Ruth

13So Boaz married Ruth, and she became his wife. The LORD let her have a baby, and she gave birth to a son.

So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son.

14The women said to Naomi, "Praise the LORD! Today he gave you a family helper. May his name be known all over Israel.

And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel.

NoteA family helper is a relative whose job was to take care of his family. The women mean this baby will grow up and care for Naomi.

15He will make you glad again. He will care for you when you are old. Your son's wife loves you. She is better to you than seven sons, and she gave him birth."

And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.

NoteBack then, having seven sons was the very best thing people could imagine. Saying Ruth is better than seven sons was very high praise.

16Naomi took the baby and held him close. She helped take care of him.

And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.

NoteNaomi is the baby's grandmother. She held him and helped feed and care for him.

17The women next door gave him a name. They said, "Naomi has a son!" They called him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of David.

And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

NoteUsually the father chose a baby's name. Here the neighbor women gave the name, which was unusual. David grew up to be the most famous king of Israel.

1This is the family list of Jesus Christ. He came from the family of King David. He also came from the family of Abraham.

The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

NoteA family list tells who someone's parents and grandparents were. This one goes back hundreds of years. Christ is not a last name. It is a title. It means the king God promised to send.

2Abraham was the father of Isaac. Isaac was the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of Judah and Judah's brothers.

Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;

NoteThe King James spells these old names in its own way. It says Judas here, but it means Judah. Jacob's sons and their families grew into the people of Israel.

3Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah. Their mother was Tamar. Perez was the father of Hezron. Hezron was the father of Ram.

And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;

NoteFamily lists back then usually named only the fathers. This one stops to name some mothers too. Tamar is the first of them.

4Ram was the father of Amminadab. Amminadab was the father of Nahshon. Nahshon was the father of Salmon.

And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon;

5Salmon was the father of Boaz. Boaz's mother was Rahab. Boaz was the father of Obed, and Obed's mother was Ruth. Obed was the father of Jesse.

And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;

NoteRahab and Ruth were not born among God's people. They came from other lands and joined Israel.

6Jesse was the father of David the king. David was the father of Solomon. Solomon's mother had been the wife of Uriah.

And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;

NoteThe King James does not give this woman's name. Her name was Bathsheba. Uriah was a soldier in David's army.