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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Naomi's blessing is a profound acknowledgment of their loyalty, not just to her, but to their deceased husbands and the memory of their marriage vows. She invokes the LORD's kindness, highlighting her deep theological understanding that this God of Israel, whom she is returning to, is the source of all true blessing and faithfulness.
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Naomi, deeply grieving the loss of her husband and two sons in the foreign land of Moab, decides it's time to return to her homeland of Judah. She blesses her daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, and urges them to go back to their own families in Moab, acknowledging their profound kindness and devotion to both her deceased sons and herself. Though she recognizes their love for her, Naomi believes it would be selfish to make them share in her renewed hardships.
Naomi is facing a future alone. What incredible love does she show to her daughters-in-law, even in her grief?
In this moment of profound loss and uncertainty, Naomi's first thought isn't for her own comfort, but for the well-being of Ruth and Orpah.
Choosing Their Future
Naomi urges them to return to their own mothers and homes. She recognizes that their loyalty to her would mean leaving behind everything familiar and potentially sacrificing their chances for remarriage and security in Moab.
Sacrificing Solace
It's clear that having Ruth and Orpah with her would be a great comfort to Naomi. Yet, she won't allow her own need for companionship to dictate their future. Her love is self-sacrificing, prioritizing what's best for them over what she desires.
Counting the Cost
Naomi's gentle insistence reveals a deep spiritual wisdom. She understands that true commitment, whether to family or to faith, must be a deliberate choice, not just an obligation to friends. She wants them to make a decision freely, understanding the potential hardship involved in following her.
Naomi blesses her daughters-in-law with a heartfelt wish. What deep appreciation does she express?
Naomi’s blessing isn't just a polite farewell; it’s a profound expression of gratitude and a recognition of their character.
Ask a follow-up
Honoring Their Loyalty
She asks God to deal kindly with them 'as you have dealt with the dead and with me.' This specifically refers to their unwavering devotion to their deceased husbands (Naomi’s sons) and their compassionate care for Naomi herself during their time in Moab.
Acknowledging Faithful Love
Their kindness to the dead means honoring their memory and showing compassion in their grief. Their kindness to Naomi means supporting her, feeding her, and staying with her through immense hardship. Naomi doesn’t take this sacrifice lightly.
A Glimpse of God's Character
By invoking the LORD’s blessing, Naomi reveals her theology. She believes God’s favor is directly tied to human actions – particularly acts of steadfast love and loyalty. She prays that their faithfulness will be met with divine favor.
Understand the original words
chesed · Hebrew Noun
A complex Hebrew term representing loyal, covenantal, steadfast love. It goes beyond simple kindness, encompassing commitment, faithfulness, and mercy, often reflecting God's character in His dealings with humanity.
Naomi's poignant words highlight the deep cultural and familial bonds, while also revealing her personal grief and her profound understanding of God's sovereignty, even in the midst of devastating loss.
c. 12th-11th Century BC
Israelite Settlement in Canaan
Following their exodus from Egypt and wandering in the wilderness, the Israelites settled in the Promised Land of Canaan, establishing their own communities and way of life.
c. 11th-10th Century BC
Period of Judges
This era in Israel's history was characterized by a cycle of apostasy, oppression, deliverance, and peace, often marked by local leadership rather than a unified monarchy.
Late 11th Century BC
Famine in Bethlehem
A severe famine struck the land of Judah, specifically Bethlehem, forcing its inhabitants, including the family of Elimelech, to seek sustenance elsewhere.
Early 11th Century BC
Elimelech's Family Migrates to Moab
Fleeing the famine in Bethlehem, Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, relocated to the neighboring land of Moab.
Early 11th Century BC— this verse
Deaths of Elimelech and His Sons
Tragedy struck the family in Moab when Elimelech and both of his sons, Mahlon and Chilion, died, leaving Naomi a widow with her two Moabite daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah.
Early 11th Century BC
Naomi's Return Journey to Bethlehem
Having heard that the famine in Judah had ended, Naomi decided to return to her homeland, urging her daughters-in-law to go back to their own families in Moab.
This verse echoes Naomi's plea by showing another woman, Hannah, in deep sorrow and calling out to the Lord, highlighting the theme of personal grief and dependence on God in difficult times.
Joshua 1:9This passage emphasizes God's presence and faithfulness, paralleling Naomi's blessing for her daughters-in-law to experience the Lord's kindness, even as they face difficult paths and separations.
Proverbs 17:17This verse speaks to the profound nature of familial love and support, resonating with the deep loyalty and affection demonstrated by Ruth and Orpah towards Naomi, and by Naomi towards them.
Jeremiah 29:13This verse promises that seeking God diligently will result in finding Him, mirroring Naomi's hope that her daughters-in-law, as they seek the Lord's kindness, will experience His presence and favor in their lives.
henryRuth 1:6-14: "Then 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."
1:6-14 Naomi began to think of returning, after the death of her two sons. When death comes into a family, it ought to reform what is amiss there. Earth is made bitter to us, that heaven may be made dear. Naomi seems to have been a person of faith and piety. She dismissed her daughters-in-…
pooleRuth 1:8: "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."
Each to her mother’s house; not that they wanted fathers, Ruth 2:11 , but because daughters used to converse more frequently with their mothers, and to be most endeared to them, and to dwell in the same apartments with them, which then were distinct from those parts of the house where the men dwelt. With the dead; with my so…
Naomi's blessing is a profound acknowledgment of their loyalty, not just to her, but to their deceased husbands and the memory of their marriage vows. She invokes the LORD's kindness, highlighting her deep theological understanding that this God of Israel, whom she is returning to, is the source of all true blessing and faithfulness.
Naomi, deeply grieving the loss of her husband and two sons in the foreign land of Moab, decides it's time to return to her homeland of Judah. She blesses her daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, and urges them to go back to their own families in Moab, acknowledging their profound kindness and devotion to both her deceased sons and herself. Though she recognizes their love for her, Naomi believes it would be selfish to make them share in her renewed hardships.
Naomi, deeply grieving the loss of her husband and two sons in the foreign land of Moab, decides it's time to return to her homeland of Judah. She blesses her daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, and urges them to go back to their own families in Moab, acknowledging their profound kindness and devotion to both her deceased sons and herself. Though she recognizes their love for her, Naomi believes it would be selfish to make them share in her renewed hardships.
"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." — Naomi's blessing is a profound acknowledgment of their loyalty, not just to her, but to their deceased husbands and the memory of their marriage vows. She invokes the LORD's kindness, highlighting he…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026