Ruth 1:17

17 Where thou diest, I will die, and there will I be buried; let the LORD do so unto me and let him give unto me that only death shall part thee and me.

Ruth 1:17 Meaning and Commentary

Ruth 1:17

Where thou diest will I die, and there will I be buried
She was determined to abide with her unto death, and not only was desirous to die as she did, but where she should die; in the same country, cottage, and bed, and be laid in the same grave, in hope of rising together at the resurrection of the just; having no regard at all to the sepulchres of her fathers, which people in all ages and countries have been fond of being laid in, as an honour and happiness. So with the Greeks and Romans, not only relations, but intimate friends, and such as had a strong affection for each other, were sometimes buried in the same grave, as Crates and Polemon F9, Paris and Oenome F11, and others F12; see ( Galatians 2:20 ) ( Colossians 2:12 ) ( 3:1 ) ,

the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and
me;
this is the form of oath she used for confirmation of what she had said, and to put an end to the debate on this subject; what she imprecates upon herself is not expressed, should she otherwise do than what she swears to; leaving Naomi to supply it in her own mind, and as being what was not fit to be named, and the greatest evil that could be thought to befall a perjured person.


FOOTNOTES:

F9 Lart. in Vita Cratet.
F11 Strabo. Geograph. l. 13. p. 410.
F12 Vid. Kirchman. de Funer. Roman. l. 3. c. 14. p. 433.

Ruth 1:17 In-Context

15 And she said, Behold, thy sister-in-law has returned to her people and to her gods; return thou after thy sister-in-law.
16 And Ruth said, Do not intreat me to leave thee or to return from following after thee, for wherever thou goest, I will go; and wherever thou shalt lodge, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people and thy God my God.
17 Where thou diest, I will die, and there will I be buried; let the LORD do so unto me and let him give unto me that only death shall part thee and me.
18 When she saw that she was courageous to go with her, then she left off speaking to her.
19 So the two walked until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, entering into Bethlehem, that all the city was moved because of them, and they said, Is this Naomi?
The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010