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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?”

Naomi and Her Moabite Daughters-in-Law

Then she started to return with her daughters-in-law from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the Lord had considered his people and given them food.(A) So she set out from the place where she had been living, she and her two daughters-in-law, and they went on their way to go back to the land of Judah. But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back each of you to your mother’s house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.(B) The Lord grant that you may find security, each of you in the house of your husband.” Then she kissed them, and they wept aloud.(C) 10 They said to her, “No, we will return with you to your people.” 11 But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters. Why will you go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb that they may become your husbands?(D) 12 Turn back, my daughters, go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. Even if I thought there was hope for me, even if I should have a husband tonight and bear sons, 13 would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, it has been far more bitter for me than for you, because the hand of the Lord has turned against me.”(E) 14 Then they wept aloud again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.

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