Ruth 1:12
What does Ruth 1:12 mean?
A plain-English look at Ruth 1:12 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Ruth 1:12 means
Naomi continues: she is too old to marry again, and even if by an impossible turn she conceived that very night and bore sons, the timing would still work against Orpah and Ruth. Her reasoning strips away wishful thinking. She is not faithless; she is facing facts as she sees them. Naomi is counting costs on their behalf, knowing that waiting for sons not yet conceived is no path to security. The verse underscores the improbability of any human solution within her resources, preparing us for a resolution that will come from God’s providence rather than Naomi’s planning.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should even have a husband to-night, and should also bear sons;
KJV
King James Version · 1611Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons;
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should even have a husband to-night, and should also bear sons;
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Go back, my daughters, and go on your way; I am so old now that I may not have another husband. If I said, I have hopes, if I had a husband tonight, and might have sons,
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Turn back, my daughters, go, for I am too aged to be to a husband; though I had said, There is for me hope, also, I have been to-night to a husband, and also I have borne sons:
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Return again, my daughters, and go your ways: for I am now spent with age, and not fit for wedlock. Although I might conceive this night, and bear children,
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Return, my daughters, go; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, I have hope, should I even have a husband to-night, and should I also bear sons,
Context
Building on verse 11’s question about potential husbands, verse 12 extends the argument to age and timing, pushing the scenario to absurdity. It is part of the same compassionate effort to free her daughters-in-law. Verse 13 will conclude this line of thought by exposing the painful implications and Naomi’s own sense of Jehovah’s heavy hand, which shapes the emotional crisis of verse 14.
v.11And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? have I yet sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
v.12This passage
v.13would ye therefore tarry till they were grown? would ye therefore stay from having husbands? nay, my daughters, for it grieveth me much for your sakes, for the hand of Jehovah is gone forth against me.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Genesis 17:17
Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is a hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?
- 1 Timothy 5:9
Let none be enrolled as a widow under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man,
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