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Ruth's Family and the Line of David

This short passage is a family line from Perez to David. It does not pause to tell each person’s story. Instead, it lists one generation after another so the line can be followed clearly from start to finish.

Ruth 4:18–22Older students and adultsGenealogy

A branching olive tree and scrolls, symbolic companion artwork for records and family lines

Understanding the passage

Understanding this family record

Ruth 4:18-22 is introduced as “the history of the generations of Perez”. The passage then moves through a sequence of fathers and sons, naming each generation in order. Near the end it includes Boaz, Obed and Jesse, and the final name given is David.

Ruth 4:18–22

Main takeaway

This passage presents a carefully ordered genealogy that traces one family line from Perez to David.

Follow the family lines

Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.

01A genealogy begins with PerezThe passage starts by naming its subject clearly: “the generations of Perez”. That opening tells readers this is a family record.

Explanation

The passage starts by naming its subject clearly: “the generations of Perez”. That opening tells readers this is a family record. The focus is not on describing each person’s life here, but on showing descent from one generation to the next in an ordered list.

Ruth 4:18

02The middle generations are carefully linkedHezron, Ram, Amminadab, Nahshon and Salmon are each joined by the repeated words “became the father of”.

Explanation

Hezron, Ram, Amminadab, Nahshon and Salmon are each joined by the repeated words “became the father of”. That repetition matters because it gives the genealogy its shape. The passage is not a collection of unrelated names. It is a connected line moving steadily forward.

Ruth 4:19 Ruth 4:20

03Boaz and Obed appear near the end of the lineAfter Salmon, the genealogy names Boaz, and after Boaz it names Obed. This part of the list keeps the same pattern as the earlier verses.

Explanation

After Salmon, the genealogy names Boaz, and after Boaz it names Obed. This part of the list keeps the same pattern as the earlier verses. Even near the end, the passage stays focused on sequence, showing exactly how one generation leads to the next.

Ruth 4:21

04The list ends by naming DavidThe final verse moves from Obed to Jesse and then to David. David is the last name in the passage, which gives the genealogy a clear endpoint.

Explanation

The final verse moves from Obed to Jesse and then to David. David is the last name in the passage, which gives the genealogy a clear endpoint. The structure draws attention to him because the line has been traced carefully until his name appears at the end.

Ruth 4:22