Ruth

Ruth 1:19–21

19So Naomi and Ruth traveled until they came to Bethlehem. When they entered Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women of the town exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”

20“Do not call me Naomi,b” she replied. “Call me Mara,c because the Almightyd has dealt quite bitterly with me. 21I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? After all, the LORD has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me.”

Footnotes

  • b 1:20 Naomi means pleasant.
  • c 1:20 Mara means bitter.
  • d 1:20 Hebrew Shaddai; also in verse 21

Read all of Ruth 1

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Ruth 1:19

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Soשְׁתֵּיהֶ֔םšə·tê·hemNumber - feminine dual construct; third person masculine pluralH8147 two
traveledוַתֵּלַ֣כְנָהwat·tê·laḵ·nāhConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine pluralH1980 go, come, walk
untilעַד־‘aḏ-PrepositionH5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
they cameבֹּאָ֖נָהbō·’ā·nāhVerb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person feminine pluralH935 come in, come, go in, go
toבֵּ֣יתbêṯPrepositionH1035 Beth-Lechem
Bethlehemלָ֑חֶםlā·ḥemNoun - proper - feminine singularH1035 Beth-Lechem
When theyוַיְהִ֗יway·hîConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
enteredכְּבֹאָ֙נָה֙kə·ḇō·’ā·nāhPreposition-k; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person feminine pluralH935 come in, come, go in, go
Bethlehemלֶ֔חֶםle·ḥemNoun - proper - feminine singularH1035 Beth-Lechem
the wholeכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
townהָעִיר֙hā·‘îrArticle; Noun - feminine singularH5892 excitement
was stirredוַתֵּהֹ֤םwat·tê·hōmConjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularH1949 murmur, roar, discomfit
because of themעֲלֵיהֶ֔ן‘ă·lê·henPreposition; third person feminine pluralH5921 height
and the womenוַתֹּאמַ֖רְנָהwat·tō·mar·nāhConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine pluralH559 utter, say
Can thisהֲזֹ֥אתhă·zōṯArticle; Pronoun - feminine singularH2063 this
be Naomiנָעֳמִֽי׃nā·‘o·mîNoun - proper - feminine singularH5281 Noömi

Ruth 1:20

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Do notאַל־’al-AdverbH408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
callתִּקְרֶ֥אנָהtiq·re·nāhVerb - Qal - Imperfect - second person feminine pluralH7121 call, proclaim, read
meלִ֖יlîPreposition; first person common singular
Naomiנָעֳמִ֑יnā·‘o·mîNoun - proper - feminine singularH5281 Noömi
she repliedוַתֹּ֣אמֶרwat·tō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularH559 utter, say
Callקְרֶ֤אןָqə·re·nāVerb - Qal - Imperative - feminine pluralH7121 call, proclaim, read
meלִי֙lîPreposition; first person common singular
Maraמָרָ֔אmā·rāAdjective - feminine singularH4755 Mara
becauseכִּי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
the Almightyשַׁדַּ֛יšad·dayNoun - proper - masculine singularH7706 Almighty
has dealt quite bitterlyהֵמַ֥רhê·marVerb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singularH4843 be bitter
with meלִ֖יlîPreposition; first person common singular

Ruth 1:21

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Iאֲנִי֙’ă·nîPronoun - first person common singularH589 I
went awayהָלַ֔כְתִּיhā·laḵ·tîVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularH1980 go, come, walk
fullמְלֵאָ֣הmə·lê·’āhAdjective - feminine singularH4392 full
but the LORDיְהוָ֑הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
has brought me backהֱשִׁיבַ֣נִיhĕ·šî·ḇa·nîVerb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singularH7725 turn back, return
emptyוְרֵיקָ֖םwə·rê·qāmConjunctive waw; AdverbH7387 emptily, vainly
Whyלָ֣מָּהlām·māhInterrogativeH4100 what? how? aught
callתִקְרֶ֤אנָהṯiq·re·nāhVerb - Qal - Imperfect - second person feminine pluralH7121 call, proclaim, read
meלִי֙lîPreposition; first person common singular
Naomiנָעֳמִ֔יnā·‘o·mîNoun - proper - feminine singularH5281 Noömi
After allוַֽיהוָה֙Yah·wehConjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
the LORDוַֽיהוָה֙Yah·wehConjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
has testifiedעָ֣נָה‘ā·nāhVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH6030 answer, respond
against meבִ֔יḇîPreposition; first person common singular
and the Almightyוְשַׁדַּ֖יwə·šad·dayConjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singularH7706 Almighty
has afflictedהֵ֥רַֽעhê·ra‘Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singularH7489 be evil, bad
meלִֽי׃lîPreposition; first person common singular

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Ruth 1:19 Matthew 21:10 · Lamentations 2:15 · Isaiah 23:7

Ruth 1:20 Job 6:4 · Hebrews 12:11 · Psalm 88:15 · Psalm 73:14 · Isaiah 38:13 · Lamentations 3:1–20 · Job 19:6 · Job 5:17

Ruth 1:21 Job 1:21 · 1 Samuel 2:7–8 · Job 13:26 · Job 16:8 · Job 10:17

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.