Ruth 1:8 kjv

And 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.

Ruth 1:8 nkjv

And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go, return each to her mother's house. The LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.

Ruth 1:8 niv

Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go back, each of you, to your mother's home. May the LORD show you kindness, as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands and to me.

Ruth 1:8 esv

But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go, return each of you to her mother's house. May the LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.

Ruth 1:8 nlt

But on the way, Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go back to your mothers' homes. And may the LORD reward you for your kindness to your husbands and to me.

Ruth 1 verses

Ruth 1 8 Meaning

Ruth 1:8 captures Naomi's initial act of selfless love towards her Moabitess daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth. Having lost her husband and two sons in Moab, she decides to return to Judah and instructs them to go back to their mothers' homes, thereby releasing them from familial obligation and the uncertain future of widowhood in a foreign land. Her words include a heartfelt prayer that the LORD would bless them with steadfast love and kindness, mirroring the loyalty and kindness they had shown to their deceased husbands and to Naomi herself.

Ruth 1 8 Context

Ruth 1:8 occurs at a critical juncture in the Book of Ruth. The story begins with a famine in Judah, prompting Elimelech, Naomi, and their two sons to migrate to Moab. There, the sons marry Moabitess women, Orpah and Ruth. After approximately ten years, all three men (Elimelech and his two sons) die, leaving Naomi, Orpah, and Ruth as widows in a foreign land. Hearing that the LORD had provided food in Judah, Naomi decides to return home. As they journey, Naomi, out of deep affection and concern for her daughters-in-law's future, attempts to release them from any obligation to stay with her. The prevailing custom would see widowed daughters-in-law either remaining with the husband's family if there were brothers for levirate marriage or, more typically in this circumstance without a direct male heir, returning to their father's (or in this phrasing, mother's) household to seek remarriage and security within their own kin. Naomi's plea in this verse highlights her love for them, acknowledging their kindness, and simultaneously putting their well-being above her own potential needs for companionship.

Ruth 1 8 Word analysis

• And Naomi said: Establishes Naomi as the speaker, initiating a key dialogue that reveals her character and intentions.
• unto her two daughters-in-law: Specifies the audience, highlighting the familial bond and the tender nature of the coming conversation.
• Go: A direct command, urging a change in direction and implying separation.
• return: (Hebrew: שׁוּב, shuv) Implies going back to an original state or place. Here, it refers to returning to their birth families and Moab. This verb is crucial in Ruth, recurring frequently as a thematic element (e.g., Ruth's decision not to return, the concept of redemption).
• each: Emphasizes individuality, granting them independent agency and responsibility for their decision.
• to her mother's house: (Hebrew: בֵּית אִמָּהּ, beit immāh) Culturally, a "mother's house" (often interchangeable with father's house as the broader household) was the original family home where a woman had security, potential for remarriage, and protection. It suggests a safe haven, a place of origin for unmarried or newly widowed women, as opposed to the new home formed in marriage. It implicitly refers to their parents' home, ensuring they have familial support.
• the LORD: (Hebrew: יְהוָה, YHWH) The covenant God of Israel. Naomi, an Israelite, appeals to her God, acknowledging His ultimate authority and power to bestow blessing. This grounds her benevolent wish in divine action.
• deal kindly: (Hebrew: עָשָׂה חֶסֶד, ’āsâ ḥesed) To "show" or "deal" ḥesed. Ḥesed is a profound Hebrew term meaning steadfast love, loyal love, covenant faithfulness, unfailing kindness, or mercy. It denotes active love shown within a relationship, especially one with a moral or covenantal bond. Here, Naomi prays that the LORD would demonstrate this profound, unwavering love towards them.
• with you: Directs the prayer of blessing specifically to Orpah and Ruth.
• as: Indicates a comparison, a desire for reciprocity, linking divine kindness to human action.
• ye have dealt: Refers to their past actions, establishing their demonstrated faithfulness.
• with the dead: Refers to Naomi's deceased husband Elimelech and their sons, Mahlon and Chilion. Their kindness to them could have included loyal companionship during their lives, respectful mourning after their deaths, or remaining faithful to their memory by choosing to stay with Naomi for a time. It underscores their unwavering dedication beyond mere obligation.
• and with me: Specifies Naomi as the recipient of their ḥesed. This kindness might have involved companionship, assistance in widowhood, continued loyalty despite the grim circumstances, and a refusal to abandon her during their shared grief and hardship.

• "Go, return each to her mother's house": This phrase emphasizes the custom for widows to return to their parental home for support and the prospect of remarriage. It represents Naomi's selfless act, as she recognizes that staying with her, a poor, childless widow, offered them no future, especially in Judah, where they would be considered foreigners.
• "the LORD deal kindly with you": This is a profound blessing, invoking the very nature of God – His steadfast, covenantal love (ḥesed). It is a prayer for divine provision, protection, and establishment of future good, acknowledging that true blessing comes from YHWH.
• "as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me": This highlights the reciprocal nature of ḥesed. Naomi, a pious woman, understood that God rewards faithfulness. The daughters-in-law had demonstrated exceptional loyalty and kindness not only to their deceased husbands but also to Naomi in their time of shared grief and destitution, making them worthy recipients of God's 'ḥesed'.

Ruth 1 8 Bonus section

The concept of ḥesed is a cornerstone of the Book of Ruth and biblical theology as a whole. Naomi's prayer for divine ḥesed to be given "as ye have dealt" implies that human ḥesed pleases God and is often reciprocated by His own boundless ḥesed. This serves as an early indication that God delights in and rewards selfless acts of faithfulness and loyalty. It also prefigures Ruth's character, as she later exemplifies human ḥesed (Ruth 1:16-17; 2:11) and receives overwhelming divine ḥesed and human ḥesed from Boaz (Ruth 2:20; 3:10). The emphasis on "mother's house" instead of "father's house" might highlight the intimate, nurturing sphere, or perhaps, for widowed women returning to their natal families, the mother played a primary role in securing future marital prospects or offering emotional support. This initial blessing and encouragement by Naomi sets the narrative's moral compass, emphasizing loyal devotion even in the face of despair.

Ruth 1 8 Commentary

Ruth 1:8 unveils the compassionate and selfless heart of Naomi, despite her profound grief and desolate circumstances. She places the well-being of her Moabitess daughters-in-law above her own, urging them to return to the only environment where they could find familial support and hope for a new future—their original homes in Moab. This counsel is both realistic and deeply sacrificial. Her accompanying prayer for the LORD's ḥesed upon them is incredibly significant. Naomi understands ḥesed not merely as random acts of goodness but as deep, covenantal faithfulness. By praying that the LORD deal with them "as they have dealt" with her deceased family and with her, she acknowledges and validates their exemplary loyalty and lovingkindness demonstrated in their commitment through loss. This verse is pivotal, setting the stage for Orpah's pragmatic choice and Ruth's unwavering declaration of ḥesed in return. It establishes the high value placed on faithful relationships within the narrative, laying the groundwork for the extraordinary loyalty shown by Ruth and ultimately, the LORD's greater ḥesed to Naomi.

For practical usage, this verse exemplifies:

• Selfless care: Prioritizing the welfare of others even in one's own time of need.
• Acknowledgment of good deeds: Recognizing and commending acts of loyalty and kindness shown by others.
• Prayer for divine blessing: Turning to God to ask Him to bestow His steadfast love upon those who have shown it.