And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee.
Parallel translations
- WEB Behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, “May Yahweh be with you.” They answered him, “May Yahweh bless you.”
- BSB Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and said to the harvesters, “The LORD be with you.” “The LORD bless you,” they replied.
- NKJV Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, “The Lord be with you!” And they answered him, “The Lord bless you!”
- NASB Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, “May the Lord be with you.” And they said to him, “May the Lord bless you.”
- NLT While she was there, Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters. “The Lord be with you!” he said. “The Lord bless you!” the harvesters replied.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Boaz arrives and exchanges blessings with his workers in the LORD's name. The greeting reveals his godly character and a community marked by faith.
Overview
Boaz's greeting, 'May Yahweh be with you,' and the reapers' reply show a workplace where genuine piety shapes relationships. This first glimpse of Boaz confirms the worthiness already noted in verse 1. His evident faith and kindness make him a fitting redeemer and a foreshadowing of Christ, who blesses and cares for His own.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Ps 129:7–8Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand; nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom.
- Judg 6:12And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
- Luke 1:28And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
- 2 Th 3:16Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.
- 2 Tim 4:22The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.
- Ps 118:26Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.
- Gen 18:19For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
- Josh 24:15And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
- Ruth 4:11And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem:
- Ps 133:1–3Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
- 2 Jn 1:10–11If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:
- 1 Tim 6:2And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Boaz the kinsman-redeemer who buys back the destitute and takes a bride foreshadows Christ, our Redeemer who pays the price to make a people his own; and from Ruth's line comes David, and David's greater Son.
How Ruth 2:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.