Ruth 1:21 kjv

I 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?

Ruth 1:21 nkjv

I went out full, and the LORD has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the LORD has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?"

Ruth 1:21 niv

I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me."

Ruth 1:21 esv

I went away full, and the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the LORD has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?"

Ruth 1:21 nlt

I went away full, but the LORD has brought me home empty. Why call me Naomi when the LORD has caused me to suffer and the Almighty has sent such tragedy upon me?"

Ruth 1 verses

Ruth 1 21 Meaning

Ruth 1:21 is a raw lament from Naomi, expressing deep bitterness and a sense of profound loss. She starkly contrasts her hopeful departure from Bethlehem "full" with a husband and two sons, with her return "empty," having lost them all. Her anguish leads her to interpret her severe misfortunes as direct punitive actions from the LORD (YHWH) and the Almighty (Shaddai), prompting her request to be called "Mara" (v. 20) instead of "Naomi" (pleasantness), reflecting her perceived judgment.

Ruth 1 21 Context

Ruth 1:21 is a pivotal statement within the book's opening chapter, serving as the climax of Naomi’s descent into despair. The narrative begins with a severe famine in Bethlehem of Judah, prompting Elimelech, Naomi, and their two sons to migrate to Moab. After ten years, tragedy strikes repeatedly: first Elimelech dies, then her two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, both childless. Left as a widow alongside her two Moabite daughters-in-law, Naomi decides to return to Judah upon hearing the famine has ended. Verses 1:19-20 describe her emotional arrival in Bethlehem, where the whole town is stirred, and women exclaim, "Is this Naomi?" It is in response to this recognition that Naomi delivers her bitter declaration in verse 21, solidifying her rejection of her "pleasant" name and embracing her new reality of "bitterness" (Mara), a state she directly attributes to the LORD’s severe hand upon her. This verse encapsulates her perceived desolation and hopelessness before the unfolding of God’s redemptive plan through Ruth.

Ruth 1 21 Word analysis

• "I went out full," (אָנֹכִי מְלֵאָה הָלַכְתִּי - anokhi m'le'ah halakhti)

  • אָנֹכִי (anokhi - I): An emphatic first-person pronoun, underscoring Naomi's personal and deeply felt experience of loss, highlighting her individual journey and misfortune.
  • מְלֵאָה (m'le'ah - full): Feminine singular, describing Naomi's state of abundance, which included her husband, two sons, and the security and lineage they represented. It refers to her perceived state of existential well-being.
  • הָלַכְתִּי (halakhti - I went out): Refers to her departure from Bethlehem to Moab, setting the scene for the dramatic contrast with her return.

• "but the LORD has brought me back empty." (וְרֵיקָם הֱשִׁיבַנִי יְהוָה - v'reqam heshivani YHWH)

  • וְרֵיקָם (v'reqam - and empty): A stark antithesis to "full." It means destitute, bare, or lacking. For Naomi, it signifies the comprehensive loss of her family and all the socio-economic and personal provisions they afforded in her culture.
  • הֱשִׁיבַנִי (heshivani - He brought me back / He returned me): The Hiphil imperfect of 'shuv' (to return), conveying direct, active agency. Naomi attributes her changed state and return not to chance, but to the LORD's deliberate action.
  • יְהוָה (YHWH - the LORD): The covenant name of God, indicating His personal involvement and authoritative rule over the circumstances of His people, even when those circumstances are dire.

• "Why call me Naomi, when the LORD has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?" (לָמָּה תִּקְרֶאנָה לִי נָעֳמִי וַיהוָה עָנָה בִּי וְשַׁדַּי הֵרַע לִי׃)

  • לָמָּה (lammah - Why?): A rhetorical question that conveys profound anguish, bewilderment, and bitter protest against her name's pleasant meaning contrasting with her painful reality.
  • תִּקְרֶאנָה לִי (tiqr'ena li - you [plural feminine] call me): Her direct appeal to the women of Bethlehem, pleading with them to acknowledge her altered circumstances by abandoning her joyous name.
  • נָעֳמִי (Na'omi - Naomi): Meaning "My pleasantness" or "My delight." This name is tragically misaligned with her present state of despair and loss.
  • וַיהוָה עָנָה בִּי (v'YHWH anah bi - and the LORD testified against me / afflicted me):
    • עָנָה (anah - answered / testified / afflicted): This verb suggests divine action of bearing witness or even judgment. Naomi perceives God as acting in opposition to her, as if providing evidence against her or delivering a verdict through her suffering.
    • בִּי (bi - against me / in me): Indicates that God's perceived action is directed personally and decisively towards her.
  • וְשַׁדַּי הֵרַע לִי (v'Shaddai hera' li - and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me):
    • שַׁדַּי (Shaddai - Almighty): The title 'El Shaddai' refers to God as the all-sufficient, all-powerful one, often associated with covenant blessings and provision. Naomi's use of this powerful name underscores the immense power of the One who she believes has actively brought great trouble upon her.
    • הֵרַע (hera' - He has brought calamity / done evil / caused trouble): The Hiphil perfect of 'ra'a' (to be bad or evil). In this context, it refers to misfortune, adversity, or the active bringing of something harmful. It emphasizes the direct and intentional nature of the divine hand in her hardship.
    • לִי (li - to me / for me): Reiterates the personal and direct impact of this calamity on Naomi.

• Words-Group Analysis:

  • "I went out full, but the LORD has brought me back empty": This powerful antithesis immediately sets the tragic tone of Naomi's story, outlining a dramatic reversal of fortune she directly attributes to the LORD. It signifies not merely a loss of possessions, but a complete existential depletion from a state of hopeful abundance.
  • "Why call me Naomi... when the LORD has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?": This segment highlights the profound mismatch between Naomi's pleasant name and her bitter reality. Her use of both "the LORD" (YHWH) and "the Almighty" (Shaddai) reveals a sophisticated, albeit pained, theological understanding. It indicates she believes in God's ultimate sovereignty over all aspects of life, even in adversity. Her faith is not absent, but engaged in a deeply personal struggle with divine providence.

Ruth 1 21 Bonus section

• Naomi's lament, despite its bitterness, acknowledges God's supreme authority and active involvement in human affairs, contrasting with any belief in arbitrary fate or multiple deities.
• The phrase "the LORD has testified against me" suggests a deep internal conviction that her misfortunes are a divine judgment or evidence of God's disfavor, possibly related to their move to Moab, though the text offers no direct reason.
• Though Naomi declares herself "empty," the narrative's underlying truth is that she returned with Ruth, a loyal and steadfast companion who is herself a profound blessing, a fact that Naomi, in her deep sorrow, is unable to immediately recognize. This highlights the disjunct between human perception of emptiness and God's unseen provision.
• Her desire to change her name to "Mara" ("bitter," Ruth 1:20) perfectly encapsulates her subjective identity shift, showing how names were often believed to reflect a person's character or destiny in ancient Near Eastern culture.

Ruth 1 21 Commentary

Ruth 1:21 is the poignant culmination of Naomi’s journey into despair, articulated through a stark confession of divine agency in her suffering. Her declaration of leaving "full" but being brought back "empty" defines her perception of a complete personal and social depletion—lacking husband, sons, security, and hope of progeny. The profound impact of her grief leads her to interpret her tragic circumstances as a direct, almost punitive, action by God. She utilizes both YHWH (the covenant God) and Shaddai (the Almighty, often associated with abundance) to convey that even the all-powerful and covenant-keeping God has chosen to afflict her. This direct and accusatory language, characteristic of biblical laments, demonstrates an authentic and raw wrestling with God in pain, rather than abandonment of faith. While her perception is accurate regarding the loss, it fails to encompass the divine providence actively at work through Ruth, setting the stage for God's ultimate reversal of her perceived emptiness into overflowing fullness and renewed hope, highlighting that divine emptying often precedes divine blessing.