Ruth 1:13
What does Ruth 1:13 mean?
A plain-English look at Ruth 1:13 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Ruth 1:13 means
Naomi presses the point: would they wait until such hypothetical sons were grown, meanwhile forgoing marriage? She declares it would grieve her greatly for them to suffer on her account, adding, “the hand of Jehovah is gone forth against me.” Naomi reads her afflictions as God’s heavy providence. She does not curse God; she acknowledges His sovereignty, even amid pain. Her words reveal love and lament: she would rather absorb loneliness than see these younger women’s lives wither beside her. This honest theology of suffering sets the stage for a choice that is not between good and evil, but between understandable prudence and remarkable faithfulness.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000would 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.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901would 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.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Would you keep yourselves till they were old enough? would you keep from having husbands for them? No, my daughters; but I am very sad for you that the hand of the Lord is against me.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862for them do ye wait till that they grow up? for them do ye shut yourselves up, not to be to a husband? nay, my daughters, for more bitter to me than to you, for the hand of Jehovah hath gone out against me.'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752If you would wait till they were grown up, and come to man's estate, you would be old women before you marry. Do not so, my daughters, I beseech you: for I am grieved the more for your distress, and the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890would ye wait on that account till they were grown? Would ye stay on that account from having husbands? No, my daughters, for I am in much more bitterness than you; for the hand of Jehovah is gone out against me.
Context
This verse completes Naomi’s argument (verses 11–13), mingling practical counsel with theological sorrow. It prepares for the divergent responses in verse 14, where Orpah departs and Ruth cleaves to Naomi. Naomi’s confession of Jehovah’s hand against her also anticipates her later bitterness in verses 20–21, linking the middle of the journey with the arrival in Bethlehem.
v.12Turn 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;
v.13This passage
v.14And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clave unto her.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Judges 2:15
Whithersoever they went out, the hand of Jehovah was against them for evil, as Jehovah had spoken, and as Jehovah had sworn unto them: and they were sore distressed.
- 1 Samuel 5:11
They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and they said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to its own place, that it slay us not, and our people. For there was a deadly discomfiture throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.
- Deuteronomy 2:15
Moreover the hand of Jehovah was against them, to destroy them from the midst of the camp, until they were consumed.
- Psalms 32:4
For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: My moisture was changed as with the drought of summer. [Selah
- Psalms 39:9
I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; Because thou didst it.
- Psalms 38:2
For thine arrows stick fast in me, And thy hand presseth me sore.
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