She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Naomi's name means "pleasant," but in her profound grief, she insists on being called "Mara," meaning "bitter." This isn't just a personal preference; it's a theological statement where she attributes her extreme bitterness directly to the "Almighty," highlighting how God, who can be all-sufficient, has now taken everything away.
She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Naomi and Ruth arrive in Bethlehem, and the townspeople are stunned by Naomi's changed appearance, so different from the prosperous woman who left. Recognizing the immense loss and grief she has endured, Naomi rejects her former name, "Pleasant," and asks to be called "Bitter," attributing her profound suffering to the Almighty's hand. This moment marks a stark contrast between her past blessings and her present sorrow, highlighting her deep pain and sense of abandonment.
Why would Naomi ask to be called 'Mara' instead of her own name? It's more than just a nickname change; it's a profound declaration.
A Declaration of a New Reality
Naomi's request to be called 'Mara' (meaning 'bitter') instead of 'Naomi' (meaning 'pleasant' or 'delightful') is a powerful statement. It signifies a complete reversal of her life's circumstances and her internal state.
Naomi points to 'the Almighty' as the source of her bitterness. What does she mean by this, and how should we understand God's role in suffering?
Acknowledging God in Suffering
Naomi's statement, 'the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me,' is a profound theological declaration, even if incomplete.
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Understand the original words
Shaddai · Hebrew Proper Noun
A title for God (Shaddai) that emphasizes His sovereign power, sufficiency, and role as the provider and sustainer of His people. It is often used in contexts of judgment, blessing, or divine mystery.
Mara · Hebrew Proper Noun
A Hebrew word meaning 'bitter,' which Naomi adopts as a name to express her profound grief, sorrow, and perceived divine discipline.
Naomi's painful name change from 'pleasant' to 'bitter' highlights how profound loss and hardship can redefine one's identity and perception of God's dealings.
c. 1100 BC
Naomi's Family Emigrates
During a famine in Bethlehem, Naomi's husband Elimelech leads their family to Moab, a foreign land. This decision sets the stage for future hardship and loss.
c. 1100 BC
Marriages in Moab
Naomi's sons Mahlon and Chilion marry Moabite women, Ruth and Orpah. This cultural intermingling will later cause complications.
c. 1080 BC
Deaths of Elimelech and Sons
Tragedy strikes as Naomi's husband and both her sons die in Moab, leaving her widowed and childless in a foreign land.
c. 1080 BC
Naomi's Return Journey
Hearing that the famine in Judah has ended, Naomi decides to return to Bethlehem. Her Moabite daughters-in-law accompany her, but only Ruth persists.
c. 1080 BC— this verse
Arrival in Bethlehem
Naomi and Ruth arrive in Bethlehem. The townspeople are shocked by Naomi's changed circumstances, prompting her bitter declaration.
This passage directly connects the word 'bitter' to a divine action, mirroring Naomi's experience where water that was bitter could not be drunk until God intervened, much like Naomi's life feels undrinkably bitter due to God's actions.
Lamentations 3:15Jeremiah describes being 'filled with bitterness' and given 'wormwood to drink' as a consequence of God's hand, echoing Naomi's profound sorrow and her attribution of this bitterness to the Almighty.
Genesis 27:36Esau cries out to Jacob, 'Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times,' showing a biblical precedent for changing a name to reflect a bitter experience or perceived injustice.
Job 1:21In his immense suffering, Job declares, 'Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD,' which shares Naomi's acknowledgment of God's sovereignty in loss, though Job maintains a different response of praise.
clarkeRuth 1:20: "And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me."
Call me not Naomi - That is, beautiful or pleasant. Call me Mara - That is, bitter; one whose life is grievous to her. The Almighty - שדי Shaddai, He who is self-sufficient, has taken away the props and supports of my life.
henryRuth 1:19-22: "So 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?"
1:19-22 Naomi and Ruth came to Bethlehem. Afflictions will make great and surprising changes in a little time. May God, by his grace, fit us for all such changes, especially the great change!, Naomi signifies pleasant, or amiable; Mara, bitter, or bitterness. She was now a woman of a sorrowful spirit. She had…
Naomi's name means "pleasant," but in her profound grief, she insists on being called "Mara," meaning "bitter." This isn't just a personal preference; it's a theological statement where she attributes her extreme bitterness directly to the "Almighty," highlighting how God, who can be all-sufficient, has now taken everything away.
Naomi and Ruth arrive in Bethlehem, and the townspeople are stunned by Naomi's changed appearance, so different from the prosperous woman who left. Recognizing the immense loss and grief she has endured, Naomi rejects her former name, "Pleasant," and asks to be called "Bitter," attributing her profound suffering to the Almighty's hand. This moment marks a stark contrast between her past blessings and her present sorrow, highlighting her deep pain and sense of abandonment.
Naomi and Ruth arrive in Bethlehem, and the townspeople are stunned by Naomi's changed appearance, so different from the prosperous woman who left. Recognizing the immense loss and grief she has endured, Naomi rejects her former name, "Pleasant," and asks to be called "Bitter," attributing her profound suffering to the Almighty's hand. This moment marks a stark contrast between her past blessings and her present sorrow, highlighting her deep pain and sense of abandonment.
"She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me." — Naomi's name means "pleasant," but in her profound grief, she insists on being called "Mara," meaning "bitter." This isn't just a personal preference; it's a theological statement where she attribute…
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Last reviewed October 2026