Ruth 4:12

12 and thine house be made as the house of Pharez, whom Tamar childed to Judah, of the seed which the Lord shall give to thee of this damsel. (and may thy house be made like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore for Judah, through the children, or the descendants, whom the Lord shall give thee by this young woman.)

Ruth 4:12 Meaning and Commentary

Ruth 4:12

And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare
unto Judah
Of whose tribe the Bethlehemites were, and were also of the house or family of Pharez, as appears from ( Ruth 4:18 ) who was born to Judah of Tamar, one of another nation, as Ruth was, and from whom sprung a very numerous family, one of the five families of Judah; and they wish that the family of Boaz, by Ruth, might be as numerous; and if Boaz was the same with Ibzan, as the Jews say, though that wants proof, he had a very numerous offspring, thirty sons and thirty daughters, ( Judges 12:8 Judges 12:9 )

of the seed which the Lord shall give thee of this young woman;
by which it is plain Ruth was present, for they do, as it were, point to her, and that she was a young woman, though a widow: the Jews say she was forty years of age, as observed in ( Ruth 3:10 ) and the elders wish and pray he might have a numerous family of the children the Lord would give him by her; and this might be the rather expected of her, as being a young woman, yet only as the gift of God, as children are, ( Psalms 127:3 ) .

Ruth 4:12 In-Context

10 and that I have taken into wedlock Ruth of Moab, the wife of Mahlon, that I raise up the name of the dead man in his heritage; lest his name be done away from his family, and from his brethren, and his people. Ye, he said, be witnesses of this thing. (and that I have also taken into wedlock Ruth of Moab, the wife of Mahlon, so that I can raise up the name of the dead man on his inheritance, that is, on his land; lest his name be done away from his family, and from his kinsmen, and from his people. Ye be my witnesses of this, he said.)
11 All the people, that was in the gate, answered, and the greater men in birth, (and said,) We be witnesses; the Lord make this woman, that entereth into thine house, as Rachel and Leah, that builded the house of Israel, that she be ensample of virtue in Ephratah, and have a solemn name in Bethlehem; (And all the people, and the men of great age, or the elders, who were there at the city gate, answered, We be thy witnesses; may the Lord make this woman, who entereth into thy house, like Rachel and Leah, who built the house of Israel, and may she be an example of virtue in Ephratah, and have a famous name in Bethlehem;)
12 and thine house be made as the house of Pharez, whom Tamar childed to Judah, of the seed which the Lord shall give to thee of this damsel. (and may thy house be made like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore for Judah, through the children, or the descendants, whom the Lord shall give thee by this young woman.)
13 Then Boaz took Ruth, and he took her to wife (and he made her his wife); and he entered to her, and the Lord gave to her, that she conceived, and childed a son.
14 And women said to Naomi, Blessed be the Lord, which suffered not, that an heir failed to thy family, and his name were called in Israel; (And the women said to Naomi, Blessed be the Lord, who hath not left thy family without an heir; may his name be known in all of Israel;)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.