Ruth 1:13
in Ruth 1would you wait for them to grow up? Would you refrain from having husbands? No, my daughters, it grieves me very much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
would 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
Would 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.
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This verse in Ruth 1
Commentary
6 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
Surely we will return with you to your people
on Ruth 1:10-13
Naomi argues from the levirate law of Deuteronomy 25:5, where a brother raises up offspring for the dead, and shows it cannot reach them. She lays the whole of it on God, "the hand of the LORD has gone out against me", and carries that reading until chapter 4.
This site's exposition
the hand of the LORD has gone out against me
Naomi still grants that the LORD rules, and she reads His hand as turned against her. Exodus 9:3 and 1 Samuel 7:13 use the same picture of the hand of the LORD against Egypt and the Philistines. She grieves for her daughters.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Observe, [1.] She judges herself chiefly aimed at in the affliction, that God's quarrel was principally with her: " The hand of the Lord has gone out against me. I am the sinner; it is with me that God has a controversy; it is with me that he is contending;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
It is with me, that God has a controversy. This language becomes us, when we are under affliction; tho' many others share in the trouble, yet we are to hear the voice of the rod, as if it spake only to us. But did not she wish to bring them to the worship of the God of Israel?
Would you tarry for them till they were grown?....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
the hand of the Lord is gone out against me--that is, I am not only not in a condition to provide you with other husbands, but so reduced in circumstances that I cannot think of your being subjected to privations with me.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Would you wait for them. This is a question posed in wonder, “Would you perhaps wait for them until they grew up?” 17 The feminine form of them [להן] is used, because Naomi was hinting that perhaps she would bear daughters instead of sons, so why wait for “them”?
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
22 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הֲלָהֵ֣ן׀ | halahen | ¿ therefore | H3860 → | |
| תְּשַׂבֵּ֗רְנָה | tesaberenah | will you wait | H7663 → | |
| עַ֚ד | ʾad | until | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יִגְדָּ֔לוּ | yigdalu | they will grow up | H1431 → | |
| הֲלָהֵן֙ | halahen | ¿ therefore | H3860 → | |
| תֵּֽעָגֵ֔נָה | teagenah | will you shut yourselves off | H5702 → | |
| לְבִלְתִּ֖י | levilti | to not | H1115 → | 112 times |
| הֱי֣וֹת | heyot | to belong | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לְאִ֑ישׁ | leish | to a husband | H376 → | 1663 times |
| אַ֣ל | ʾal | may not [it be] | H408 → | 724 times |
| בְּנֹתַ֗י | benotai | O daughters my | H1323 → | 588 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| מַר־ | mar- | it is bitter | H4843 → | |
| לִ֤י | li | to <the> me | ||
| מְאֹד֙ | meod | very | H3966 → | |
| מִכֶּ֔ם | mikem | more than you | ||
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| יָצְאָ֥ה | yatzeah | it has gone forth | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| בִ֖י | vi | on <the> me | ||
| יַד־ | yad- | [the] hand of | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| יְהוָֽה׃ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
הֲלָהֵ֣ן׀¿ therefore
halahenH3860 →
תְּשַׂבֵּ֗רְנָהwill you wait
tesaberenahH7663 →
עַ֚דuntil
ʾadH5704 →1261 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רthat
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
יִגְדָּ֔לוּthey will grow up
yigdaluH1431 →
הֲלָהֵן֙¿ therefore
halahenH3860 →
תֵּֽעָגֵ֔נָהwill you shut yourselves off
teagenahH5702 →
לְבִלְתִּ֖יto not
leviltiH1115 →112 times
הֱי֣וֹתto belong
heyotH1961 →3559 times
לְאִ֑ישׁto a husband
leishH376 →1663 times
אַ֣לmay not [it be]
ʾalH408 →724 times
בְּנֹתַ֗יO daughters my
benotaiH1323 →588 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
מַר־it is bitter
mar-H4843 →
לִ֤יto <the> me
li
מְאֹד֙very
meodH3966 →
מִכֶּ֔םmore than you
mikem
כִּֽי־that
ki-H3588 →4482 times
יָצְאָ֥הit has gone forth
yatzeahH3318 →1067 times
בִ֖יon <the> me
vi
יַד־[the] hand of
yad-H3027 →1618 times
יְהוָֽה׃Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 38:2For Your arrows have pierced me deeply, and Your hand has pressed down on me.
it leads to
- Job 6:4
For the arrows of the Almighty have pierced me; my spirit drinks in their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me.
- Psalms 32:4
For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was drained as in the summer heat. Selah
- Job 6:4
Through
Psalms 32:4For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was drained as in the summer heat. Selah
it leads to
- Psalms 38:2–8
For Your arrows have pierced me deeply, and Your hand has pressed down on me.
- 1 Samuel 5:11
Then the Ekronites assembled all the rulers of the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel. It must return to its place, so that it will not kill us…
- Job 33:7
Surely no fear of me should terrify you; nor will my hand be heavy upon you.
- Psalms 39:10–11
Remove Your scourge from me; I am perishing by the force of Your hand.
- Psalms 22:15
My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You lay me in the dust of death.
- Psalms 38:2–8
Through
Judges 2:15Wherever Israel marched out, the hand of the LORD was against them to bring calamity, just as He had sworn to them. So they were greatly distressed.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 28:15–68
If, however, you do not obey the LORD your God by carefully following all His commandments and statutes I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:
- Deuteronomy 28:15–68
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies10
About Ruth
This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.