Naomi 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.
Parallel translations
- KJV And 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.
- BSB Then 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.
- NKJV And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each to her mother’s house. The Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.
- NASB But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to your mother’s house. May the Lord deal kindly with you as you have dealt with the dead and with me.
- NLT But on the way, Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back to your mothers’ homes. And may the Lord reward you for your kindness to your husbands and to me.
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 urges her daughters-in-law to return to their mothers' homes, praying the LORD will show them kindness. Her selflessness invokes God's covenant love over them.
Overview
Naomi's word for kindness (hesed) is the steadfast, covenant love that the book repeatedly celebrates. Though impoverished, she seeks the young women's good over her own need, releasing them to seek new husbands and security. Her prayer that Yahweh would deal kindly with them shows that even in bitterness she still trusts the LORD's character, anticipating the kindness Ruth herself will receive.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Ruth 1:5Mahlon and Chilion both died, and the woman was bereaved of her two children and of her husband.
- Ruth 2:20Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed by Yahweh, who has not left off 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.”
- Col 3:18Wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
- Col 3:24knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
- Eph 6:2–3“Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with a promise:
- Eph 5:22Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
- Josh 24:15–28If 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.”
- 2 Tim 1:16–18May the Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain,
- Phil 4:18–19But I have all things, and abound. I am filled, having received from Epaphroditus the things that came from you, a sweet-smelling fragrance, an acceptable and well-pleasing sacrifice to God.
- Luke 14:25–33Now great multitudes were going with him. He turned and said to them,
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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 1:8 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
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