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.
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.”
- BSB “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her gods; follow her back home.”
- 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 11:24Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever the LORD our God shall drive out from before us, them will we possess.
- Zeph 1:6And them that are turned back from the LORD; and those that have not sought the LORD, nor enquired for him.
- 2 Kgs 2:2And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel.
- Ps 125:5As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: but peace shall be upon Israel.
- Josh 24:15And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
- Luke 14:26–33If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
- Josh 24:19And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.
- Heb 10:38Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
- Ps 36:3The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good.
- Luke 24:28And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.
- Matt 13:20–21But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
- 1 Jn 2:19They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
- 2 Sam 15:19–20Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore goest thou also with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king: for thou art a stranger, and also an exile.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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.