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Naomi Returns with Ruth

And she got up, she and her daughters-in-law, and returned from the countryside of Moab, because she had heard in the countryside of Moab that Yahweh had come to the aid of[a] his people to give food to them. So she set out from the place where she was[b] and her two daughters-in-law with her, and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah.

But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, each of you return to her mother’s house. May Yahweh show kindness to you[c] just as you did with the dead and with me. May Yahweh grant that you[d] find a resting place, each in the house of her husband.” And she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and cried.

10 And they said to her, “No, we want to return with you to your people.” 11 And Naomi said, “Return, my daughters. Why do you still want to go with me?[e] Are there sons in my womb[f] that may be husbands for you? 12 Turn back, my daughters! Go, for I am too old to have a husband.[g] If I should think there is hope for me, even if I should have a husband this night, and even if I should bear sons, 13 would you therefore wait until they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying?[h] No, my daughters, for it is far more bitter to me than to you. For the hand of Yahweh has gone out against me.” 14 And they lifted up their voices and cried again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.

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Footnotes

  1. Ruth 1:6 Literally “had considered”
  2. Ruth 1:7 Literally “which she was there”
  3. Ruth 1:8 Literally “do loyal love with you”
  4. Ruth 1:9 Literally “give to you”
  5. Ruth 1:11 Literally “To what do you want to go still for me?”
  6. Ruth 1:11 Literally “in my intestines”
  7. Ruth 1:12 Literally “I am too old from being to a man”
  8. Ruth 1:13 Literally “Would you therefore let yourself be hindered to not belong to a man?”

Ruth’s Loyalty to Naomi

She and her daughters-in-law set out to return from the territory of Moab, because she had heard in Moab that the Lord had paid attention to his people’s need by providing them food.(A) She left the place where she had been living, accompanied by her two daughters-in-law, and traveled along the road leading back to the land of Judah.

Naomi said to them, “Each of you go back to your mother’s home.(B) May the Lord show kindness to you as you have shown to the dead and to me. May the Lord grant each of you rest(C) in the house of a new husband.” She kissed them, and they wept loudly.

10 They said to her, “We insist on returning with you to your people.”

11 But Naomi replied, “Return home, my daughters. Why do you want to go with me? Am I able to have any more sons who could become your husbands?(D) 12 Return home, my daughters. Go on, for I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me to have a husband tonight and to bear sons, 13 would you be willing to wait for them to grow up? Would you restrain yourselves from remarrying?[a] No, my daughters, my life is much too bitter for you to share,[b] because the Lord’s hand has turned against me.”(E) 14 Again they wept loudly, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

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Footnotes

  1. 1:13 Lit marrying a man
  2. 1:13 Lit daughters, for more bitter to me than you