Ruth 1:7-18 Meaning: The Unbreakable Choice of Love
7She went out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her. 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. May Yahweh deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.
9May Yahweh 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 voices, 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 seriously for your sakes, for Yahweh’s hand has gone out against me.”
14They lifted up their voices and wept again; then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth stayed 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 urge me to leave you, and to return from following you, for where you go, I will go; and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God.
17Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May Yahweh do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me.”
18When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.
7Wherefore she 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 unto the land of Judah.
8And 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.
9The 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.
10And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.
11And 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?
12Turn 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;
13Would 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.
14And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.
15And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.
16And 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:
17Where 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.
18When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.
7And she 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 unto the land of Judah.
8And Naomi said unto her two daughters-in-law, Go, return each of you to her mother’s house: Jehovah deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.
9Jehovah 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.
10And they said unto her, Nay, but we will return with thee unto thy people.
11And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? have I yet sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
12Turn again, 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 to-night, and should also bear sons;
13would ye therefore tarry till they were grown? would ye therefore stay from having husbands? nay, my daughters, for it grieveth me much for your sakes, for the hand of Jehovah is gone forth against me.
14And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clave unto her.
15And she said, Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people, and unto her god: return thou after thy sister-in-law.
16And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, and 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;
17where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: Jehovah do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me.
18And when she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, she left off speaking unto her.
7And she goeth out from the place where she hath been, and her two daughters-in-law with her, and they go in the way to turn back unto the land of Judah.
8And Naomi saith to her two daughters-in-law, `Go, turn back, each to the house of her mother; Jehovah doth with you kindness as ye have done with the dead, and with me;
9Jehovah doth grant to you, and find ye rest each in the house of her husband;' and she kisseth them, and they lift up their voice and weep.
10And they say to her, `Surely with thee we go back to thy people.'
11And Naomi saith, `Turn back, my daughters; why do ye go with me? are there yet to me sons in my bowels that they have been to you for husbands?
12Turn back, my daughters, go, for I am too aged to be to a husband; though I had said, There is for me hope, also, I have been to-night to a husband, and also I have borne sons:
13for them do ye wait till that they grow up? for them do ye shut yourselves up, not to be to a husband? nay, my daughters, for more bitter to me than to you, for the hand of Jehovah hath gone out against me.'
14And they lift up their voice, and weep again, and Orpah kisseth her mother-in-law, and Ruth hath cleaved to her.
15And she saith, `Lo, thy sister-in-law hath turned back unto her people, and unto her god, turn thou back after thy sister-in-law.'
16And Ruth saith, `Urge me not to leave thee--to turn back from after thee; for whither thou goest I go, and where thou lodgest I lodge; thy people is my people, and thy God my God.
17Where thou diest I die, and there I am buried; thus doth Jehovah to me, and thus doth He add--for death itself doth part between me and thee.'
18And she seeth that she is strengthening herself to go with her, and she ceaseth to speak unto her;
7Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she had been, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah.
8And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, Go, return each to her mother's house. Jehovah deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead and with me.
9Jehovah grant you that ye may find rest, each in the house of her husband. And she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice and wept.
10And they said to her, We will certainly return with thee to thy people.
11And Naomi said, Return, my daughters: why will ye go with me? Are there yet sons in my womb, that they could be your husbands?
12Return, my daughters, go; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, I have hope, should I even have a husband to-night, and should I also bear sons,
13would ye wait on that account till they were grown? Would ye stay on that account from having husbands? No, my daughters, for I am in much more bitterness than you; for the hand of Jehovah is gone out against me.
14And they lifted up their voice and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clave to her.
15And she said, Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back to her people and to hergods: return after thy sister-in-law.
16And Ruth said, Do not intreat me to leave thee, 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;
17where thou diest will I die, and there will I be buried. Jehovah do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part me and thee!
18And when she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, she left off speaking to her.
Meaning in one sentence
Ruth's vow to Naomi shows what covenant loyalty means. Her words still teach us about staying when it costs something.
Context
Three widows stand on a dusty road. Naomi is heading home to Bethlehem, empty-handed and bitter. Her two daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, start the journey with her. They have every reason to turn back. In Moab they have family, a future, and the gods they grew up with. Naomi knows this. She urges them to return, not once but three times, painting a grim picture of her own emptiness. What follows is a quiet drama of love and decision. One woman kisses her mother-in-law goodbye and goes home. The other clings to her and speaks words that have echoed through thousands of years.
Key Words
The Hebrew word behind Naomi's blessing in verse 8 is chesed, often translated as "loving devotion" or "covenant loyalty." It is the same word used throughout the Old Testament to describe God's faithful, stubborn love to His people. Naomi asks the LORD to show chesed to the young women, because they have shown it to her and to her dead sons. This is not ordinary kindness. It is the kind of love that stays when staying makes no sense.
Later, verse 14 says Ruth clung to Naomi. That verb, davak, is the same word used in Genesis 2:24 for a man leaving his parents and cleaving to his wife. It means to be glued, to hold so tight that separation would tear you. Ruth makes herself family by refusing to let go.
And in verse 18, Naomi sees that Ruth is determined to go with her. The Hebrew behind that is a reflexive form of amats, meaning to strengthen oneself. Ruth did not drift into this decision. She braced herself for it.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have treasured this passage for different reasons. Many see Ruth's words as a model of conversion. Adam Clarke, a Methodist commentator, says her confession "your God my God" marks the moment she turns from the idols of Moab to the living God. Others, like Matthew Henry, emphasize Ruth's constancy as a picture of loyal love that "cleaves to Christ" when lesser attachments fall away. Still other readers focus on the human story: the quiet heroism of a young woman who chooses to stay with a grieving, elderly widow. Both readings, the theological and the relational, find their home in this one vow.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers assume Orpah was cold or faithless because she went back. But the text shows she lifted her voice and wept. She kissed Naomi goodbye. Her love was real. What she lacked was the will to let that love cost her everything. Orpah chose the path of prudence. Ruth chose the path of covenant. The difference is not in the warmth of their hearts but in the strength of their resolve.
Living This Out
This week you may face a choice between what is sensible and what is faithful. A friend who is hard to be around. A family member whose grief keeps dragging you down. A decision to follow Jesus that means leaving old habits or old relationships behind. Ruth did not calculate the cost. She bound herself to Naomi and to Naomi's God, knowing it would be hard. Ask yourself: Where is God calling me to stay when I want to leave? What would it mean to say, "Your people will be my people," to someone who needs that loyalty today?
Main takeaway: True loyalty binds us to people and to God, not for what we get out of it, but because love has decided to stay.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Ruth loved her mother-in-law Naomi so much that she would not leave her. She said, "Where you go, I will go." That is what it means to be a true friend.
For ages 9, 12
Ruth could have stayed in Moab where life was easier. Instead she chose to follow Naomi to a new land and a new God. Her words "your God will be my God" show that she was not just loyal to a person; she was choosing to trust the God of Israel. Sometimes being faithful means leaving behind what is comfortable. Ruth shows us that it is worth it.
Questions People Ask
Why did Naomi tell her daughters-in-law to go back to Moab?
Naomi had nothing to offer them. She was old, poor, and bitter. She could not provide new husbands or a secure future. Out of love, she set them free, even though it meant facing the journey alone.
Did Orpah do something wrong by leaving?
Not in the story. She wept and kissed Naomi goodbye. She loved her mother-in-law, but she chose the practical path. Orpah is not a villain; she is a reminder that good feelings are not the same as costly commitment.
What does Ruth mean by "your God will be my God"?
Ruth was a Moabitess, raised to worship Chemosh and other gods. By saying this, she declares that she is leaving her old religion behind and putting her trust in the LORD, the God of Israel. It is a conversion statement as much as a personal vow.
Why is the Book of Ruth in the Bible?
Ruth shows how God works through ordinary loyalty and love. It also provides the genealogy of King David, and ultimately of Jesus Christ. That a Moabite woman becomes part of the royal line shows that God's grace reaches beyond Israel to all nations.
What is the levirate marriage Naomi mentions?
In ancient Israel, if a man died without children, his brother (or nearest male relative) was expected to marry the widow and raise children to carry on the dead man's name. Naomi refers to this custom when she says she has no more sons for Orpah and Ruth to marry.
For pastors & researchers
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