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Ruth 1:8-18
Contemporary English Version
Ruth 1:8-18
Contemporary English Version
8 Naomi said to them, “Don't you want to go back home to your own mothers? You were kind to my husband and sons, and you've always been kind to me. I pray that the Lord will be just as kind to you. 9 May he give each of you another husband and a home of your own.”
Naomi kissed them. They cried 10 and said, “We want to go with you and live among your people.”
11 But she replied, “My daughters, why don't you return home? What good will it do you to go with me? Do you think I could have more sons for you to marry?[a] 12 You must go back home, because I am too old to marry again. Even if I got married tonight and later had more sons, 13 would you wait for them to become old enough to marry? No, my daughters! Life is harder for me than it is for you, because the Lord has turned against me.”[b]
14 They cried again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth held on to her. 15 Naomi then said to Ruth, “Look, your sister-in-law is going back to her people and to her gods! Why don't you go with her?”
16 Ruth answered,
“Please don't tell me
to leave you
and return home!
I will go where you go,
I will live where you live;
your people will be my people,
your God will be my God.
17 I will die where you die
and be buried beside you.
May the Lord punish me
if we are ever separated,
even by death!”[c]
18 When Naomi saw that Ruth had made up her mind to go with her, she stopped urging her to go back.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1.11 for you to marry: When a married man died and left no children, it was the custom for one of his brothers to marry his widow. Any children they had would then be thought of as those of the dead man, so that his family name would live on.
- 1.13 Life … me: Or “I'm sorry that the Lord has turned against me and made life so hard for you.”
- 1.17 even by death: Or “by anything but death.”
Ruth 1:8-18
New International Version
Ruth 1:8-18
New International Version
8 Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home.(A) May the Lord show you kindness,(B) as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands(C) and to me. 9 May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest(D) in the home of another husband.”
Then she kissed(E) them goodbye and they wept aloud(F) 10 and said to her, “We will go back with you to your people.”
11 But Naomi said, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands?(G) 12 Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons— 13 would you wait until they grew up?(H) Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter(I) for me than for you, because the Lord’s hand has turned against me!(J)”
14 At this they wept(K) aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law(L) goodbye,(M) but Ruth clung to her.(N)
15 “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law(O) is going back to her people and her gods.(P) Go back with her.”
16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you(Q) or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go,(R) and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people(S) and your God my God.(T) 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely,(U) if even death separates you and me.”(V) 18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.(W)
Ruth 1:8-18
King James Version
Ruth 1:8-18
King James Version
8 And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother's house: the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.
9 The Lord grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.
10 And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.
11 And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
12 Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons;
13 Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.
14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.
15 And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.
16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.
18 When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.
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