And 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:
All the people at the city gate and the elders said, 'We are witnesses to this. May the LORD make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, who together built the nation of Israel. May you prosper in Ephratah and become well-known in Bethlehem.'
The community is blessing Boaz's marriage to Ruth, asking God to make her as fruitful and honored as the matriarchs who helped build Israel.
📚 Historical Context
This blessing was spoken at the city gate where legal transactions took place in ancient Israel. The elders invoked Rachel and Leah, Jacob's wives who were considered the founding mothers of the twelve tribes of Israel. Ephratah was another name for the region around Bethlehem.
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