Ruth 1
Study sheet, King James Version, with the original-language words this chapter turns on.
The text
1Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
2And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.
3And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.
4And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years.
5And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.
6Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread.
7Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.
8And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother's house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.
9The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.
10And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.
11And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
12Turn 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;
13Would 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.
14And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.
15And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.
16And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
17Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.
18When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.
19So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?
20And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.
21I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?
22So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.
Words in this chapter
Definitions are Strong's own wording from his Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Counts are how often each word appears in this chapter, from the tagged text.
- שׁוּבshûwbH772512× in this chapter
to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again
- כִּיkîyH358811× in this chapter
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
- בֵּית לֶחֶםBêyth LechemH103510× in this chapter
Beth-Lechem, a place in Palestine
- הָלַךְhâlakH198010× in this chapter
to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
- הָיָהhâyâhH19619× in this chapter
to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
- אִישׁʼîyshH3768× in this chapter
a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
- נׇעֳמִיNoʻŏmîyH52818× in this chapter
Noomi, an Israelitess
- אָמַרʼâmarH5598× in this chapter
to say (used with great latitude)
- שְׁנַיִםshᵉnayimH81478× in this chapter
two; also (as ordinal) twofold
- יְהֹוָהYᵉhôvâhH30687× in this chapter
Jehovah, Jewish national name of God
- אֵלʼêlH4136× in this chapter
near, with or among; often in general, to
- עִםʻimH59736× in this chapter
adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with; often with prepositional prefix (and then usually unrepresented in English)
- אִשָּׁהʼishshâhH8026× in this chapter
a woman
- אֲשֶׁרʼăsherH8346× in this chapter
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
- בֵּןbênH11215× in this chapter
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
- מוֹאָבMôwʼâbH41245× in this chapter
Moab, an incestuous son of Lot; also his territory and descendants
- מוּתmûwthH41915× in this chapter
to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill
- עַםʻamH59715× in this chapter
a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
- שָׂדֶהsâdehH77045× in this chapter
a field (as flat)
- שֵׁםshêmH80345× in this chapter
an appellation, as amark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character
- הוּאhûwʼH19314× in this chapter
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are
- כַּלָּהkallâhH36184× in this chapter
a bride (as if perfect); hence, a son's wife
- רוּתRûwthH73274× in this chapter
Ruth, a Moabitess
- שָׁםshâmH80334× in this chapter
there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thence
- בּוֹאbôwʼH9354× in this chapter
to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
- בַּתbathH13233× in this chapter
a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively)
- גַּםgamH15713× in this chapter
properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...and
- יְהוּדָהYᵉhûwdâhH30633× in this chapter
Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory
- אַלʼalH4083× in this chapter
not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun, nothing
- אֱלֹהִיםʼĕlôhîymH4303× in this chapter
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
- נָשָׂאnâsâʼH53753× in this chapter
to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative
- עָשָׂהʻâsâhH62133× in this chapter
to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
- קָרָאqârâʼH71213× in this chapter
to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)
- בַּיִתbayithH10042× in this chapter
a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
- בָּכָהbâkâhH10582× in this chapter
to weep; generally to bemoan
- יְבֵמֶתYᵉbêmethH29942× in this chapter
a sister-in-law
- אַחַרʼacharH3102× in this chapter
properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses)
- יָצָאyâtsâʼH33182× in this chapter
to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.
- כֹּהkôhH35412× in this chapter
properly, like this, i.e. by implication, (of manner) thus (or so); also (of place) here (or hither); or (of time) now
- כִּלְיוֹןKilyôwnH36302× in this chapter
Kiljon, an Israelite