WEB
Ruth 1
1It happened in the days when the judges judged, that there was a famine in the land. A certain man of Bethlehem Judah went to live in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
2The name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem Judah. They came into the country of Moab, and continued there.
3Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons.
4They took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they lived there about ten years.
5Mahlon and Chilion both died, and the woman was bereaved of her two children and of her husband.
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 that Yahweh had visited his people in giving them bread.
7She went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah.
8Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go, return each of you to her mother's house: Yahweh deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead, and with me.
9Yahweh 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 voice, and wept.
10They said to her, "No, but we will return with you to your people."
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?
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;
13would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from having husbands? No, my daughters, for it grieves me much for your sakes, for the hand of Yahweh has gone out against me."
14They lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth joined with her.
15She said, "Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people, and to her god. Follow your sister-in-law."
16Ruth said, "Don't entreat me to leave you, and to return from following after you, for where you go, I will go; and where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God;
17where you die, will I die, and there will I be buried. Yahweh do so to me, and more also, if anything but death part you and me."
18When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, she left off speaking to her.
19So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. It happened, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and [the women] said, "Is this Naomi?"
20She said to them, "Don't call me Naomi. Call me Mara; for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.
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?"
22So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.
Study This Passage
Key Words and Topics
These study connections are drawn from the internal BSB concordance and topical index imported into Daily Bread Intake.
Key Words in This Passage
Select a word to open the full concordance search.
Related Topics
Afflictions and Adversities: Dispensation of God Ruth 1:20, 21
“Do not call me Naomi,” she replied. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has dealt quite bitterly with me. / I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? After all, the LORD has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me.”
Benedictions by Naomi, Upon Ruth and Orpah Ruth 1:8, 9
Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you to your mother’s home. May the LORD show you loving devotion, as you have shown to your dead and to me. / May the LORD enable each of you to find rest in the home of your new husband.” And she kissed them as they wept aloud
Bereavement: Naomi, of Her Husband Ruth 1:3, 5, 20, 21
Then Naomi’s husband Elimelech died, and she was left with her two sons, / both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and without her husband. / “Do not call me Naomi,” she replied. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has dealt quite bitterly with me.
Bethlehem: A City Southwest of Jerusalem: And Beth-Lehem-Judah Ruth 1:1
In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. And a certain man from Bethlehem in Judah, with his wife and two sons, went to reside in the land of Moab.
Bethlehem: A City Southwest of Jerusalem: The City of Boaz Ruth 1:1, 19
In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. And a certain man from Bethlehem in Judah, with his wife and two sons, went to reside in the land of Moab. / So Naomi and Ruth traveled until they came to Bethlehem. When they entered Bethlehem, the whole city was stirred because of them, and the women of the city exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”
Blessing: Temporal, from God Ruth 1:6
When Naomi heard in Moab that the LORD had attended to His people by providing them with food, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to leave the land of Moab.
Bread: Given by God Ruth 1:6
When Naomi heard in Moab that the LORD had attended to His people by providing them with food, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to leave the land of Moab.
Canaan: Land of Famines In Ruth 1:1
In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. And a certain man from Bethlehem in Judah, with his wife and two sons, went to reside in the land of Moab.
Children: Love of, for Parents of Ruth Ruth 1:16–18
But Ruth replied: “Do not urge me to leave you or to turn from following 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. / Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD punish me, and ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.” / When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped trying to persuade her.
Children: Ruth Ruth 1:15–17
“Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her gods; follow her back home.” / But Ruth replied: “Do not urge me to leave you or to turn from following 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. / Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD punish me, and ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.”
Chilion: A Son of Naomi Ruth 1:2, 4, 5
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, and they entered the land of Moab and settled there. / who took Moabite women as their wives, one named Orpah and the other named Ruth. And after they had lived in Moab about ten years, / both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and without her husband.
Constancy: Instances of Ruth 1:14
Again they wept aloud, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.
Converts: Ruth Ruth 1:16
But Ruth replied: “Do not urge me to leave you or to turn from following 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.
Daughter-In-Law: Filial: Instance of, Ruth Ruth 1:11–18
But Naomi replied, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you go with me? Are there still sons in my womb to become your husbands? / Return home, my daughters. Go on, for I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was hope for me to have a husband tonight and to bear sons, / would you wait for them to grow up? Would you refrain from having husbands? No, my daughters, it grieves me very much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me.”
Decision: Ruth Ruth 1:16
But Ruth replied: “Do not urge me to leave you or to turn from following 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.
Determination Ruth 1:16–18
But Ruth replied: “Do not urge me to leave you or to turn from following 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. / Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD punish me, and ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.” / When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped trying to persuade her.
Elimelech with Naomi, his Wife, and Two Sons, Emigrate to Moab Ruth 1:2, 3
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, and they entered the land of Moab and settled there. / Then Naomi’s husband Elimelech died, and she was left with her two sons,
Famine: Instances of, in Scripture in the Day of the Judges Ruth 1:1
In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. And a certain man from Bethlehem in Judah, with his wife and two sons, went to reside in the land of Moab.
Friendship: Ruth and Naomi Ruth 1:16, 17
But Ruth replied: “Do not urge me to leave you or to turn from following 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. / Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD punish me, and ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.”
God: Providence of Ruth 1:6
When Naomi heard in Moab that the LORD had attended to His people by providing them with food, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to leave the land of Moab.
Imprecation: Ruth Ruth 1:17
Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD punish me, and ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.”
Kiss of Affection Ruth 1:14
Again they wept aloud, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.
Love to Man: Ruth Ruth 1:16, 17
But Ruth replied: “Do not urge me to leave you or to turn from following 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. / Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD punish me, and ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.”
Love: Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz Ruth 1:1
In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. And a certain man from Bethlehem in Judah, with his wife and two sons, went to reside in the land of Moab.
Select a topic to open the full topical search.
Bible Dictionary
Related Dictionary Terms
Explore people, places, themes, and biblical terms connected to this passage.
Commentary Insights
Study and Reflection
Explore devotional and study commentary connected to this passage.
Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
Pastoral and devotional reflections focused on spiritual formation and application.
Ruth 1:1-5 Verses 1-5
Elimelech's care to provide for his family, was not to be blamed; but his removal into the country of Moab could not be justified. And the removal ended in the wasting of his family. It is folly to think of escaping that cross, which, being laid in our way, we ought to take up. Changing our place seldom is mending it. Those who bring young people into bad acquaintance, and take them out of the way of public ordinances, thought they may think them well-principled, and armed against temptation, know not what will be the end. It does not appear that the women the sons of Elimelech married, were proselyted to the Jewish religion. Earthly trials or enjoyments are of short continuance. Death continually removes those of every age and situation, and mars all our outward comforts: we cannot too strongly prefer those advantages which shall last for ever.
Ruth 1:6-14 Verses 6-14
Naomi began to think of returning, after the death of her two sons. When death comes into a family, it ought to reform what is amiss there. Earth is made bitter to us, that heaven may be made dear. Naomi seems to have been a person of faith and piety. She dismissed her daughters-in-law with prayer. It is very proper for friends, when they part, to part with them thus part in love. Did Naomi do well, to discourage her daughters from going with her, when she might save them from the idolatry of Moab, and bring them to the faith and worship of the God of Israel? Naomi, no doubt, desired to do that; but if they went with her, she would not have them to go upon her account. Those that take upon them a profession of religion only to oblige their friends, or for the sake of company, will be converts of small value. If they did come with her, she would have them make it their deliberate choice, and sit down first and count the cost, as it concerns those to do who make a profession of religion. And more desire "rest in the house of a husband," or some wordly settlement or earthly satisfaction, than the rest to which Christ invites our souls; therefore when tried they will depart from Christ, though perhaps with some sorrow.
Ruth 1:15-18 Verses 15-18
See Ruth's resolution, and her good affection to Naomi. Orpah was loth to part from her; yet she did not love her well enough to leave Moab for her sake. Thus, many have a value and affection for Christ, yet come short of salvation by him, because they will not forsake other things for him. They love him, yet leave him, because they do not love him enough, but love other things better. Ruth is an example of the grace of God, inclining the soul to choose the better part. Naomi could desire no more than the solemn declaration Ruth made. See the power of resolution; it silences temptation. Those that go in religious ways without a stedfast mind, stand like a door half open, which invites a thief; but resolution shuts and bolts the door, resists the devil and forces him to flee.
Ruth 1:19-22 Verses 19-22
Naomi and Ruth came to Bethlehem. Afflictions will make great and surprising changes in a little time. May God, by his grace, fit us for all such changes, especially the great change!, Naomi signifies "pleasant," or "amiable;" Mara, "bitter," or "bitterness." She was now a woman of a sorrowful spirit. She had come home empty, poor, a widow and childless. But there is a fulness for believers of which they never can be emptied; a good part which shall not be taken from those who have it. The cup of affliction is a "bitter" cup, but she owns that the affliction came from God. It well becomes us to have our hearts humbled under humbling providences. It is not affliction itself, but affliction rightly borne, that does us good.