What Does Ruth 2:1 Mean in the King James?
And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The verse locates strength in relationship: a “kinsman” is a “known one,” and Boaz (בֹּעַז, Boʿaz, “in him is strength”) makes that capacity personal.
THE MEANING
The verse gives you a picture of support as a relationship with capacity: a known relation holds means, strength, and ability together. Its language places that capacity within a family connection, and Boaz’s name makes strength personal.
THE ROOT
מֹדָע
mōdaʿ
GROWS FROM
ידע
y-d-ʿ
To know, recognize, or become acquainted.
“Kinsman” can sound like a position on a family tree alone. The Hebrew word grows from yada, “to know,” so kinship also carries recognition and familiarity: this is someone known within the web of belonging.
ALSO GROWS
yada: To know or perceive through encounter.
יָדַע
The kinsman is not only related by lineage; the word echoes the language of knowing someone.
daʿat: Knowledge or understanding.
דַּעַת
This branch shows the same root moving from knowing a person to the knowledge that relationship carries.
חַיִל
ḥayil
GROWS FROM
חיל
ḥ-y-l
Strength, force, or capacity.
Hayil can name wealth, valor, strength, or ability; it does not reduce Boaz to money. The verse presents him as a person of substantial capacity, with material means and personal strength held in the same word.
ALSO GROWS
anshei ḥayil: Men of ability or capacity.
אַנְשֵׁי־חַיִל
In Exodus 18:21, the same word describes people able to carry responsibility, revealing that hayil includes competence.
eshet ḥayil: A woman of strength or valor.
אֵשֶׁת־חַיִל
In Proverbs 31:10, the same word is rendered “virtuous,” showing how English separates qualities Hebrew gathers under capacity.
בֹּעַז
Boʿaz
GROWS FROM
עזז
ʿ-z-z
To be strong or mighty.
Boaz is commonly understood through בּוֹ (bo, “in him”) and עֹז (ʿoz, “strength”): “in him is strength.” His name gives a personal nature to the capacity the verse describes.
ALSO GROWS
ʿoz: Strength or might.
עֹז
This is the strength element commonly heard in Boaz’s name, making the verse’s description resonate with the name itself.
ʿazuz: Mighty or powerful.
עָזוּז
This related form keeps the emphasis on strength as a quality embodied in someone.
THE PATTERN
Scripture’s language of strength describes usable capacity, means, competence, and character, not only force.
Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.THE THREAD
For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.Ruth’s “kinsman” (מֹדָע, mōdaʿ, “known one”) grows from ידע (yada, “know”), the same root used when Psalm 1:6 says the LORD “knoweth” the way. The shared root opens kinship into recognition: belonging includes being known.
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