Ruth 1:15

15 To whom Naomi said, Lo! thy kinswoman turned again to her people, and to her gods; go thou with her.

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 though ye will abide till they waxed, and [ful]fill the years of marriage, ye shall sooner be eld women than ye shall be wedded; I beseech (thee), my daughters, mourn ye not, for your anguish oppresseth me the more, and the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.

14 Therefore, when the voice was raised (up), again they began to weep. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, and turned again, and Ruth abode with her mother-in-law (And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, and returned home, but Ruth stayed with her mother-in-law).

15 To whom Naomi said, Lo! thy kinswoman turned again to her people, and to her gods; go thou with her.

16 And Ruth answered, Be thou not against me, that I forsake thee, and go away; whither ever thou shalt go, I shall go, and where thou shalt dwell, I shall dwell together (with thee); thy people is my people, and thy God is my God; (And Ruth answered, Be thou not against me, that I should desert thee, and go away from thee; wherever thou shalt go, I shall go, and where thou shalt live, I shall live with thee; thy people is my people, and thy God is my God;)

17 what land shall receive thee dying, I shall die therein also, and there I shall take place of burying; God do to me these things, and add these things, if death alone shall not part me and thee. (whatever land shall receive thee when thou diest, I shall die there also, and that shall be the place where I am buried; yea, God do to me terrible things, and add other things as well, if anything but death separate me and thee.)