Ruth 1:14

14 At this they wept aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.

Ruth 1:14 in Other Translations

KJV
14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.
ESV
14 Then they lifted up their voices and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.
NLT
14 And again they wept together, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye. But Ruth clung tightly to Naomi.
MSG
14 Again they cried openly. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye; but Ruth embraced her and held on.
CSB
14 Again they wept loudly, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

Ruth 1:14 Meaning and Commentary

Ruth 1:14

And they lifted up their voice, and wept again
Not being able to bear the thought of parting, or that they must be obliged to it:

and Orpah kissed her mother in law;
gave her the parting kiss, as the Jews F5 call it; and which was used by other people F6; but not without affection to her, and took her leave of her, as her kiss testified, since it must be so; and being moved by her reasons, and having a greater inclination to her own country than Ruth had; of the kiss at parting, see ( Genesis 31:28 ) ( 1 Kings 19:20 )

but Ruth clave unto her;
hung about her, would not part from her, but cleaved unto her in body and mind; forsaking her own people, and her father's house; neither the thought of them, nor of her native country, nor of not having an husband, or any likelihood of it, nor of poverty and distress, had any manner of influence upon her, but determined she was to go and abide with her.


FOOTNOTES:

F5 Bereshit Rabba, sect. 70. fol. 62. 4. Shemot, sect. 5. fol. 94. 4.
F6 "----discedens oscula nulla dedi". Ovid. ep. 3. ver. 14.

Ruth 1:14 In-Context

12 Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons—
13 would you wait until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the LORD’s hand has turned against me!”
14 At this they wept aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.
15 “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.”
16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.

Cross References 4

  • 1. ver 9
  • 2. Ruth 2:11; Ruth 3:1; Micah 7:6
  • 3. S Genesis 31:28
  • 4. S Deuteronomy 10:20; Proverbs 17:17; Proverbs 18:24
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