RUTH 3:12 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) It is true that I have a responsibility towards your family,[ref] but there’s another man who’s more closely related to you all than me.

Key: khaki:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

BrLXX Καὶ νῦν ὁ ἀληθῶς ἀγχιστεὺς ἐγώ εἰμι· καί γε ἐστὶν ἀγχιστεὺς ἐγγίων ὑπὲρ ἐμέ.
(Kai nun ho alaʸthōs agⱪisteus egō eimi; kai ge estin agⱪisteus engiōn huper eme. )

BrTr And now I am truly akin to thee; nevertheless there is a kinsman nearer than I.

ULT And now, it is indeed true that I am a kinsman-redeemer, but there is also a kinsman-redeemer nearer than I.

UST However, while it is true that I am one of Elimelek’s close relatives and, therefore, could be responsible for you and Naomi, there is another man who is a closer relative than I am. He is the one who is actually responsible for you.

BSB Yes, it is true that I [am] a kinsman-redeemer, but there is a redeemer nearer than I.[fn]

OEB Now it is true that I am a near relative, but there is another man nearer than I.

WEBBE Now it is true that I am a near kinsman. However, there is a kinsman nearer than I.

WMBB (Same as above)

MSG ^(10-13)He said, “God bless you, my dear daughter! What a splendid expression of love! And when you could have had your pick of any of the young men around. And now, my dear daughter, don’t you worry about a thing; I’ll do all you could want or ask. Everybody in town knows what a courageous woman you are—a real prize! You’re right, I am a close relative to you, but there is one even closer than I am. So stay the rest of the night. In the morning, if he wants to exercise his customary rights and responsibilities as the closest covenant redeemer, he’ll have his chance; but if he isn’t interested, as God lives, I’ll do it. Now go back to sleep until morning.”

NET Now yes, it is true that I am a guardian, but there is another guardian who is a closer relative than I am.

LSV And now, surely, true, that I [am] a redeemer, but also there is a redeemer nearer than I.

FBV However, even though I'm one of your family redeemers, there's one who is more closely related than I am.

T4T But there is one problem. Although it is true that I am a close relative of your mother-in-law’s dead husband, there is another man who is a closer relative than I am, and therefore he should be the one to marry you and take care of you.

LEB Now truly I am a redeemer, but there is also a redeemer of a closer relationship than me.

BBE Now it is true that I am a near relation: but there is a relation nearer than I.

Moff No Moff RUTH book available

JPS And now it is true that I am a near kinsman; howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.

ASV And now it is true that I am a near kinsman; howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.

DRA Neither do I deny myself to be near of kin, but there is another nearer than I.

YLT And now, surely, true, that I [am] a redeemer, but also there is a redeemer nearer than I.

Drby And now, truly I am one that has the right of redemption, yet there is one that has the right of redemption who is nearer than I.

RV And now it is true that I am a near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.
(And now it is true that I am a near kinsman/relative: howbeit/yet there is a kinsman/relative nearer than I. )

SLT And now that truly if I a blood relation: and also there is a blood relation nearer than I.

Wbstr And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: yet there is a kinsman nearer than I.

KJB-1769 And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.
(And now it is true that I am thy/your near kinsman/relative: howbeit/yet there is a kinsman/relative nearer than I. )

KJB-1611 And now it is true, that I am thy neare kinseman: howbeit there is a kinseman nearer then I.
(And now it is true, that I am thy/your near kinsman/relative: howbeit/yet there is a kinsman/relative nearer then I.)

Bshps And it is true that I am of thy next kinne, howbeit there is one nier then I.
(And it is true that I am of thy/your next kin, howbeit/yet there is one nigher/nearer then I.)

Gnva And now, it is true that I am thy kinsman, howbeit there is a kinsman neerer then I.
(And now, it is true that I am thy/your kinsman/relative, howbeit/yet there is a kinsman/relative neerer then I. )

Cvdl Trueth it is now, yt I am a nye kynsma, but there is one nyer then I.
(Truth it is now, it I am a nigh/near kynsma, but there is one nigher/nearer then I.)

Wycl And Y forsake not, that Y am of nyy kyn, but another man is neer than Y;
(And I forsake not, that I am of nigh/near kyn, but another man is nigher/nearer than I;)

Luth Nun, es ist wahr, daß ich der Erbe bin; aber es ist einer näher denn ich.
(Now, it is true, that I the/of_the heritage bin; but it is one/a näher because/than I.)

ClVg Nec abnuo me propinquum, sed est alius me propinquior.[fn]
(Neither abnuo me propinquum, but it_is another me relativesor. )

3.12 Sed est alius me propinquior. Joannes Baptista qui Christus putabatur, sed sponsi nomen non usurpavit, sed Christo reservavit, dicens: Qui habet sponsam sponsus est, etc. Hic propinquior, quia in mundo prior natus. Vel iste propinquus, est legis decalogus qui propinquior Synagogæ quam Evangelium videbatur, quia specialiter illi populo datus et tempore prior est.

3.12 But it_is another me relativesor. Yoannes Baptist who/which Christ/Messiah putabatur, but grooms name not/no usurped, but to_Christ/Messiah reservavit, saying: Who has bride groom it_is, etc. Here/This relativesor, because in/into/on to_the_world prior born. Or this propinquus, it_is law decalogus who/which relativesor Synagogæ how the_Gospel it_seemed, because specially them to_the_people given and at_the_time prior it_is.

SOTN SIL Open Translation Notes:

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 (GW)

Ruth and Boaz at the Threshing Floor (NIV)

Ruth asked Boaz to marry her

3:12a

Yes, it is true that I am a kinsman-redeemer,

It is true that I am a close relative who is responsible to care for you^(sing).
You are right that I am a close relative and my duty is to help the family,

Boaz continued to speak to Ruth. He began to explain that there was another closer relative who could be the guardian-redeemer.

Yes, it is true: The Hebrew adverb that the BSB translates as it is true means “indeed” or “no doubt.” Boaz acknowledged that Ruth was correct.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

But now, though it is true (NRSV)

Yes, it is true…but (REB)

Even though it is true that

that I am a kinsman-redeemer: See how you translated this term in 3:9d.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

It is true that I am a close relative of yours (GW)

It is true that I am a close relative and am responsible for you (GNT)

Although it is true that I am a close relative and have a duty to help/protect the family

Although I am indeed a relative who has the duty to take care of you

3:12b

but there is a redeemer nearer than I.

However, there is another man who is a closer relative to Elimelech than I am.
but another man is a closer relation to Naomi than I am.

but there is a redeemer nearer than I: Boaz told Ruth that there was one other man who was related more closely to Elimelech than he was. That man had to decide if he wanted to act as kinsman-redeemer before Boaz could legally do that.

It appears that the nearest male relative was expected to act as the kinsman-redeemer. However, if the nearest male relative could not or would not redeem (buy back) property for his relative, then another close relative would sometimes take that responsibility.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

but there is someone who is an even closer relative (CEV)

there is another man who is more closely related to you than I am (NLT)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

וְ⁠עַתָּה֙

and=now

The phrase And now indicates that what follows is something else important that Ruth should pay attention to, as well as what Boaz introduced by saying “So now” in [3:11](../03/11.md). Alternate translation: [Another thing you must know]

Note 2 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast

וְ⁠גַ֛ם

and=also

The connector but indicates a contrast between Boaz’s willingness to marry Ruth [3:11](../03/11.md) and the possibility of another man marrying her instead [3:12](../03/12.md). The contrast can be indicated here or at the beginning of the verse, as in the UST. Alternate translation: [even so] or ”nonetheless”

Note 3 topic: translate-kinship

גֹאֵ֖ל & גֹּאֵ֖ל

redeemer & redeemer

See how you translated kinsman-redeemer in [2:20](../02/20/zu5f). This term refers to the male relative who was closest in family relationship to a man who died and who had the responsibility to help his widow.

Parallel RUTH 3:12

Section 3:1–18: Ruth asked Boaz to help her and Naomi

3:12a

3:12b

The Setting of Ruth