The women her neighbours gave it a name— They advised Naomi to give the child such a name as was suitable to their foregoing discourse, and to the case of Naomi. See Luke 1:59. Obed signifies a servant, as Josephus interprets it: the Chaldee paraphrases the name, "Obed, who served the Lord of the world with a perfect heart." The sacred historian adds, he is the father of Jesse, the father of David; and in these words points out to us what appears to have been the principal design of this book, which was, to inform us of the origin of the family of David, and consequently that of the Messiah; and on this account it is that the genealogy is annexed, Ruth 4:18, &c. We refer to the chronologists for the dates and ages of the persons mentioned in this genealogy, and in particular to Archbishop Usher's Chronol. Sacr. pars 1: cap. 12.
Related Commentaries of Ruth 4:17
Ruth 4:17
17 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.