Ruth 1: Naomi loses her husband and sons in Moab, and Ruth goes back with her
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What happens?
In the days of the judges there is a famine, and Elimelech of Bethlehem goes to live in Moab with his wife Naomi and their two sons. Elimelech dies, the sons marry two Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth, and after about ten years both sons die too. Naomi sets out for home and tells her daughters-in-law to go back to their mothers' houses; Orpah kisses her and goes, but Ruth clings to her and swears to go where she goes. The two women come to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest, and Naomi tells the women of the town to call her Mara, because the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with her.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. No verse is in gold: God speaks no words in this chapter. Naomi speaks to her daughters-in-law in verses 8, 9 and 11 to 13, and to Ruth in verse 15. Her blessings in verses 8 and 9 are her own words. The two young women answer in verse 10, and Ruth makes her promise and her oath in verses 16 and 17. The women of Bethlehem speak in verse 19, and Naomi answers them in verses 20 and 21. Verse 6, that Yahweh had visited his people, is the narrator's words. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1In the days when the judges judged, there was a famine in the land. A certain man of Bethlehem Judah went to live in the country of Moab with his wife and his two sons.
In plain English: In the days when the judges judged (or: ruled), there was a famine in the land. A man from Bethlehem in Judah went to live for a while (literally: to stay as a guest) in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.
Good to know: "In the days when the judges judged" places the story in the time told in the book of Judges. The text does not say which judge, or how many years. Judges ends with the words "In those days there was no king in Israel" (), and Ruth ends with the name of David ().
The Hebrew word: "To live" is gur, which the dictionary gives as "to turn aside from the road (for a lodging or any other purpose), i.e. sojourn (as a guest)". Elimelech went to Moab as an outsider, to stay for a time.
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2The name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi. The names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem Judah. They came into the country of Moab and lived there.
In plain English: The man's name was Elimelech, his wife's name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They came to the country of Moab and stayed there.
The Hebrew word: "Ephrathites" is ephrathi, which the dictionary gives as "an Ephrathite or an Ephraimite". Here the text adds "of Bethlehem Judah", and Ephrath is another name for Bethlehem: "Ephrath (also called Bethlehem)" (). David's father Jesse is called "that Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah" in .
Good to know: The text does not explain the names Elimelech, Naomi, Mahlon and Chilion, and the dictionary in this collection gives no meaning for them. The only name the text explains in this chapter is Mara (verse 20).
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3Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left with her two sons.
In plain English: Then Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died, and she was left with her two sons.
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4They took for themselves wives of the women of Moab. The name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other was Ruth. They lived there about ten years.
In plain English: The sons married (literally: took for themselves) Moabite women. One was named Orpah, and the other Ruth. They lived there about ten years.
Good to know: Orpah and Ruth are Moabites. The book calls Ruth "the Moabitess" or "the Moabite" again and again (, , , , , ). says Moab, "the father of the Moabites", was the son of Lot's firstborn daughter (see ). The law in says, "An Ammonite or a Moabite shall not enter into Yahweh's assembly; even to the tenth generation". The book of Ruth does not speak of this law, and readers differ on how the two fit together.
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5Mahlon and Chilion both died, and the woman was bereaved of her two children and of her husband.
In plain English: Then Mahlon and Chilion both died too, and the woman was left without her two children (this Bible: was bereaved of her two children) and without her husband.
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6Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, that she might return from the country of Moab; for she had heard in the country of Moab how Yahweh had visited his people in giving them bread.
In plain English: Then she got up with her daughters-in-law to go back from the country of Moab, because she had heard in the country of Moab that Yahweh had visited (or: had cared for) his people by giving them bread (or: food).
The Hebrew word: "Visited" is paqad, which the dictionary gives as "to visit (with friendly or hostile intent); by analogy, to oversee, muster, charge, care for". Here the visit is a kind one: Yahweh gave his people bread. These are the narrator's words, not words spoken by Yahweh.
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7She went out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her. They went on the way to return to the land of Judah.
In plain English: She left the place where she had been living, and her two daughters-in-law went with her. They set out on the road to go back to the land of Judah.
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8Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May Yahweh deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.
In plain English: Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go, go back, each of you to her mother's house. May Yahweh show you kindness (this Bible: deal kindly with you), as you have shown kindness to the dead and to me.
The Hebrew word: "Kindly" in "deal kindly" is chesed, which the dictionary gives as "kindness; by implication (towards God) piety". This Bible gives it as "kindness" or a longer form in 209 of the 241 verses that use it. In Ruth it is in 3 verses: here, and . Naomi's wish is her own blessing on the two women, not words of Yahweh.
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9May Yahweh grant you that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband.” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices, and wept.
In plain English: May Yahweh grant that each of you finds rest (or: a settled home) in the house of her husband." Then she kissed them, and they cried out loud (literally: lifted up their voices) and wept.
The Hebrew word: "Rest" is menuchah, which the dictionary gives as "repose ... figuratively, consolation (specifically, matrimony); hence (concretely) an abode".
What changes: Read as "rest", Naomi wishes them peace and safety. Read as "a settled home", she wishes each a home of her own. Either way, the verse ties it to "the house of her husband". In Naomi uses a close word, manoach, which the dictionary gives as "a settled spot, or (figuratively) a home": "shall I not seek rest for you?"
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10They said to her, “No, but we will return with you to your people.”
In plain English: They said to her, "No, we will go back with you to your people."
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11Naomi said, “Go back, my daughters. Why do you want to go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
In plain English: Naomi said, "Go back, my daughters. Why would you go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb who could become your husbands?
Good to know: The law in says that when a man dies with no son, "Her husband's brother shall go in to her, and take her as his wife". In Judah tells Tamar, "Remain a widow in your father's house, until Shelah, my son, is grown up". Naomi says she has no more sons to give, and asks in verse 13, "would you then wait until they were grown?"
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12Go back, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, ‘I have hope,’ if I should even have a husband tonight, and should also bear sons,
In plain English: Go back, my daughters, go, because I am too old to have a husband. Even if I said, 'I have hope,' even if I had a husband tonight and also had sons,
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13would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from having husbands? No, my daughters, for it grieves me seriously for your sakes, for Yahweh’s hand has gone out against me.”
In plain English: would you wait until they were grown? Would you shut yourselves away (this Bible: refrain) from having husbands? No, my daughters. It is far more bitter for me than for you (or: it is very bitter for me because of you; this Bible: it grieves me seriously for your sakes), because Yahweh's hand has gone out against me."
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14They lifted up their voices and wept again; then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth stayed with her.
In plain English: They cried out loud and wept again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her (this Bible: stayed with her).
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15She said, “Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her god. Follow your sister-in-law.”
In plain English: Naomi said, "Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her god (or: her gods). Go back after your sister-in-law."
The Hebrew words: "Her god" is elohim, which the dictionary gives as "gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used ... of the supreme God". So it can be read "her god" or "her gods". The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "her gods". "Sister-in-law" is yebemeth, the word for "his brother's wife" in the law of and . It is in only those 3 verses.
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16Ruth said, “Don’t urge me to leave you, and to return from following you, for where you go, I will go; and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God.
In plain English: Ruth said, "Do not press me (this Bible: urge me) to leave you, to turn back from following you. Where you go, I will go, and where you stay the night, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God.
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17Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May Yahweh do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me.”
In plain English: Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May Yahweh do this to me, and more too, if anything but death parts you and me."
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18When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.
In plain English: When Naomi saw that Ruth was set on (this Bible: determined) going with her, she stopped talking to her about it (this Bible: stopped urging her).
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19So they both went until they came to Bethlehem. When they had come to Bethlehem, all the city was excited about them, and they asked, “Is this Naomi?”
In plain English: So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred up (this Bible: excited) about them, and the women said (this Bible: they asked), "Is this Naomi?"
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20She said to them, “Don’t call me Naomi. Call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.
In plain English: She said to them, "Do not call me Naomi. Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter (this Bible: has dealt very bitterly with me).
The Hebrew word: Mara sounds like the word that follows it, "dealt very bitterly", from marar, which the dictionary gives as "to be (causatively, make) bitter". Naomi used the same word in verse 13. The text gives the reason for the new name in her own words. The dictionary gives Mara as "a symbolic name of Naomi".
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21I went out full, and Yahweh has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since Yahweh has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?”
In plain English: I went away full, and Yahweh has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when Yahweh has testified against me (or: has humbled me), and the Almighty has brought trouble on me (this Bible: has afflicted me)?"
The Hebrew word: "Testified against me" is anah, which the dictionary gives as "to heed ... by implication, to respond ... testify". The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "the Lord has humbled me".
What changes: Read as "testified against me", Naomi pictures Yahweh as a witness speaking against her. Read as "humbled me", she says Yahweh has brought her low. Either way, these are Naomi's words about Yahweh.
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22So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned out of the country of Moab. They came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.
In plain English: So Naomi came back, and with her Ruth the Moabite woman (this Bible: the Moabitess), her daughter-in-law, who came back from the country of Moab. They came to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.
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