“Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her gods; follow her back home.”
Parallel translations
- WEB She said, “Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people, and to her god. Follow your sister-in-law.”
- KJV 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.
- NKJV And she said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.”
- NASB Then she said, “Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her gods; return after your sister-in-law.”
- NLT “Look,” Naomi said to her, “your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. You should do the same.”
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
Naomi points to Orpah's return and urges Ruth to follow her back to her people and god. This final test draws out Ruth's wholehearted commitment.
Overview
Naomi names the real stakes: returning to Moab means returning to Moab's god, Chemosh. Her urging is a genuine test of Ruth's resolve, giving Ruth every reason to leave. Ruth's refusal in the next verses will reveal a conversion of heart—choosing the LORD over the gods of her birth.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Judg 11:24Do you not possess whatever your god Chemosh grants you? So also, we possess whatever the LORD our God has granted us.
- Zeph 1:6and those who turn back from following the LORD, neither seeking the LORD nor inquiring of Him.”
- 2 Kgs 2:2and Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me on to Bethel.” But Elisha replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.
- Ps 125:5But those who turn to crooked ways the LORD will banish with the evildoers. Peace be upon Israel.
- Josh 24:15But if it is unpleasing in your sight to serve the LORD, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!”
- Luke 14:26–33“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be My disciple.
- Josh 24:19But Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the LORD, for He is a holy God; He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your rebellion or your sins.
- Heb 10:38But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he shrinks back, I will take no pleasure in him.”
- Ps 36:3The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful; he has ceased to be wise and well-doing.
- Luke 24:28As they approached the village where they were headed, He seemed to be going farther.
- Matt 13:20–21The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.
- 1 Jn 2:19They went out from us, but they did not belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But their departure made it clear that none of them belonged to us.
- 2 Sam 15:19–20Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you also go with us? Go back and stay with the new king, since you are both a foreigner and an exile from your homeland.
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 1:15 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.