Ruth 4 13

Ruth 4:13 kjv

So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son.

Ruth 4:13 nkjv

So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife; and when he went in to her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bore a son.

Ruth 4:13 niv

So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the LORD enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son.

Ruth 4:13 esv

So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the LORD gave her conception, and she bore a son.

Ruth 4:13 nlt

So Boaz took Ruth into his home, and she became his wife. When he slept with her, the LORD enabled her to become pregnant, and she gave birth to a son.

Ruth 4 verses

Ruth 4 13 Meaning

Ruth 4:13 describes the culmination of the kinsman-redeemer narrative. It states that Boaz legally took Ruth as his wife and their marriage was physically consummated. Crucially, the verse attributes Ruth's subsequent conception directly to the LORD, signifying divine blessing and intervention, leading to the birth of a son. This birth marks the restoration of Naomi's lineage and provides a crucial link in the genealogical line that leads to King David.

Ruth 4 13 Context

Ruth 4:13 occurs at the climax of the book of Ruth, marking the resolution of Naomi’s plight and the fulfillment of the ancestral promises. The preceding verses (Ruth 4:1-12) detail Boaz's redemption of Naomi's family land and his subsequent formal agreement to take Ruth as his wife, specifically to "perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance" (Ruth 4:10). The elders and all the people at the gate invoked blessings upon Boaz and Ruth, praying that their union would be fruitful, like Rachel and Leah, and establish the house of Perez. This verse immediately follows these public pronouncements, describing the actualization of these plans and blessings. Historically, ensuring the continuation of a family line was paramount in Israelite society, especially to maintain inherited land within the tribe. A son was crucial for this, particularly one born to a kinsman-redeemer (Goel) who restored the name of the deceased husband on his land. The explicit statement "the LORD gave her conception" served as a significant theological declaration, subtly countering the pagan worship of Canaanite fertility deities like Baal by attributing the gift of life and fertility solely to Yahweh, the God of Israel.

Ruth 4 13 Word analysis

• So Boaz took Ruth:
  • Took (Heb. לָקַח, laqakh): This word signifies a legal and formal act of taking, acquiring, or marrying. It implies Boaz's rightful and recognized claim of Ruth as his wife according to Israelite custom, often accompanied by the payment of a bride-price or fulfilling obligations. This is distinct from casual cohabitation and emphasizes a covenanted relationship.
• and she became his wife:
  • This phrase confirms the established marital status. Ruth, formerly a Moabite widow, is now fully integrated into Israel and Boaz’s household, her former social vulnerability removed.
• And he went in to her:
  • This is a common biblical idiom (Heb. בּוֹא אֶל, bo el) indicating sexual intercourse and the consummation of the marriage. It points to the physical union as an essential part of the marital covenant and the necessary step towards procreation.
• and the LORD gave her conception:
  • the LORD (Heb. יְהוָה, Yahweh): This is the covenant name of God, emphasizing His personal involvement and faithfulness. It underscores divine sovereignty over all life processes.
  • gave (Heb. נָתַן, natan): This verb means "to give" or "to grant." The explicit use of "gave" here is significant, attributing Ruth's pregnancy not merely to natural procreation but to a direct, intentional act of God's blessing. This phrase counters any notion that fertility is a result of human effort alone or the influence of pagan deities; it firmly declares that life and the ability to conceive originate with God.
  • conception: This refers to the act of becoming pregnant. The verse highlights that fertility is a gift from God, especially notable as Ruth was an outsider and was marrying into a situation where a child was critically needed to fulfill a legal and familial duty. This mirrors other Old Testament narratives where God supernaturally opens wombs (e.g., Sarah, Rachel, Hannah).
• and she bore a son:
  • This signifies the successful outcome of the divine blessing and marital union. The birth of a son was culturally paramount for lineage, inheritance, and carrying on the family name, particularly for the name of Elimelech and Mahlon, ensuring their remembrance.

• Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her: This phrase group describes the complete process of marriage – the legal and social covenant (`took Ruth, and she became his wife`) followed by its physical consummation (`he went in to her`), both essential for establishing a legitimate and fruitful union in that culture.
• and the LORD gave her conception, and she bore a son: This phrase group underscores the divine element of procreation. While human agency is involved in the consummation, the power to conceive and bring forth life ultimately rests with God. The sequence directly links divine action to the blessed outcome of a child, ensuring the continuation of the lineage crucial for the book's theological trajectory.

Ruth 4 13 Bonus section

The explicit mention of "the LORD gave her conception" in Ruth 4:13 elevates the natural process of procreation to a divine act of providence. This detail is crucial for several reasons beyond merely stating a pregnancy occurred:

• Emphasis on Divine Initiative: In a time and culture where fertility was often linked to deities or curses, this statement strongly affirms Yahweh as the sole source of life and fertility. It prevents any attribution of the successful conception to chance or other gods.
• Echoes of Earlier Patriarchal Narratives: This phrase deliberately resonates with the stories of Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, and Hannah, whose conceptions were also divinely enabled or explicitly stated as gifts from God after periods of barrenness. Although Ruth is not explicitly stated as barren previously, her background as a Moabite widow joining a new lineage could carry an implication of difficulty in establishing offspring in the ancestral line. God’s direct intervention ensures the birth of a crucial heir.
• Anticipation of Messiah's Line: The particular wording highlights God’s active hand in shaping the very lineage from which King David, and ultimately the Messiah, would descend. It assures the reader that this family line is not merely a product of human arrangement but divinely chosen and supernaturally blessed. This boy's birth, orchestrated by God, is therefore not just a happy ending but a pivotal moment in salvation history.
• Redemption Beyond Restoration: The son given by the LORD goes beyond just restoring Naomi's lost inheritance. He is the first step in creating a new and greater future for Naomi's lineage, connecting it to the most significant king in Israel's history, highlighting God's faithfulness in bringing about abundant blessing where there was desolation.

Ruth 4 13 Commentary

Ruth 4:13 serves as the narrative's central resolution, meticulously weaving together themes of human fidelity, legal redemption, and divine sovereignty. The act of Boaz taking Ruth as his wife marks the fulfillment of the kinsman-redeemer’s duty and the blessings publicly pronounced. However, the pivot of the verse is "the LORD gave her conception," which transcends the ordinary marital act by highlighting God’s direct, miraculous involvement in overcoming any potential barrenness, just as He did for barren matriarchs throughout Israel's history. This affirms that children are a gift from God and emphasizes Yahweh's supreme power over fertility, implicitly rebuking reliance on pagan fertility rites. The birth of "a son" not only completes the marital picture but decisively continues the lineage of Elimelech, preserving the family name and inheritance. This divinely-ordained birth is the critical link in the genealogy that leads directly to Obed, Jesse, and ultimately, King David, setting the stage for the Messiah’s line. The verse powerfully demonstrates how God orchestrates human relationships and natural processes to accomplish His larger redemptive plan, ensuring His covenant promises unfold through generations.