Ruth 2:20

20 To whom Naomi answered, Blessed be he of the Lord, for he [hath] kept also to dead men the same grace, which he gave to the quick. And again she said, He is our kinsman. (To whom Naomi answered, May the Lord bless him; yea, the Lord hath given the same favour to the living, as to the dead. And she said to Ruth, He is our kinsman.)

Ruth 2:20 Meaning and Commentary

Ruth 2:20

And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, blessed be he of the
Lord
Or the Lord bless him with all kind of blessings, temporal and spiritual; and as he has blessed him already, may he be blessed more and more:

who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead;
he had been kind to Elimelech and to his sons, who were now dead, and he continued his kindness to the reliefs of them, Naomi and Ruth, who were living, and was kind to them for the sake of the dead; and showing kindness to them expressed his respect to the memory of the dead:

and Naomi said unto her;
continued her speech to her, and added to what she had said:

the man is near of kin to us;
a near relation of ours, meaning by her husband's side: yea,

one of our next kinsmen;
the nearest we have, there was but one nearer than he: the word for kinsman here is "Goel", a redeemer; for to such who were in the degree of kindred as Boaz was, and he that was nearer still than he to them, belonged the right of redemption, and therefore were called by the name of "Goel", a redeemer, as Ben Melech observes; they had a right to avenge the blood of the slain, to redeem their houses and possessions, if sold or mortgaged, and their persons by marrying them, and raising up seed to a deceased brother, or kinsman.

Ruth 2:20 In-Context

18 Which she bare, and turned again into the city, and showed to her mother-in-law; furthermore she brought forth, and gave to her the remnants of her meat, with which meat she was (ful)filled. (Which she carried, and returned to the city, and showed to her mother-in-law; and she also brought forth, and gave her the remnants of her food, with which food she was fulfilled.)
19 And her mother-in-law said to her, Where hast thou gathered this today, and where hast thou done (all) this work? Blessed be he, that had mercy on thee. And Ruth told to her mother(-in-law) with whom she (had) wrought; and she said that the man's name was called Boaz.
20 To whom Naomi answered, Blessed be he of the Lord, for he [hath] kept also to dead men the same grace, which he gave to the quick. And again she said, He is our kinsman. (To whom Naomi answered, May the Lord bless him; yea, the Lord hath given the same favour to the living, as to the dead. And she said to Ruth, He is our kinsman.)
21 And Ruth said, Also he commanded this thing to me, that so long I should be joined to his reapers, till all his corns were reaped. (And Ruth said, And he also commanded this to me, that I should be joined to his reapers, until all his grain was harvested.)
22 To whom her mother-in-law said, My daughter, it is better, that thou go out to reap with his damsels, lest in another field any man against-stand thee.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.