Ruth 1:7-18 · Bible study
Ruth 1:7-18 Commentary: Covenant Loyalty Tested and Chosen
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the pivotal scene where Naomi urges her daughters-in-law to return, Orpah turns back, and Ruth makes her famous pledge.
Research Summary
- Meaning: In the face of loss and uncertainty, Ruth makes a complete covenant of loyalty to Naomi and the God of Israel, setting the stage for the lineage of David.
- Key words: Shuv (return), chesed (covenant loyalty), da'vaq (cling), mit'ametset (determined).
- Main debate: Does the narrator use “return” for all three women to suggest they initially intended to emigrate, or is it a subtle irony highlighting that only Ruth truly ‘returns’ as a proselyte?
- Theological theme: Hesed, faithful love that goes beyond duty, even to the point of abandoning one’s people and gods for the sake of another.
- Best use: Preaching on covenant loyalty, conversion, and the cost of following God; also used in wedding ceremonies and testimonies of cross-cultural or interfaith commitment.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
7Accompanied by her two daughters-in-law, she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road leading back to the land of Judah.
8Then 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.
9May the LORD enable each of you to find rest in the home of your new husband.” And she kissed them as they wept aloud
10and said, “Surely we will return with you to your people.”
11But Naomi replied, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you go with me? Are there still sons in my womb to become your husbands?
12Return 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,
13would 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.”
14Again they wept aloud, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.
15“Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her gods; follow her back home.”
16But 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.
17Where 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.”
18When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped trying to persuade her.
WEB World English Bible 2000
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.
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
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.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
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;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
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.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
7Wherefore she went forth out of the place of her sojournment, with both her daughters in law: and being now in the way to return into the land of Juda,
8She said to them: Go ye home to your mothers, the Lord deal mercifully with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.
9May he grant you to find rest in the houses of the husbands whom you shall take. And she kissed them. And they lifted up their voice, and began to weep,
10And to say: We will go on with thee to thy people.
11But she answered them: Return, my daughters: why come ye with me? have I any more sons in my womb, that you may hope for husbands of me?
12Return again, my daughters, and go your ways: for I am now spent with age, and not fit for wedlock. Although I might conceive this night, and bear children,
13If you would wait till they were grown up, and come to man's estate, you would be old women before you marry. Do not so, my daughters, I beseech you: for I am grieved the more for your distress, and the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.
14And they lifted up their voice, and began to weep again: Orpha kissed her mother in law, and returned: Ruth stuck close to her mother in law.
15And Noemi said to her: Behold thy kinswoman is returned to her people, and to her gods, go thou with her.
16She answered: Be not against me, to desire that I should leave thee and depart: for whithersoever thou shalt go, I will go: and where thou shalt dwell, I also will dwell. Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.
17The land that shall receive thee dying, in the same will I die: and there will I be buried. The Lord do so and so to me, and add more also, if aught but death part me and thee.
18Then Noemi seeing that Ruth was steadfastly determined to go with her, would not be against it, nor persuade her any more to return to her friends:
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Ruth 1:7
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this passage presents a wrenching test of loyalty, with Naomi’s selfless release of her daughters-in-law and Ruth’s radical refusal to leave. Barnes notes the courteous custom of accompanying a traveller to the border, while Cambridge observes that the verb “return” (Heb. shuv) is strictly appropriate only for Naomi, yet the narrator uses it for all three women, a subtle signal that they all set out with the intention of going to Judah. Keil & Delitzsch explain that Naomi’s argument draws on the levirate law (Deuteronomy 25:5): with no more sons, she cannot provide husbands for them. Orpah’s kiss is a respectful farewell, but Ruth clings (Heb. davekah). Wesley and Gill read Ruth’s response as a genuine conversion: she abandons her people and gods. The narrative celebrates covenantal loyalty (hesed) that goes beyond natural affection.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Literal historical reading: The narrative describes actual events. Ruth’s words are a personal pledge to her mother-in-law, not a theological formula.
- Typological reading: Ruth’s journey from Moab to Israel foreshadows Gentile inclusion in the people of God, supported by her inclusion in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus.
- Literary-device reading: The use of 'return' for all three women is a deliberate irony by the narrator to highlight that only Ruth will truly find a home in Israel.
What is clear: Ruth’s unconditional loyalty to Naomi and to the God of Israel is presented as exemplary and is rewarded in the story.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Ruth’s spiritual conversion | Christians across traditions see Ruth's pledge ('your God my God') as a genuine embrace of the God of Israel, making her a model of faith. | The timeline of her conversion varies. Some see it as sudden at this moment; others as a process that began during her marriage to Mahlon and culminates here. |
| Orpah’s departure | Orpah is not condemned; she acts affectionately and reasonably. Many see her kiss as a loving but lesser commitment. | Some interpreters view Orpah as a negative counterexample of worldly affection, while others emphasize that her choice was prudent and not sinful. |
| The narrator’s use of “return” for all three | The verb 'return' (shuv) literally fits only Naomi, yet the narrative applies it to the whole group, indicating they all began the journey to Judah. | Is this a literary device to foreshadow Ruth’s eventual full 'return' to God’s people, or simply a narrative convenience (the women left Moab together)? |
| Naomi’s theology of suffering | Naomi interprets her losses as coming from the hand of Yahweh. Her statement is an honest expression of grief. | Does the book of Ruth ultimately endorse her view, or does the story show God working beyond her bitterness (e.g., the barley harvest, Boaz)? |
Historical & Cultural Context
Three widows stand on the border between Moab and Judah. Naomi, a Judean who fled famine, now returns after a decade of loss: husband, two sons, and the hope of family continuity. Her daughters-in-law are Moabite women, raised in a culture that worshipped Chemosh and other national deities. For them to leave their homeland meant leaving everything familiar, language, family, religion, and legal protection.
Naomi’s repeated invitation to “go, return each to her mother’s house” (vv.8, 11, 12) reflects the domestic arrangement of ancient Israel and Moab: women had separate living quarters, and the mother’s house was a place of nurture after marriage or in widowhood. The mention of the mother rather than the father (Ruth 2:11 indicates Ruth’s father was still alive) may highlight the tender, female sphere of kinship.
Naomi’s appeal to levirate marriage (v.11) points to the custom codified in Deuteronomy 25:5, where a brother of the deceased is obliged to marry the widow to preserve the family line. Since Naomi has no more sons, and she is past childbearing, she presents a scenario that is mathematically impossible but rhetorically powerful. Her repetition of “the hand of Yahweh has gone out against me” (v.13) expresses a theology common in the ancient world: suffering is divine punishment or affliction. This sentiment resonates with the book’s opening in the days of the Judges, a time of turmoil and divine discipline.
The journey itself was about fifty miles across rugged terrain. For Naomi, it was a return to a community that might not welcome her. For Ruth, it was an irreversible departure. The cultural stakes could not be higher: she would exchange her identity as a Moabitess for that of a poor immigrant widow in Israel.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources report no significant textual variants for Ruth 1:7-18 in the Hebrew manuscripts. One variation appears in the Septuagint: after ‘Orpah kissed her mother-in-law’ (v.14), some Greek manuscripts add ‘and she returned to her people’ (so notes Adam Clarke, citing the Vulgate, Syriac, and Arabic). This reading clarifies what the Hebrew text leaves implicit, that Orpah departed immediately. Even if original, the addition does not change the narrative logic. The passage is textually stable.
Reception History
Ruth’s pledge (vv.16-17) has been treasured across Christian history as one of the most beautiful expressions of human loyalty and covenantal faith. Early church writers saw Ruth as a type of the Gentile church leaving the paganism of Moab to be grafted into Israel. Ambrose of Milan, for example, preached on Ruth’s conversion as a model of virtuous widowhood. The speech has been used in countless wedding liturgies, often without reference to its original context of widowhood and migration, as a statement of lifelong fidelity. In Jewish tradition, Ruth is celebrated as a righteous proselyte whose story is read at Shavuot (the Feast of Weeks), linking her commitment to the giving of the Torah at Sinai. The phrase ‘your people shall be my people, and your God my God’ became a classic formula for conversion.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Bond of Affection (vv.7-10): All three women weep together. Naomi releases them with a blessing using the word hesed, covenantal kindness. Their initial response is unanimous: “Surely we will return with you.” Affection can carry us a long way, but it is not the same as costly commitment.
- The Reality of Loss (vv.11-13): Naomi paints a bleak picture: no husbands, no children, no security. She does not sugarcoat the future. Grief and bitterness (she calls it “very bitter” for herself, v.13) are honest. This section shows that love for someone does not mean an easy road.
- The Decision That Changes Everything (vv.14-18): Orpah kisses and leaves; Ruth clings and stays. Ruth’s vow is comprehensive: location, lifestyle, people, God, death, burial. It is a life covenant. The turning point is when Naomi stops urging her, Ruth’s determination (mit’ammetset, strengthening herself) wins.
Five-point outline
- Naomi’s selfless compassion in releasing her daughters.
- Orpah’s reasonable choice: affection that stops short of sacrifice.
- Ruth’s radical commitment: she leaves her identity behind.
- The personal cost of following: Ruth gives up hope of remarriage in Moab.
- The hidden blessing: Naomi gains a daughter who will later be an ancestor of David.
Illustration hooks
- Someone relocating to care for an aging relative, leaving behind a career and social network.
- A convert from another faith who faces family rejection after baptism, losing their place in the community.
- A soldier who refuses to evacuate a wounded comrade, insisting “I’m not leaving without you.”
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does God allow so much suffering in life, especially after I have tried to be faithful?
- How can I tell if my commitment to a relationship or calling is genuine or just emotional?
- When is it right to let someone go, and when should I hold on stubbornly?
Leading a Discussion
In Ruth 1:7-18, three widows face a crossroads. Naomi, devastated by loss, frees her daughters-in-law from any obligation to her. Orpah chooses to return to her homeland. Ruth makes a covenant that redefines her entire identity. This passage invites us to examine what loving loyalty really costs.
Discussion questions
- Read verses 8-9. What does Naomi’s blessing (using the word hesed) reveal about her character and her understanding of God?
- In verse 11, Naomi asks, “Are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?” Why does she raise this levirate-law idea? What is her emotional tone?
- Compare the reactions of Orpah and Ruth in verse 14. The Hebrew says Orpah “kissed” and Ruth “clung” (davekah). What is the difference between a farewell kiss and clinging?
- Ruth’s speech (vv.16-17) uses five parallel “I will” statements. Which one strikes you as the most costly, and why?
- Naomi says in verse 13 that “the hand of the LORD has gone out against me.” Does the narrative affirm this view? How does the rest of the book of Ruth complicate or correct it?
- What does it mean that Ruth calls Yahweh “your God” and then “my God”? How does this reflect conversion in the ancient world?
- In what relationships or decisions today might God be calling us to Ruth’s kind of determined loyalty? What fears hold us back?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 18:27 | Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way into his own land. |
| II Kings 8:3 | At the end of seven years, the woman returned from the land of the Philistines. Then she went out to beg the king for her house and for her land. |
| Joshua 24:15 | If it seems evil to you to serve Yahweh, choose today whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve Yahweh.” |
| Joshua 24:28 | So Joshua sent the people away, each to his own inheritance. |
| Ruth 1:5 | Mahlon and Chilion both died, and the woman was bereaved of her two children and of her husband. |
| Ruth 2:20 | Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed by Yahweh, who has not abandoned his kindness to the living and to the dead.” Naomi said to her, “The man is a close relative to us, one of our near kinsmen.” |
| Luke 14:25 | Now great multitudes were going with him. He turned and said to them, |
| Luke 14:33 | So therefore, whoever of you who doesn’t renounce all that he has, he can’t be my disciple. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights Ruth's words as an unmatched expression of total devotion, both personal and spiritual. He sees in her pledge not merely loyalty to Naomi but a deliberate conversion from Moab's idols, especially Chemosh, to the God of Israel. The surrender, he notes, has no worldly motive.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that Naomi's mention of her daughters-in-law returning to their mother's house carries more tenderness than "father's house" would have, reflecting the separate living quarters for women in that culture. He also observes that the
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes highlight the contrast between Orpah and Ruth: Orpah returns to her people and their gods, while Ruth refuses to leave Naomi, declaring her people and God will be Ruth's. This shows Ruth's conversion from Moabite idolatry to the true God, making her loyalty a matter of faith.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill reads Naomi's repeated urging for Ruth to return as a deliberate test of her sincerity. He argues that Ruth's famous pledge reveals not just natural affection but a genuine conversion, as she willingly forsakes her country, her gods, and every earthly hope to cleave to Naomi, her people, and the Lord.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights Naomi’s practical wisdom in strongly urging her daughters-in‑law to return home. He gives three reasons: they might cling to false hopes of finding new husbands among Naomi’s relatives, they could later regret a hasty decision, and their genuine commitment to Israel’s God would be thoroughly tested.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch notes that Naomi's argument rests entirely on the Levirate marriage law, which she cannot fulfill. She deliberately avoids mentioning that Ruth and Orpah could marry other men in Judah, likely because their Moabite descent would be an obstacle. Ruth's loyalty, meanwhile, springs from a drawn heart toward Israel's God, not just affection.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange highlights that Ruth's devotion surpasses even the most celebrated heroines of ancient literature. Her love is purely moral and spiritual, sustained by no self-interest or fleshly tie. She clings to Naomi precisely because she is poor, old, and childless, and this love leads her to embrace Naomi's God.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights that Ruth's famous pledge is not merely natural affection but a deliberate conversion: she abandons her country and her gods, binding herself to the Lord and His people. Naomi's repeated discouragement only makes Ruth's choice more striking, proving that her faith was genuine, not impulsive.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that Naomi tests Ruth's sincerity by pointing out the hardships of following her, including leaving her gods and homeland. He sees this as a deliberate trial