SIL Translator’s Notes on Ruth 2024 – Page 3

SIL Translator’s Notes on Ruth 3:4

3:4a

When he lies down: This refers to when Boaz would lie down to sleep.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

When he gets ready to go to sleep (NET Bible)
-or-
When he is about to lie down ⌊for the night⌋

note the place where he lies: The verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as note is literally “know.” The place where Boaz went to sleep would have been dark, and others were probably sleeping not far away. Ruth had to watch carefully and remember exactly where Boaz was so she could find him in the dark.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

make sure you know the place where he is (Revised English Bible)
-or-
take careful notice of the place where he lies down (NET Bible)
-or-
see and remember the place he lies down

General Comment on 3:4a

In some languages, it may not be natural to repeat the verbs “lies down” and “lies.” If this is true in your language, combine these two clauses into a single clause. For example:

Be sure to notice where he lies down (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Watch where he goes to lie down

3:4b

Then: The conjunction which the Berean Standard Bible translates as Then introduces the next instruction in a series of instructions.

Here are some other ways to introduce it:

After that
-or-
Later
-or-
Next

In some languages, it may not be natural to use a conjunction or time reference here.

Naomi implied that Ruth should wait until Boaz was asleep before going to uncover Boaz’s feet. In some languages, it may be helpful to make this information explicit. For example:

⌊ After he falls asleep⌋
-or-

⌊ Wait until he is asleep⌋and then

go in and uncover his feet: Boaz would have used his outer cloak or some type of blanket to keep warm from the cool night winds at the threshing floor. Naomi told Ruth to lift the covering off his feet so that his feet would be bare.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

go and turn back the covering at his feet
-or-
take the ⌊blanket⌋ off his feet (Translation for Translators)
-or-
Go there and lift the cover off his feet (English Easy-to-Read Version)

and lie down: The Hebrew text and many translations do not say specifically where Ruth was supposed to lie down. But it is clear from this context (and 3:8b) that Naomi wanted Ruth to lie down at Boaz’s feet rather than beside him.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

and lie down at his feet (Good News Translation)
-or-
and lie down ⌊there next to his feet⌋
-or-
and lie down there (God’s Word)

3:4c

he will explain to you what you should do: In this verse part, Naomi made a final comment to Ruth. She assured Ruth that after Boaz discovered her at his feet, he would tell her what she should do.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

He will make it clear what you must do (God’s Word)
-or-

⌊ When he wakes up,⌋he will tell you what to do (Translation for Translators)

© 2024 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Ruth 3:3

3:3a

Therefore: In Hebrew, this sentence starts with a conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Therefore. It begins a series of instructions from Naomi to Ruth. So far, Naomi’s speech to Ruth which began in 3:1b has been describing a situation. Here in 3:3a she switched to giving instructions.

Here are some ways to introduce the series of instructions:

So… (NET Bible)
-or-
Now do as I tell you (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Therefore I want you to…
-or-
You should… (CEB)

Consider the way that your language naturally switches from describing the important facts about a situation to giving instructions.

wash yourself, put on perfume: Naomi told Ruth to wash yourself, which means to bathe. The verb which the Berean Standard Bible translates as put on perfume means to “anoint” or “apply oils or perfumes to the body.” Perfumed oil was a luxury item. Poor people would have used it only on special occasions.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

So bathe yourself, rub on some perfumed oil (NET Bible)
-or-
take a bath and put on perfume (New Living Translation (2004))

and wear your best clothes: The Hebrew clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as and wear your best clothes is literally “and you will put your clothing on yourself.” There is no Hebrew word that means best here, but many translations supply a description of the clothes as “best,” “nice,” or “good,” because it fits the context.

clothes: There is a textual issue here:

(1) In some Hebrew manuscripts the word for clothes is plural and refers to clothing in general. For example:

and put on your best clothes (New Revised Standard Version)

(2) In other Hebrew manuscripts and in the LXX, the word for clothes is singular, referring specifically to a “cloak,” “robe,” or “outer garment.” For example:

and put on your cloak (English Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow option (1) along with most versions. Also, it has strong manuscript support.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

and dress in your nicest clothes (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
and get dressed up (NET Bible)
-or-
dress up (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)

3:3b

Go down to the threshing floor: Bethlehem was built on a hill that is higher than the surrounding land. A person would need to Go down to get to any place nearby. Threshing floors were also located on the tops or ridges of hills in order to catch good wind for blowing away the chaff. The threshing floor where Boaz worked was probably on the top of a lower hill close to Bethlehem.

In some languages, it may not be natural to say “go down” if a person goes slightly downhill. If that is true in your language, see the last three examples below.

Then go down ⌊the hill⌋ to the threshing place
-or-
After that, go over to the place where they crush/thresh the grain
-or-
Then go to the threshing floor (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-

Go where he is working (Contemporary English Version)

3:3c

but: The instructions in 3:3a-b have all been positive commands (“wash…put on…wear…Go down…”). Here in 3:3c, she gave a negative command, telling Ruth what not to do. The Hebrew text does not use any conjunction here. In many languages, it will be natural to use a conjunction that indicates contrast. For example:

However,
-or-
But be careful…
-or-
But make sure…

do not let the man know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking: Naomi told Ruth to remain out of Boaz’s sight until he had finished eating and had gone to sleep.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

Do not let him recognize you while he is still eating and drinking
-or-
but don’t let Boaz see you until he has finished eating and drinking (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
but don’t let him recognize you. Once he’s finished eating and drinking,… (FBV)

In some languages, it may be more natural to use a positive command here rather than a negative one. For example:

But keep yourself out of his sight while…
-or-
But stay hidden until…

the man: There are three ways to translate this phrase:

• Translate it literally as the man, as in the Berean Standard Bible.

• Use the pronoun “him.”

• Refer to him by his name “Boaz.”

eating and drinking: The phrase eating and drinking is a Hebrew idiom that means “having a meal.”

SIL Translator’s Notes on Ruth 3:2

3:2a

Now: The Hebrew phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Now introduces a conclusion or main point of discussion. It does not refer to time. So you should not translate it literally as “Now,” unless that is how your language naturally introduces a conclusion or main point of discussion. Some versions do not use a conjunction here.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

So then,
-or-
Now then,

is not Boaz, with whose servant girls you have been working, a relative of ours?: In Hebrew, this clause is more literally “Is not Boaz a relative of ours whom you were with his young women?” This is another rhetorical question. Its function was to draw Ruth’s attention to an important fact. She emphasized the words relative of ours, even though Ruth already knew that Boaz was a relative.

There are two ways to translate this clause:

• Use a rhetorical question. For example:

Isn’t Boaz, whose young women you’ve been working with, our relative? (God’s Word)

• Use a statement. For example:

Remember that this man Boaz, whose women you have been working with, is our relative. (Good News Translation)

with whose servant girls you have been working: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as servant girls means “young women.” These were probably hired workers, mostly young adults. See how you translated 2:8c.

a relative: Boaz was related to the women only through Elimelech’s marriage to Naomi. See how you translated 2:1a. See also the note on Levirate marriage in the Introduction.

3:2b

In fact: In Hebrew, this sentence begins with a word that Berean Standard Bible translates as In fact and other traditional English versions translate as “Behold.” It functions here to draw Ruth’s attention to a very important opportunity.

Here are some ways to express this function:

Look (NET Bible)
-or-
Listen carefully
-or-
Now listen. (Good News Translation)

tonight: This word could be translated as “this night” or “this very night.” Naomi was probably referring to the late afternoon and early evening. You should not translate this in a way that implies that Boaz would have worked for a long time after dark.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

This evening (Good News Translation)
-or-
Late this afternoon

he is winnowing barley on the threshing floor: This clause describes one of the steps in the preparation of harvested barley. The term threshing floor refers to an open area with a hard level surface where harvested barley plants were crushed or “threshed.” The next step was winnowing. It refers to the work of separating the edible barley grain from its waste material or “chaff.” See the notes below for a more detailed explanation of these steps.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

He will be separating the barley from its husks on the threshing floor (God’s Word)
-or-
he will be working at the threshing floor (New Century Version)
-or-
he will be separating barley seeds from the chaff at the place where they crush the grain

To translate this clause well, it is important to understand how harvested barley was prepared. When harvesters took bundles of barley from the field, they brought it to the threshing floor and did two things:

(1) Threshing : The first thing they did with harvested barley was to “thresh” it. The workers “threshed” grain by beating or crushing it. This crushing process caused the heads or clusters of grain to break off from the stems of the plant, and the husks which contain the edible seeds would crack open.

(2) Winnowing : The people who winnowed the barley used a tool (shovel, fork, fan, or shallow basket) to pick up a bunch of crushed grain. They would then shake the grain and throw it up in the air. A gentle wind would blow the chaff and dust a distance away, and the heavier grain seeds would fall close by, where they were collected in heaps.

There are several options to translate the term winnowing :

• If there is no word in your language for winnowing, use a short phrase that describes the process. For example:

he will be separating the ⌊seeds/kernels of⌋ barley ⌊from the chaff/husks⌋

• Use a more general term such as “working.” See the New Century Version example above.

Naomi implied that after Boaz had finishing winnowing the grain, he would stay the whole night at the threshing floor, probably so that he could guard it. See 3:4a.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Ruth 3:1

Section 3:1–18

Ruth asked Boaz to help her and Naomi

Life for widows in ancient Israel was difficult, especially for those who had no grown sons, because women depended on men to protect and provide for them. This fourth section tells how Naomi wanted to find a new husband for Ruth so that she could have a better living situation. So, she instructed Ruth to go and meet Boaz secretly at night. Ruth followed Naomi’s plan and asked him to take her into his care as his wife. She told him that this was his duty as a relative of her dead husband.

Boaz was happy to do this, but there was a problem. There was another relative who was more closely related to Naomi and Ruth than he was. If that man did not want to marry Ruth, Boaz promised that he would marry her. When Ruth returned home and told Naomi what had happened, Naomi assured her that Boaz would work hard to take care of the situation that very day.

Here are some other examples of a heading for this section:

Naomi’s Plan for Ruth’s Marriage (God’s Word)
-or-
Ruth and Boaz at the Threshing Floor (New International Version)
-or-
Ruth asked Boaz to marry her

Paragraph 3:1–5

3:1a

One day: In Hebrew, this chapter begins with a conjunction that introduces a new major event in the story. Some versions do not use a conjunction or time phrase here.

Here are some other ways to introduce this event:

Then (English Standard Version)
-or-
Some time later (Good News Translation)
-or-
After a while

Consider the natural way in your language to introduce a new major event in the story. If you use a word or phrase that refers to a period of time, be sure that it can refer to an indefinite amount of time, perhaps a few weeks. By this time, the barley harvest was finished.

Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi: In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “Naomi her mother-in-law.”

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

her mother-in-law Naomi (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law (Revised English Bible)
-or-
Naomi (Good News Translation)

Ruth is such an important character in this story that the author did not think it was necessary to mention her here by name. Instead, the Hebrew text only refers to her by the pronoun “her.” But Naomi is mentioned both by her name and by her relationship to Ruth, because Naomi is about to do something important in the story. These different ways of referring to the main characters in the story follow the pattern of Hebrew stories.

In some languages, it will not be necessary or natural to refer to Naomi here by both her name and her relationship to Ruth as mother-in-law. If this is true in your language, consider following the Contemporary English Version and some others by simply referring to her as Naomi.

said to her: This clause introduces a direct quotation of Naomi to Ruth.

In some languages, it may be natural to mention Ruth by name. For example:

said to Ruth (Good News Translation)

In other languages, it may already be obvious whom Naomi is talking to, so it would not be necessary to use any form of reference. For example:

Naomi then said (New Jerusalem Bible)

3:1b

My daughter: Ruth was not Naomi’s daughter, but the word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as My daughter is a natural way for mothers-in-law to address daughters-in-law in Hebrew culture. It expresses Naomi’s affection for Ruth. You should translate these words the same way as in 2:2c.

Here are some other ways to translate these words:

Daughter (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-

⌊ My⌋daughter-in-law
-or-

⌊ My dear⌋daughter
-or-

⌊ My⌋child

In some languages, it may be more natural for Naomi to not use any form of address to Ruth. The Contemporary English Version and Good News Translation do not include an explicit translation of these words.

Translate this form of address in a way that is natural and appropriate in your language.

should I not seek a resting place for you, that it may be well with you?: This is a rhetorical question. It emphasized the responsibility she felt to find a better living situation for Ruth.

Here are two ways to translate this rhetorical question:

• Use a rhetorical question. For example:

should I not try to find a home for you, where you will be well provided for? (New International Version (1984))
-or-
Is it not my duty to see you happily settled? (New Jerusalem Bible)

• Use a statement. For example:

I must find a suitable home for you (New Century Version)
-or-
it’s time that I found a permanent home for you (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
I must find a husband for you, so that you will have a home of your own. (Good News Translation)
-or-
I think I should try to arrange for you to have a husband who will…provide for you. (Translation for Translators)

seek: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as seek means “search out.”

a resting place for you: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as resting place is literally “rest” or “place of rest.” But here it is a figure of speech that means “a secure future.” See how you translated the related word “rest” in 1:9.

Naomi wanted Ruth to have a quiet, settled, permanent situation in which to live the rest of her life. Such a situation could only come about through marriage. Naomi’s use of the phrase resting place here is an indirect reference to marriage.

Naomi seemed to deliberately avoid being explicit, so you should keep the reference to marriage indirect if possible. Translate this phrase in a natural and meaningful way in your language.

that it may be well with you: The Hebrew clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as that it may be well with you is literally “which will be good for you.” In this context, it refers to being in a good, secure situation, with a husband who will provide the food, clothes, and home she needed.

Most versions translate this part of 3:1b as a purpose clause. For example:

so that it may be well with you (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
so that you will be taken care of (CSB)

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

that will be good for you (New Century Version)
-or-
so you will be secure (NET Bible)

It may be more natural in some languages to combine the two phrases “a resting place for you” and that it may be well with you into one phrase. For example:

a good home for you
-or-
a better life for you ⌊in the future⌋

SIL Translator’s Notes on Ruth 2:23

Paragraph 2:23

2:23a

So: The Hebrew conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as So here introduces what Ruth did as a result of what Naomi had told her in 2:22a–b.

Ruth stayed close to the servant girls of Boaz to glean grain: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as stayed close is the same word that is translated as “stay with” in 2:21b. Ruth did as Boaz and Naomi had told her and continued to glean in Boaz’s field near his female workers. However, as 2:23c says, she still lived with Naomi.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

So Ruth continued working closely with the workers of Boaz (New Century Version)
-or-
So Ruth worked beside Boaz’s female servants, gathering grain (NET Bible)

2:23b

until the barley and wheat harvests were finished: The barley harvest was in late April and early May. The wheat harvest was after that, in late May and early June.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

until the barley and wheat were harvested (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
until both the barley harvest and the wheat harvest ended (God’s Word)
-or-
until the end of the barley harvest. Then she continued working with them through the wheat harvest in early summer. (New Living Translation (2004))

barley and wheat: Both barley and wheat are grain crops. The seeds or grains grow on a “head” which is at the top of a thin stalk. People ground the grains into flour and used it for making bread. See the note on barley in 1:22b.

2:23c

And she lived with her mother-in-law: Ruth continued to live in Naomi’s house and sleep there, although she gleaned each day in Boaz’s fields. Each evening she would bring home the grain she had gathered that day.

Here is another way to translate this verse part:

And all this time she lived with Naomi. (Contemporary English Version)

In some languages, it may be helpful to start this sentence with a phrase like “During this time….”

SIL Translator’s Notes on Ruth 2:22

2:22a

And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law Ruth: In some languages, it may not be natural to repeat the relationship between the two women. Refer to them in a natural way in your language.

My daughter, it is good for you to work with his young women: This statement functions as advice. Naomi advised Ruth that she ought to do as Boaz had said. She was giving Ruth advice about her safety and well-being.

Here are some other ways to translate this advice:

It is better for you to continue working with his women workers (New Century Version)
-or-
Do as he said, my daughter. Stay with his young women right through the whole harvest. (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
My daughter, it’s good that you can pick up grain alongside the women who work in his field. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
That would be a good thing to do, my daughter. Go ⌊and glean⌋ with Boaz’s servant women.

2:22b

so that nothing will happen to you in another field: The conjunction so that here introduces the reason why it would be good for Ruth to stay in Boaz’s field. Naomi was afraid that in a different place Ruth would not be safe.

In the Berean Standard Bible this is a passive clause with a passive verb, nothing will happen to you. In the Hebrew it is an active clause with an active verb, “they might molest you.” Naomi was implying that in another field the owner or the workers might treat Ruth badly.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

Who knows what might happen to you in someone else’s field! (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
If you work in another field, someone might hurt you. (New Century Version)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Ruth 4:12

4:12a

In 4:11c the people said that they hoped that Ruth would have many descendants. Here they were saying the same thing about Boaz.

And may your house become like the house of Perez: Perez was one of Judah’s sons, a grandson of Jacob and one of the ancestors of Boaz (4:18–21). Although he was not the first-born, his family became more numerous and more important than those of his brothers.

house: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as house refers here to all the descendants of Boaz, not just those who live in his house.

whom Tamar bore to Judah: Tamar was a foreigner who became an important person in Israelite history because she had a baby with Judah, one of the sons of Jacob. Because Ruth was also a foreigner, this may have been the reason that the people compared Ruth with Tamar.

4:12b

because of the offspring: This refers to the children Boaz and Ruth would have and to their future descendants.

the LORD will give you: The people recognized that it is the LORD who enables a woman to bear children. Ruth had not yet had a child, even though she had been married to Mahlon. So the people prayed that the LORD would give Ruth children for Boaz.

by this young woman: Ruth may have married Mahlon at quite a young age, so she still could have been considered young. This may have been true especially when compared with Boaz, who was probably somewhat older than she was. It may also imply that Ruth was still young enough to bear children.

Here are some other ways to translate this verse part:

from the descendant whom the Lord will give you from this young woman (God’s Word)
-or-
May the children that the Lord will give you by this young woman (Good News Translation)
-or-
may the Lord give you many children through Ruth (New Century Version)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Ruth 4:22

4:22

Obed was the father of Jesse: Jesse is mentioned quite a few times in the Scriptures, primarily in connection with his famous son, David.

and Jesse was the father of David: The book of Ruth ends with the name of David. He was Israel’s most famous king and an ancestor of the Lord Jesus Christ. If your readers do not know that David was a king of Israel, it may be helpful to supply that information, either in the text or a footnote. Then your readers will understand why this genealogy is important and how Ruth was part of it.

Jesse’s son was the father of King David. (Translation for Translators)
-or-
King David was Jesse’s son.

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Ruth 2024

SIL Translator’s Notes on Ruth 3:4

SIL Translator’s Notes on Ruth 3:3

SIL Translator’s Notes on Ruth 3:2

SIL Translator’s Notes on Ruth 3:1

SIL Translator’s Notes on Ruth 2:23

SIL Translator’s Notes on Ruth 2:22

SIL Translator’s Notes on Ruth 4:12

SIL Translator’s Notes on Ruth 4:22

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