Ruth 1:13
New International Version
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!”

New Living Translation
Would you wait for them to grow up and refuse to marry someone else? No, of course not, my daughters! Things are far more bitter for me than for you, because the LORD himself has raised his fist against me.”

English Standard Version
would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me.”

Berean Standard Bible
would 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.”

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
would you wait for them till they were grown? Would you restrain yourselves from having husbands? No, my daughters; for it grieves me very much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me!”

New American Standard Bible
would you therefore wait until they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters; for it is much more bitter for me than for you, because the hand of the LORD has come out against me.”

NASB 1995
would you therefore wait until they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters; for it is harder for me than for you, for the hand of the LORD has gone forth against me.”

NASB 1977
would you therefore wait until they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters; for it is harder for me than for you, for the hand of the LORD has gone forth against me.”

Legacy Standard Bible
would you therefore wait until they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters; for it is more bitter for me than for you, for the hand of Yahweh has gone forth against me.”

Amplified Bible
would you wait until they were grown? Would you go without marrying? No, my daughters; for it is much more difficult for me than for you, because the LORD’S hand has gone against me.”

Christian Standard Bible
would you be willing to wait for them to grow up? Would you restrain yourselves from remarrying? No, my daughters, my life is much too bitter for you to share, because the LORD’s hand has turned against me.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
would you be willing to wait for them to grow up? Would you restrain yourselves from remarrying? No, my daughters, my life is much too bitter for you to share, because the LORD’s hand has turned against me.”

American Standard Version
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.

Contemporary English Version
would you wait for them to become old enough to marry? No, my daughters! Life is harder for me than it is for you, because the LORD has turned against me."

English Revised Version
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 the LORD is gone forth against me.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
would you wait until they grew up and stay single just for them? No, my daughters. My bitterness is much worse than yours because the LORD has sent me so much trouble."

Good News Translation
would you wait until they had grown up? Would this keep you from marrying someone else? No, my daughters, you know that's impossible. The LORD has turned against me, and I feel very sorry for you."

International Standard Version
would you wait for them until they were grown? Would you refrain from marriage for them? No, my daughters! I'm more deeply grieved than you, because the LORD is working against me!"

Majority Standard Bible
would 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.”

NET Bible
surely you would not want to wait until they were old enough to marry! Surely you would not remain unmarried all that time! No, my daughters, you must not return with me. For my intense suffering is too much for you to bear. For the LORD is afflicting me!"

New Heart English Bible
would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from having husbands? No, my daughters, for it grieves me much for your sakes, for the hand of the LORD has gone out against me."

Webster's Bible Translation
Would ye wait for them till they should be 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 has gone out against me.

World English Bible
would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from having husbands? No, my daughters, for it grieves me seriously for your sakes, for Yahweh’s hand has gone out against me.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
do you wait for them until they grow up? Do you shut yourselves up for them, not to be to a husband? No, my daughters, for more bitter to me than to you, for the hand of YHWH has gone out against me.”

Young's Literal Translation
for 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.'

Smith's Literal Translation
Will ye wait for them till they shall grow? Will remain shut up for them not to be for a husband? Nay, my daughters, for it is bitter to me greatly for you, that the hand of Jehovah will go forth against me.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
If 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.

Catholic Public Domain Version
if you were willing to wait until they were grown and had completed the years of adolescence, you would be elderly before you could marry. Do not do so, I beg you, my daughters. For your difficulties weigh upon me greatly, and the hand of the Lord has been set against me.”

New American Bible
would you wait for them and deprive yourselves of husbands until those sons grew up? No, my daughters, my lot is too bitter for you, because the LORD has extended his hand against me.”

New Revised Standard Version
would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, it has been far more bitter for me than for you, because the hand of the LORD has turned against me.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Would you wait for them till they were grown? Would you stay for them from having husbands? No, my daughters; for I am greatly grieved for your sakes, and it grieves me more than it does you, because the hand of the LORD is gone forth against me.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And will you wait for them until they are grown, and will you be prohibited from being married to a man? No, my daughters, because I myself have been very bitter for you, and for me it is more bitter than for you, because the hand of LORD JEHOVAH has gone out after me!”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye shut yourselves off for them and have no husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes, for the hand of the LORD is gone forth against me.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
would ye wait for them till they should be grown? or would ye refrain from being married for their sakes? Not so, my daughters; for I am grieved for you, that the hand of the Lord has gone forth against me.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Ruth's Loyalty to Naomi
12Return home, my daughters. Go on, for I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was hope for me to have a husband tonight and to bear sons, 13would 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.” 14Again they wept aloud, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.…

Cross References
Genesis 38:11
Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Live as a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah grows up.” For he thought, “He may die too, like his brothers.” So Tamar went to live in her father’s house.

Deuteronomy 25:5-10
When brothers dwell together and one of them dies without a son, the widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother is to take her as his wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law for her. / The first son she bears will carry on the name of the dead brother, so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel. / But if the man does not want to marry his brother’s widow, she is to go to the elders at the city gate and say, “My husband’s brother refuses to preserve his brother’s name in Israel. He is not willing to perform the duty of a brother-in-law for me.” ...

Genesis 38:26
Judah recognized the items and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not have relations with her again.

1 Samuel 1:8
“Hannah, why are you crying?” her husband Elkanah asked. “Why won’t you eat? Why is your heart so grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”

Genesis 19:31-32
One day the older daughter said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man in the land to sleep with us, as is the custom over all the earth. / Come, let us get our father drunk with wine so we can sleep with him and preserve his line.”

Job 19:21
Have pity on me, my friends, have pity, for the hand of God has struck me.

Genesis 16:2
So Sarai said to Abram, “Look now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go to my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.

1 Samuel 2:5
The well-fed hire themselves out for food, but the starving hunger no more. The barren woman gives birth to seven, but she who has many sons pines away.

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.

Genesis 30:1-2
When Rachel saw that she was not bearing any children for Jacob, she envied her sister. “Give me children, or I will die!” she said to Jacob. / Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld children from you?”

2 Kings 4:14
So he asked, “Then what should be done for her?” “Well, she has no son,” Gehazi replied, “and her husband is old.”

Matthew 22:24-28
“Teacher,” they said, “Moses declared that if a man dies without having children, his brother is to marry the widow and raise up offspring for him. / Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died without having children. So he left his wife to his brother. / The same thing happened to the second and third brothers, down to the seventh. ...

Luke 20:28-33
“Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man is to marry his brother’s widow and raise up offspring for him. / Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a wife but died childless. / Then the second ...

Mark 12:19-23
“Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man is to marry his brother’s widow and raise up offspring for him. / Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died, leaving no children. / Then the second one married the widow, but he also died and left no children. And the third did likewise. ...

Romans 7:2-3
For instance, a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. / So then, if she is joined to another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man.


Treasury of Scripture

Would you tarry for them till they were grown? would you stay for them from having husbands? no, my daughters; for it grieves me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me.

tarry [heb] hope

Deuteronomy 2:15
For indeed the hand of the LORD was against them, to destroy them from among the host, until they were consumed.

Judges 2:15
Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed.

1 Samuel 5:11
So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to his own place, that it slay us not, and our people: for there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.

Jump to Previous
Account Bitter Bitterness Daughters Enough Exceedingly Hand Harder Husbands Lord's Marrying Refrain Sake Sakes Shut Tarry Unmarried Wait Yourselves
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Account Bitter Bitterness Daughters Enough Exceedingly Hand Harder Husbands Lord's Marrying Refrain Sake Sakes Shut Tarry Unmarried Wait Yourselves
Ruth 1
1. Elimelech, driven by famine into Moab, dies there
4. Mahlon and Chilion, having married wives of Moab, die also
6. Naomi, returning homeward
8. dissuades her two daughters-in-law from going with her
14. Orpah leaves her, but Ruth with great constancy accompanies her
19. The two come to Bethlehem, where they are gladly received














would you wait for them to grow up?
This phrase reflects Naomi's rhetorical question to her daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth. The Hebrew root for "wait" is "קָוָה" (qavah), which implies a sense of hope or expectation. Naomi is highlighting the impracticality of waiting for her sons to grow up, as it would be an unreasonable hope. This reflects the cultural context of levirate marriage, where a widow might marry a brother of her deceased husband to preserve the family line. Naomi's question underscores the hopelessness of her situation and the improbability of future security through her own offspring.

Would you refrain from having husbands?
Here, Naomi questions whether her daughters-in-law would willingly choose to remain unmarried. The Hebrew word for "refrain" is "עָגַן" (agan), which means to hold back or restrain oneself. Naomi is emphasizing the sacrifice they would make by staying with her, as it would mean giving up the opportunity to remarry and have a family. This highlights the cultural importance of marriage and family in ancient Israelite society, where a woman's security and social standing were often tied to her marital status.

No, my daughters
Naomi's use of "No" is a firm negation, indicating her strong conviction that her daughters-in-law should not wait for her sons. The term "daughters" is a term of endearment, showing Naomi's deep affection and concern for Orpah and Ruth. This reflects the close familial bonds that have formed despite the absence of blood ties, emphasizing the theme of loyalty and love that permeates the Book of Ruth.

It is more bitter for me than for you
The word "bitter" comes from the Hebrew "מָרַר" (marar), which conveys a sense of deep sorrow and distress. Naomi is expressing her personal anguish and the depth of her suffering, which she perceives as greater than that of her daughters-in-law. This bitterness is not just emotional but also reflects her perceived loss of God's favor, as she feels abandoned and afflicted by her circumstances.

because the hand of the LORD has gone out against me
The "hand of the LORD" is a metaphor for God's power and intervention in human affairs. In the Hebrew context, "hand" (יָד, yad) often signifies strength or authority. Naomi interprets her misfortunes as divine judgment or discipline, a common understanding in the Old Testament where God's sovereignty is acknowledged in both blessings and trials. This phrase reveals Naomi's theological perspective, where she sees her suffering as part of God's overarching plan, even if it is difficult to comprehend. It sets the stage for the unfolding narrative of redemption and divine providence that will be revealed through Ruth's loyalty and God's ultimate provision.

(13) It grieveth me much for your sakes.--A much more probable translation is, it is far more bitter for me than for you. An exact parallel to the construction is found in Genesis 19:9. The ancient versions are divided, the LXX., Peshito Syriac, and Targum support this translation; the Vulg. is rather loose in its rendering.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
would you wait
תְּשַׂבֵּ֗רְנָה (tə·śab·bê·rə·nāh)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person feminine plural
Strong's 7663: To scrutinize, to expect

for them
הֲלָהֵ֣ן ׀ (hă·lā·hên)
Conjunction
Strong's 3860: Popularly for, if, therefore

to
עַ֚ד (‘aḏ)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

grow up?
יִגְדָּ֔לוּ (yiḡ·dā·lū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1431: To grow up, become great

Would you refrain
תֵּֽעָגֵ֔נָה (tê·‘ā·ḡê·nāh)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - second person feminine plural
Strong's 5702: To shut oneself in or off

from
לְבִלְתִּ֖י (lə·ḇil·tî)
Preposition-l
Strong's 1115: A failure of, not, except, without, unless, besides, because not, until

having
הֱי֣וֹת (hĕ·yō·wṯ)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

husbands?
לְאִ֑ישׁ (lə·’îš)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

No,
אַ֣ל (’al)
Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

my daughters,
בְּנֹתַ֗י (bə·nō·ṯay)
Noun - feminine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 1323: A daughter

it grieves
מַר־ (mar-)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4843: To be, bitter

me
לִ֤י (lî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's Hebrew

very much
מְאֹד֙ (mə·’ōḏ)
Adverb
Strong's 3966: Vehemence, vehemently, wholly, speedily

for
מִכֶּ֔ם (mik·kem)
Preposition | second person masculine plural
Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of

your sakes that
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

the hand
יַד־ (yaḏ-)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 3027: A hand

of the LORD
יְהוָֽה׃ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

has gone out
יָצְאָ֥ה (yā·ṣə·’āh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

against me.”
בִ֖י (ḇî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's Hebrew


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OT History: Ruth 1:13 Would you therefore wait until they were (Ru Rut.)
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