They lifted up their voices, and wept again; then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth joined with her.
Parallel translations
- KJV And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.
- BSB Again they wept aloud, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.
- NKJV Then they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.
- NASB And they raised their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.
- NLT And again they wept together, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye. But Ruth clung tightly to Naomi.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
After more weeping, Orpah kisses Naomi goodbye, but Ruth clings to her. The parting reveals the decisive difference between the two women.
Overview
Orpah's choice is reasonable and not condemned; she returns to her people and gods as Naomi advised. Ruth, however, 'clung' to Naomi—a word elsewhere used for covenant devotion and marital union. This contrast frames Ruth's coming confession of faith and marks her as one who forsakes all to join God's people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Prov 18:24A man of many companions may be ruined, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
- Matt 16:24Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
- Matt 10:37He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me isn’t worthy of me.
- Matt 19:22But when the young man heard the saying, he went away sad, for he was one who had great possessions.
- John 6:66–69At this, many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
- Heb 10:39But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the saving of the soul.
- 1 Kgs 19:20Elisha left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, “Let me please kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” He said to him, “Go back again; for what have I done to you?”
- Deut 10:20You shall fear Yahweh your God; you shall serve him; and you shall cling to him, and you shall swear by his name.
- Isa 14:1For Yahweh will have compassion on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land. The foreigner will join himself with them, and they will unite with the house of Jacob.
- Prov 17:17A friend loves at all times; and a brother is born for adversity.
- Zech 8:23Yahweh of Armies says: “In those days, ten men will take hold, out of all the languages of the nations, they will take hold of the skirt of him who is a Jew, saying, ‘We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”
- Gen 31:55Early in the morning, Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them. Laban departed and returned to his place.
- Gen 31:28and didn’t allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now have you done foolishly.
- 2 Tim 4:10for Demas left me, having loved this present world, and went to Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.
- Acts 17:34But certain men joined with him, and believed, among whom also was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
- Mark 10:21–22Jesus looking at him loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack. Go, sell whatever you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me, taking up the cross.”
- Deut 4:4But you who were faithful to Yahweh your God are all alive today.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Boaz the kinsman-redeemer who buys back the destitute and takes a bride foreshadows Christ, our Redeemer who pays the price to make a people his own; and from Ruth's line comes David, and David's greater Son.
How Ruth 1:14 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.