a close relative to us, one of our near kinsmen."”
Where is Ruth 2:20 in the Bible?
Ruth 2:20 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Ruth, chapter 2, verse 20.
Who wrote Ruth?
Ruth is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Samuel). It was written c. 1011–931 BC.
What is the book of Ruth about?
Ruth is the tender story of a Moabite widow who clings to her Israelite mother-in-law and to the LORD, and finds refuge under the wing of a kinsman-redeemer named Boaz. Set in the time of the judges, it ends with the genealogy of King David — and ultimately points toward Christ.
What are the major themes of Ruth?
Ruth explores themes including Loyalty, Redemption, Providence, Kindness, Lineage of David. These themes shape the meaning and context of Ruth 2:20.
What translation should I read Ruth 2:20 in?
Ruth 2:20 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Ruth 2:20?
Ruth 2:20 reads (WEB): “Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, "Blessed be he of Yahweh, who has not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead." Naomi said to her, "The man is a close relative to us, one of our near kinsmen."” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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