Ruth 1:15

15 “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.”

Ruth 1:15 in Other Translations

15 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.

15 And she said, "See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law."

15 “Look,” Naomi said to her, “your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. You should do the same.”

15 Naomi said, "Look, your sister-in-law is going back home to live with her own people and gods; go with her."

15 Naomi said, "Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her god. Follow your sister-in-law."

Ruth 1:15 Meaning and Commentary

Ruth 1:15

And she said
That is, Naomi to Ruth, after Orpah was gone:

behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her
gods;
meaning Orpah, who was the wife of her husband's brother, as the word used signifies; she was not only on the road turning back to her own country and people, but to the gods thereof, Baalpeor or Priapus, and Chemosh, ( Numbers 21:29 ) ( 25:3 ) from whence Aben Ezra concludes, that she had been a proselyte to the true religion, and had renounced the gods of her nation, and retained the same profession while her husband lived, and unto this time, and now apostatized, since she is said to go back to her gods; and in this he is followed by some Christian interpreters ^F7, and not without reason:

return thou after thy sister in law:
this she said, not that in good earnest she desired her to return, at least to her former religion, only relates, though not as approving of, the conduct of her sister, rather as upbraiding it; but to try her sincerity and steadfastness, when such an instance and example was before her.

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FOOTNOTES:

F7 Clericus & Rambachius.

Ruth 1:15 In-Context

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.

17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.”

Cross References

• 1. Deuteronomy 25:7
• 2. S Joshua 24:14; Judges 11:24