15 Then she said, “Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her (A)gods; return after your sister-in-law.” 16 But Ruth said, “Do not plead with me to leave you or to turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you sleep, I will sleep. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. 17 Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May (B)the Lord do so to me, and worse, if anything but death separates [a]me from you.” 18 When (C)she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her about it.

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Footnotes

  1. Ruth 1:17 Lit between me and you

15 Naomi said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her god.[a](A) Follow your sister-in-law.”

16 But Ruth replied:

Do not persuade me to leave you
or go back and not follow you.
For wherever you go, I will go,
and wherever you live, I will live;
your people will be my people,
and your God will be my God.
17 Where you die, I will die,
and there I will be buried.
May Yahweh punish me,[b](B)
and do so severely,
if anything but death separates you and me.

18 When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped trying to persuade her.

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Footnotes

  1. Ruth 1:15 Or gods
  2. Ruth 1:17 A solemn oath formula; 1Sm 3:17; 2Sm 3:9,35; 1Kg 2:23; 2Kg 6:31