Ruth 1 — Greek, Translation, Interlinear & Discourse

Discourse notes head each verse: relation · connective · clause-flow. Indentation marks prominence — flush-left = main line of argument; indented = supporting / subordinate material.

Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ κρίνειν τοὺς κριτὰς καὶ ἐγένετο λιμὸς ἐν τῇ γῇ, καὶ ἐπορεύθη ἀνὴρ ἀπὸ Βαιθλεεμ τῆς Ιουδα τοῦ παροικεῖν ἐν ἀγρῷ Μωαβ, αὐτὸς καὶ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ καὶ οἱ δύο υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ.

And it came to pass in the days when the judges judged that there was a famine in the land, and a man went from Bethlehem of Judah to sojourn in the field of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.

Narrative frame / scene-settingΚαὶ ἐγένετο

Double ἐγένετο calques the Hebrew וַיְהִי … וַיְהִי, the standard LXX rendering of the narrative opener; the first clause sets the era, the second the crisis. Kaige-style literalism is evident from the first word.

Word-by-word analysis· 35 words

Καὶandnarrative conjunction (Hebraizing καί-parataxis)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καί: here a direct calque of Hebrew וְ/וַ, giving the text its characteristic paratactic rhythm; not merely additive but sequential-narrative.

ἐγένετοit came to passAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · γίνομαιmain verb (framing formula)→ constative aorist (inaugurating the narrative)γίνομαι: 'become / come to pass'; the phrase καὶ ἐγένετο calques וַיְהִי, the formulaic narrative opener used to begin a new episode (cf. Judg 1:1; 1 Sam 1:1 LXX). The LXX uses ἐγένετο rather than ἦν to capture the punctiliar introduction.

ἐνinpreposition + articular infinitive (temporal)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἐν: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

τῷtheDativearticle with infinitive→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.τῷ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

κρίνεινjudgingPres Act Inf · κρίνωarticular infinitive (temporal: 'in the judging')→ progressive / durative (ongoing era)κρίνω: 'judge / rule'; the articular infinitive ἐν τῷ κρίνειν renders בִּשְׁפֹּט and places the story in the era of the judges (book of Judges).

τοὺςtheAccusativearticle (accusative subject of infinitive)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.τοὺς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

κριτὰςjudgesAccusativeaccusative subject of infinitive→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.κριτής: 'judge / ruler'; cf. LXX title ΚΡΙΤΑΙ for the book of Judges; the Hebrew שֹׁפְטִים similarly denotes leaders-deliverers.

καὶandnarrative conjunction (paratactic continuation)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ἐγένετοthere wasAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · γίνομαιmain verb (existential: 'there came to be')→ ingressive aorist (onset of famine)γίνομαι: second ἐγένετο in apodosis, directly calquing the Hebrew double וַיְהִי construction; signals the crisis that drives the narrative.

λιμὸςfamineNominativesubject (predicate nominative with existential verb)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.λιμός: 'famine / hunger'; renders רָעָב; famines mark key narrative moments in the ancestral narratives (Gen 12:10; 26:1; 41–42) — the reader is invited to recall those earlier migrations.

ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἐν: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

τῇtheDativearticle→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.τῇ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

γῇlandDativedative of place (locative)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.γῆ: 'land / earth'; 'in the land' = in the land of Israel (the context assumed); the phrase echoes the ancestral famine texts.

καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential action)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ἐπορεύθηwentAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · πορεύομαιmain verb (narrative action)→ constative aorist (single completed journey)πορεύομαι: 'go / travel'; deponent passive form; renders וַיֵּלֶךְ; the journey initiates the plot.

ἀνὴρa manNominativesubject (anarthrous — introduced as new character)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἀνήρ: 'man / husband'; the character is introduced anonymously first ('a man'), and his name follows in v.2 — a literary device for gradual disclosure.

ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (ablative: point of origin)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἀπὸ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ΒαιθλεεμBethlehemindeclinable proper noun, object of ἀπό (place of origin)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Βαιθλεεμ: transliteration of בֵּית לֶחֶם ('house of bread'); the irony of departing 'house of bread' because of a famine is sharp and presumably deliberate — the name will resonate when she returns at harvest.

τῆςofGenitivearticle→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.τῆς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

ΙουδαJudahGenitiveindeclinable proper noun, genitive of location (Bethlehem of Judah)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Ιουδα: transliteration of יְהוּדָה; the genitive phrase 'Bethlehem of Judah' distinguishes this town from a Zebulunite Bethlehem (Josh 19:15).

τοῦtoGenitivearticle with infinitive (genitive of purpose)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.τοῦ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

παροικεῖνsojournPres Act Inf · παροικέωinfinitive of purpose (genitive articular)→ progressive infinitive (ongoing sojourn)παροικέω: 'reside as a foreigner / sojourn'; renders לָגוּר; the verb marks the man as a גֵּר ('resident alien') even in Moab — an outsider, legally marginal; the same root recurs in 1:4 (παρῴκησαν) and later in the book's legal-rescue plot.

ἀγρῷfield / countryDativedative of place (locative)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἀγρός: 'field / open country'; renders שְׂדֵה; LXX renders שְׂדֵה מוֹאָב as 'the field of Moab' (ἐν ἀγρῷ Μωαβ) rather than 'the land of Moab' (a more literal rendering of the geography).

ΜωαβMoabindeclinable proper noun, genitive of location (field of Moab)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Μωαβ: transliteration of מוֹאָב; from an Israelite perspective a foreign, ritually suspicious territory (cf. Deut 23:3); the migration there is driven by necessity but is also a theological risk that the narrative will probe.

αὐτὸςheNominativeintensive/resumptive pronoun (subject)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.αὐτός: resumptive, picking up 'the man'; the paratactic enumeration (he, and his wife, and his two sons) mirrors the Hebrew asyndetic list וְהוּא וְאִשְׁתּוֹ.

καὶandconnective (enumerating the family)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ἡtheNominativearticle→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἡ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

γυνὴwifeNominativenominative (enumerated family member, subject-coordinate)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.γυνή: 'woman / wife'; she is named Νωεμίν in v.2.

αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.αὐτοῦ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

καὶandconnective (enumerating)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

οἱtheNominativearticle→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.οἱ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

δύοtwoNominativecardinal numeral (attributive)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.δύο: 'two'; indeclinable numeral.

υἱοὶsonsNominativenominative (enumerated family member, subject-coordinate)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.υἱός: 'son'; the two sons will be named in v.2 and will both die in v.5, reducing the family to Naomi alone.

καὶ ὄνομα τῷ ἀνδρὶ Αβιμελεχ καὶ ὄνομα τῇ γυναικὶ αὐτοῦ Νωεμίν, καὶ ὄνομα τοῖς δυσὶν υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ Μααλων καὶ Χελαιων, ἄνδρες Εφραθαῖοι ἐκ Βαιθλεεμ τῆς Ιουδα· καὶ ἦλθον εἰς ἀγρὸν Μωαβ καὶ ἦσαν ἐκεῖ.

And the name of the man was Abimelech, and the name of his wife was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion — Ephrathites from Bethlehem of Judah. And they came to the field of Moab and were there.

Elaboration (character identification)καὶ

The triple 'and the name' (ὄνομα … ὄνομα … ὄνομα) formula introduces all four family members by name — a Hebraizing nominal identification clause without a verb (three verbless 'name' clauses), followed by the narrative verb ἦλθον confirming their arrival.

Word-by-word analysis· 34 words

καὶandnarrative conjunction→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ὄνομαnameNominativeheading nominative (Hebraizing name-formula: 'and the name of X was Y')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ὄνομα: 'name'; the formula ὄνομα + dative renders the Hebrew וְשֵׁם + ל; it is repeated three times in this verse for all family members.

τῷof theDativearticle with dative (dative of possession: 'the man's name')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.τῷ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

ἀνδρὶmanDativedative of possession→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἀνήρ: the same 'man' of v.1, now identified; dative of possession in the name-formula.

ΑβιμελεχAbimelechindeclinable proper noun, predicate nominative of name-formula→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Αβιμελεχ: transliteration of אֱלִימֶלֶךְ ('Elimelech' in the MT); the LXX reads Αβιμελεχ here — a significant divergence; the MT has Elimelech (='my God is king'), while the LXX reads the name that appears also in the stories of Gerar (Gen 20–21; 26). This is one of the clearest LXX/MT proper-name divergences in Ruth.

καὶandconnective (repeating name-formula)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ὄνομαnameNominativeheading nominative (second name-formula)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ὄνομα: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

τῇof theDativearticle→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.τῇ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

γυναικὶwifeDativedative of possession→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.γυνή: 'wife'; dative in the name-formula.

ΝωεμίνNaomiindeclinable proper noun, predicate nominative of name-formula→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Νωεμίν: transliteration of נָעֳמִי ('pleasantness'); she will rename herself Μαρά ('bitterness') at 1:20. The LXX consistently uses Νωεμίν (the form with -μίν rather than -μί) throughout.

καὶandconnective (third name-formula)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ὄνομαnameNominativeheading nominative (third name-formula, now plural)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ὄνομα: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

τοῖςof theDativearticle→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.τοῖς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

δυσὶνtwoDativecardinal numeral, dative→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.δύο / δυσί(ν): oblique form of 'two', dative.

υἱοῖςsonsDativedative of possession (in name-formula)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.υἱοῖς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

ΜααλωνMahlonindeclinable proper noun, predicate (first of two sons)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Μααλων: transliteration of מַחְלוֹן; the Hebrew name may connote 'sickness'; he will be identified as Ruth's husband at 4:10.

καὶandconnective (enumerating sons)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ΧελαιωνChilionindeclinable proper noun, predicate (second son)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Χελαιων: transliteration of כִּלְיוֹן; the Hebrew name may connote 'pining / destruction'; he is Orpah's husband.

ἄνδρεςmenNominativenominative in apposition (ethnic identification)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἀνήρ: 'men'; anarthrous, in apposition to the family — identifying them collectively as 'Ephrathite men.'

ΕφραθαῖοιEphrathitesNominativenominative predicate (ethnic gentilic in apposition)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Εφραθαῖος: 'Ephrathite'; renders אֶפְרָתִי; Ephrathah is an ancient name for the Bethlehem district (Gen 35:19; Mic 5:2); the ethnic marker grounds the family in covenant territory.

ἐκfrompreposition + genitive (ablative: origin)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἐκ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ΒαιθλεεμBethlehemindeclinable proper noun, object of ἐκ (place of origin)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Βαιθλεεμ: repeated from v.1, reinforcing the point of origin before the family disappears into Moab.

ΙουδαJudahGenitiveindeclinable proper noun, genitive of location→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Ιουδα: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

καὶandnarrative conjunction (resuming action)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ἦλθονthey cameAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἔρχομαιmain verb (narrative action: arrival)→ constative aorist (completed journey)ἔρχομαι: 'come / arrive'; the family as a unit ('they') is now confirmed as arrived in Moab.

εἰςintopreposition + accusative (goal of motion)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.εἰς: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ἀγρὸνfieldAccusativeaccusative of goal (object of εἰς)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἀγρός: 'field / territory'; same as ἐν ἀγρῷ Μωαβ in v.1 — now with motion ('into') rather than location.

ΜωαβMoabindeclinable proper noun, genitive of place→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Μωαβ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

καὶandnarrative conjunction (settling)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ἦσανwereImpf Act Indic 3 Pl · εἰμίmain verb (existential / stative)→ imperfect (durative residence)εἰμί: 'be'; the imperfect ἦσαν marks the duration of their stay — they settled, not just passed through; renders וַיִּהְיוּ שָׁם ('and they were there').

ἐκεῖthereadverb of place→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἐκεῖ: 'there'; the laconic adverb closes the sentence, leaving the family settled in foreign territory without comment — ominous in its brevity.

καὶ ἀπέθανεν Αβιμελεχ ὁ ἀνὴρ Νωεμίν, καὶ κατελείφθη αὐτὴ καὶ οἱ δύο υἱοὶ αὐτῆς.

And Abimelech, the husband of Naomi, died; and she was left, she and her two sons.

Narrative event (first death)καὶ

The first of three deaths that progressively strip Naomi. The verb κατελείφθη ('was left behind') is theologically freighted — she is the one 'left over,' a survivor without anchor; the passive voice implies helplessness.

Word-by-word analysis· 14 words

καὶandnarrative conjunction (adversative-sequential)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ἀπέθανενdiedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποθνῄσκωmain verb (narrative event: death of husband)→ constative aorist (punctiliar death)ἀποθνῄσκω: 'die'; the abrupt aorist is characteristic of the book's terse narrative style; no cause of death is given — the narrator offers no explanation and invites the reader to feel the shock.

ΑβιμελεχAbimelechindeclinable proper noun, subject→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Αβιμελεχ: the husband, named in v.2; the LXX name (vs. MT Elimelech) appears here again.

ὁtheNominativearticle→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ὁ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

ἀνὴρhusbandNominativenominative in apposition (relational identification: 'the husband of Naomi')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἀνήρ: here 'husband' rather than simply 'man'; the apposition ὁ ἀνὴρ Νωεμίν specifies whose husband — making Naomi's loss explicit.

Νωεμίνof Naomiindeclinable proper noun, genitive of relationship (appositional genitive: 'Naomi's husband')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Νωεμίν: here functions as genitive by context despite being indeclinable; the relationship highlights her loss.

καὶandnarrative conjunction (result)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

κατελείφθηwas leftAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · καταλείπωmain verb (passive of result: 'was left behind')→ constative aorist passive (resultant state after death)καταλείπω: 'leave behind / abandon'; the passive voice frames Naomi as the one left — she does not choose this status; renders וַתִּשָּׁאֵר ('and she was left / remained'). The root λείπω will recur as a theme of desolation.

αὐτὴsheNominativeintensive pronoun (resumptive subject, emphasizing isolation)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.αὐτή: intensive 'she herself'; here resumptive after the passive verb, enumerating the survivors; the emphasis falls on her person — she, and only she and her sons.

καὶandconnective (enumerating survivors)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

υἱοὶsonsNominativenominative subject-coordinate (enumerated with αὐτή)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.υἱός: the sons are still alive here — they will die in v.5; their presence is fleeting comfort.

αὐτῆςherGenitivegenitive of possession→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.αὐτῆς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

καὶ ἔλαβον ἑαυτοῖς γυναῖκας Μωαβίτιδας· ὄνομα τῇ μιᾷ Ορφα καὶ ὄνομα τῇ δευτέρᾳ Ρουθ· καὶ κατῴκησαν ἐκεῖ ὡς δέκα ἔτη.

And they took Moabite wives for themselves; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the second was Ruth. And they dwelt there about ten years.

Narrative elaboration (sons' marriages and sojourn)καὶ

The marriages are narrated matter-of-factly with no moral comment; LXX retains the Μωαβίτιδας marker (signaling ethnic-religious otherness per Deut 23:3) while the narrator remains neutral. The ὡς δέκα ἔτη ('about ten years') approximates the Hebrew כְּעֶשֶׂר שָׁנִים.

Word-by-word analysis· 20 words

ἔλαβονthey tookAor Act Indic 3 Pl · λαμβάνωmain verb (narrative action: marriage acquisition)→ constative aoristλαμβάνω: 'take'; renders וַיִּשְׂאוּ; the idiom 'take a wife' (λαμβάνω γυναῖκα = נָשָׂא אִשָּׁה) is the standard biblical marriage formula — no ceremony described.

ἑαυτοῖςfor themselvesDativedative of advantage (reflexive)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἑαυτοῖς: reflexive pronoun, dative of advantage; renders לָהֶם ('for themselves').

γυναῖκαςwivesAccusativedirect object→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.γυνή: 'wife / woman'; accusative as direct object of ἔλαβον.

ΜωαβίτιδαςMoabiteAccusativeaccusative attribute (ethnic gentilic, modifying γυναῖκας)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Μωαβῖτις: 'Moabite woman'; renders מוֹאֲבִיּוֹת; the ethnic designation is theologically loaded — Deut 23:3 excluded Moabites from the assembly. The narrator neither condemns nor excuses; the book as a whole will argue for inclusion through ḥesed.

ὄνομαnameNominativeheading nominative (name-formula, first daughter-in-law)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ὄνομα: repeating the name-formula of v.2 (ὄνομα + dative); the two wives are now introduced with the same structure used for the family in v.2.

μιᾷoneDativedative of possession in name-formula (cardinal numeral 'one' used as ordinal 'first')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.μία: 'one'; here used as ordinal ('the first one'); renders הָאַחַת.

ΟρφαOrpahindeclinable proper noun, predicate of name-formula→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Ορφα: transliteration of עָרְפָּה; the Hebrew name may be connected to עֹרֶף ('back of the neck'), foreshadowing the act of 'turning the back' she will perform in 1:14.

καὶandconnective (second name-formula)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ὄνομαnameNominativeheading nominative (name-formula, second daughter-in-law)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ὄνομα: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

δευτέρᾳsecondDativedative of possession in name-formula (ordinal numeral)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.δευτέρα: 'second'; ordinal adjective, dative.

ΡουθRuthindeclinable proper noun, predicate of name-formula→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Ρουθ: transliteration of רוּת; the Hebrew name's etymology is debated (possibly 'friend,' 'refreshment,' or 'satiation'); she is introduced last and second — but will become the book's protagonist and the ancestor of David (4:17).

κατῴκησανthey dweltAor Act Indic 3 Pl · κατοικέωmain verb (narrative: settlement / duration)→ constative aorist (summarizing settled period)κατοικέω: 'dwell / settle'; a stronger word than παροικέω (v.1) — they are no longer merely sojourning but settled; yet the aorist summarizes the ten-year period as a completed episode before the next blow falls.

ἐκεῖthereadverb of place→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἐκεῖ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ὡςaboutapproximating particle (adverbial: 'approximately')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ὡς: here an approximating adverb ('about / approximately'), rendering כְּ ('as / about'); giving an indefinite duration.

δέκαtencardinal numeral (indeclinable)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.δέκα: 'ten'; indeclinable.

ἔτηyearsAccusativeaccusative of duration (temporal extent)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἔτος: 'year'; accusative of extent of time; ten years is a full generation — the childlessness during this period (implied) deepens Naomi's eventual desolation.

καὶ ἀπέθανον καί γε ἀμφότεροι Μααλων καὶ Χελαιων, καὶ κατελείφθη ἡ γυνὴ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς αὐτῆς καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν δύο υἱῶν αὐτῆς.

And both Mahlon and Chilion died as well, and the woman was left without her husband and without her two sons.

Narrative climax (second and third deaths; total desolation)καὶ

The particle καί γε ('also indeed') adds emphasis to the finality: even both sons died. The passive κατελείφθη echoes v.3, making Naomi's desolation a structural and verbal refrain. ἀπό here expresses separation/deprivation ('without / bereft of'), matching the Heb. מִן of deprivation.

Word-by-word analysis· 22 words

ἀπέθανονdiedAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἀποθνῄσκωmain verb (narrative event: double death)→ constative aorist (sudden, completed deaths)ἀποθνῄσκω: same verb as v.3; the two sons die as abruptly and without explanation as the father; the parallel structures (v.3 and v.5) frame the unit of total family destruction.

καίalsoadverbial καί (adjunctive: 'also / even')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καί: adjunctive adverbial use, adding emphasis before γε.

γεindeedemphatic particle (reinforcing adjunctive καί)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.γε: enclitic intensifying particle, 'at least / indeed / even'; the phrase καί γε renders גַּם (Hebrew 'also / even') — intensifying the shock that both sons died.

ἀμφότεροιbothNominativenominative subject (inclusive: 'both of them')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἀμφότεροι: 'both'; the word stresses the totality — neither son survived; renders שְׁנֵיהֶם ('both of them').

ΜααλωνMahlonindeclinable proper noun, apposition to ἀμφότεροι (first son named)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Μααλων: named again at death, as was the father — a literary parallel; his marriage to Ruth (4:10) will be recalled in the book's denouement.

καὶandconnective (enumerating: second son)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ΧελαιωνChilionindeclinable proper noun, apposition to ἀμφότεροι (second son named)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Χελαιων: the second son; he never appears again after this verse.

κατελείφθηwas leftAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · καταλείπωmain verb (passive of deprivation, echoing v.3)→ constative aorist passiveκαταλείπω: verbal echo of v.3's κατελείφθη; the repetition is deliberate — Naomi is now doubly 'left behind,' first without husband, now without sons as well.

γυνὴwomanNominativesubject (now 'the woman,' not 'the wife' — she is husbandless)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.γυνή: 'woman'; the LXX uses γυνή rather than naming Νωεμίν — perhaps to emphasize her generic vulnerability as a woman bereft; she is no longer designated ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ ('his wife') now that the husband is gone.

ἀπὸfrom / withoutpreposition + genitive (ablative of separation: 'bereft of')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἀπό: ablative of deprivation — 'left from / without'; renders מִן of deprivation (מֵאִישָׁהּ, 'from/of her husband').

τοῦtheGenitivearticle→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.τοῦ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

ἀνδρὸςhusbandGenitivegenitive of separation (object of ἀπό)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἀνήρ: 'husband'; the presence of the article (τοῦ ἀνδρός) makes this specific — her husband, now lost.

καὶandconnective (second item of deprivation)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ἀπὸfrom / withoutpreposition + genitive (ablative of separation)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἀπὸ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

τῶνtheGenitivearticle→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.τῶν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

δύοtwoGenitivecardinal numeral (attributive)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.δύο: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

υἱῶνsonsGenitivegenitive of separation (object of ἀπό)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.υἱός: the three objects of deprivation — husband and two sons — are now all listed in closing the unit; the verse is a literary death-knell for the family.

καὶ ἀνέστη αὐτὴ καὶ αἱ νύμφαι αὐτῆς καὶ ἀπέστρεψεν ἐκ τοῦ ἀγροῦ Μωαβ, ὅτι ἤκουσεν ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ Μωαβ ὅτι ἐπέσκεπται κύριος τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ δοῦναι αὐτοῖς ἄρτους.

And she rose up, she and her daughters-in-law, and turned back from the field of Moab, because she had heard in the field of Moab that the LORD had visited his people to give them bread.

Narrative turn (return initiated by divine report)καὶ

The divine name κύριος appears for the first time, signaling the theological engine behind the story: God's ἐπισκοπή ('visitation / oversight') of his people is the catalyst for Naomi's return. The verb ἐπέσκεπται (perfect) carries 'he has visited and the effect stands.'

Word-by-word analysis· 28 words

ἀνέστηshe rose upAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀνίστημιmain verb (initiative action)→ ingressive aorist (beginning of action)ἀνίστημι: 'rise up / stand up'; renders וַתָּקָם; the idiom 'rise and go' is a formulaic narrative action-opener in biblical Hebrew and LXX Greek, signaling purposeful new movement after a period of stasis.

αὐτὴsheNominativeintensive/resumptive pronoun (subject: Naomi)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.αὐτή: intensive pronoun, emphasizing Naomi's initiative — she rose (not passively carried).

καὶandconnective (enumerating those who rose)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

αἱtheNominativearticle→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.αἱ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

νύμφαιdaughters-in-lawNominativenominative subject-coordinate (rising together with Naomi)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.νύμφη: 'daughter-in-law / bride'; renders כַּלּוֹת ('daughters-in-law'); the same word is used throughout ch. 1. It also means 'bride' — ironic for these widowed women.

ἀπέστρεψενturned backAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποστρέφωmain verb (direction: return journey begins)→ ingressive aorist (beginning of the return)ἀποστρέφω: 'turn back / return'; renders וַתָּשָׁב; the return-journey motif (שׁוּב / ἀποστρέφω) will become a dominant verb in this chapter, repeated as Naomi urges the daughters-in-law to 'turn back' to their homes.

ἐκfrompreposition + genitive (ablative: departure point)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἐκ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ἀγροῦfieldGenitivegenitive of separation (point of departure)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἀγρός: 'field / territory of Moab'; same phrase as vv.1–2; the departure from 'the field of Moab' bookends the sojourn.

ὅτιbecausecausal conjunction (giving the reason for return)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ὅτι: causal here ('because'); renders כִּי; the hearing of divine provision is Naomi's motivation.

ἤκουσενshe had heardAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀκούωverb of the causal clause (antecedent report)→ constative aorist (completed hearing, prior to the departure)ἀκούω: 'hear'; information received in Moab motivates the return; the narrative structure (she heard → she rose) is tightly causal.

ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative: where she heard)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἐν: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

τῷtheDativearticle→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.τῷ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

ἀγρῷfieldDativedative of place (locative: 'in the field of Moab')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἀγρός: 'field / territory'; the repetition of 'the field of Moab' (ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ Μωαβ) in the same verse stresses the foreignness of the context — the divine news reached her even there.

ὅτιthatcontent conjunction (introducing indirect speech: what she heard)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ὅτι: here recitative ('that'), introducing the content of ἤκουσεν.

ἐπέσκεπταιhas visitedPerf Mid/Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἐπισκέπτομαιmain verb of indirect speech→ intensive perfect (divine action complete with ongoing effect)ἐπισκέπτομαι: 'visit / care for / attend to'; renders פָּקַד; the perfect tense of divine visitation conveys that the LORD has definitively acted and the provision stands; this is the first of six occurrences of κύριος in ch. 1. The Hebrew פָּקַד (paqad) denotes purposeful divine intervention — God 'taking account of' his people.

κύριοςLORDNominativesubject (divine name as subject of ἐπέσκεπται)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.κύριος: 'Lord'; the standard LXX rendering of the Tetragrammaton יהוה; first occurrence in Ruth 1; the name will appear at vv.8, 9, 13, 17, 21 as the theological referent holding the chapter together.

τὸνtheAccusativearticle→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.τὸν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

λαὸνpeopleAccusativedirect object (object of divine visitation)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.λαός: 'people'; renders עַמּוֹ ('his people'); the covenant term — κύριος acts toward his people as covenant Lord.

δοῦναιto giveAor Act Inf · δίδωμιinfinitive of purpose (what the visitation accomplishes)→ infinitive of purpose (constative)δίδωμι: 'give'; the purpose of the LORD's visitation — provision of bread; the infinitive explains ἐπέσκεπται, connecting divine action to material outcome.

αὐτοῖςto themDativedative of indirect object / advantage→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.αὐτοῖς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

ἄρτουςbread / loavesAccusativedirect object (of δοῦναι)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἄρτος: 'bread / loaf'; renders לֶחֶם; returning to Bethlehem (='house of bread') for bread — the etymology becomes narrative reality. This is the bread motif that frames the whole book.

καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ τοῦ τόπου οὗ ἦν ἐκεῖ, καὶ αἱ δύο νύμφαι αὐτῆς μετ᾿ αὐτῆς· καὶ ἐπορεύοντο ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ τοῦ ἐπιστρέψαι εἰς γῆν Ιουδα.

And she went out from the place where she had been, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they walked on the way to return to the land of Judah.

Narrative continuation (the departure underway)καὶ

The three women set out together; the imperfect ἐπορεύοντο ('were walking') depicts the journey in progress, setting the scene for Naomi's pause and speech in v.8. The infinitive τοῦ ἐπιστρέψαι names the goal as 'to return.'

Word-by-word analysis· 25 words

ἐξῆλθενshe went outAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐξέρχομαιmain verb (departure)→ ingressive aorist (setting out)ἐξέρχομαι: 'go out / depart'; renders וַתֵּצֵא; the physical departure from the dwelling-place in Moab begins.

ἐκfrompreposition + genitive (ablative)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἐκ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

τόπουplaceGenitivegenitive of separation (the place left behind)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.τόπος: 'place'; renders הַמָּקוֹם; the anarthrous 'place' where they had been — the temporary Moabite dwelling — is left without sentiment.

οὗwhererelative adverb of place (restricting τόπου)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.οὗ: genitive relative adverb of place ('where'); anaphoric with τόπου.

ἦνshe wasImpf Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίverb of relative clause (stative)→ imperfect (durative past residence)εἰμί: 'be'; the imperfect marks the duration of the prior residence — she had been there (for the ten years of v.4).

ἐκεῖthereadverb of place (resumptive, within relative clause)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἐκεῖ: 'there'; reinforces the locative relative — 'the place where she was, there.'

καὶandconnective (adding the daughters-in-law)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

νύμφαιdaughters-in-lawNominativenominative subject-coordinate (accompanying Naomi)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.νύμφη: as v.6; the article 'the two daughters-in-law' marks them as known from previous narrative.

μετ᾿withpreposition + genitive (comitative: 'with her')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.μετά (+ gen.): comitative ('together with').

αὐτῆςherGenitivegenitive object of μετά (comitative)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.αὐτῆς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

καὶandnarrative conjunction (continuing action)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ἐπορεύοντοthey were goingImpf Mid Indic 3 Pl · πορεύομαιmain verb (progressive action: the journey in progress)→ progressive imperfect (ongoing movement)πορεύομαι: 'go / travel'; the imperfect depicts the three women walking together — the scene is set for Naomi's speech in v.8. The imperfect contrasts with the aorists of departure, giving a vivid mid-journey snapshot.

ἐνonpreposition + dative (locative: 'on the road')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἐν: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ὁδῷroad / wayDativedative of place (on the road)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ὁδός: 'road / way / journey'; renders הַדֶּרֶךְ; the definite article ('the road') implies the known road to Judah.

τοῦtoGenitivearticle with genitive infinitive (purpose)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.τοῦ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

ἐπιστρέψαιreturnAor Act Inf · ἐπιστρέφωgenitive articular infinitive of purpose ('to return')→ infinitive of purpose (constative aorist)ἐπιστρέφω: 'return / turn back'; synonymous with ἀποστρέφω (v.6) and forms part of the cluster of 'return' verbs (ἐπιστρέφω, ἀποστρέφω, ὑποστρέφω) that dominate this chapter.

εἰςtopreposition + accusative (goal)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.εἰς: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

γῆνlandAccusativeaccusative of goal→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.γῆ: 'land'; ἐπιστρέψαι εἰς γῆν Ιουδα = 'to return to the land of Judah'; the promised land is the destination and the theological telos.

ΙουδαJudahindeclinable proper noun, genitive of location→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Ιουδα: the tribal territory and covenant land; the destination makes explicit what v.6's ἐπέσκεπται κύριος implies — the divine provision is located in the covenant land.

καὶ εἶπεν Νωεμίν ταῖς νύμφαις αὐτῆς Πορεύθητε δὴ ἀποστράφητε ἑκάστη εἰς οἶκον μητρὸς αὐτῆς· ποιήσαι κύριος μεθ᾿ ὑμῶν ἔλεος, καθὼς ἐποιήσατε μετὰ τῶν τεθνηκότων καὶ μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ.

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

Direct speech (Naomi's first dismissal-blessing)καὶ

Naomi's first speech is a blessing invoking κύριος's ἔλεος (ḥesed — covenant loyalty) upon the daughters-in-law in proportion to their own ḥesed shown to the dead and to her. The invocation establishes the book's theological-ethical key-word.

Word-by-word analysis· 27 words

καὶandnarrative conjunction (introducing speech)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: 'say'; standard narrative speech-introducing verb.

ΝωεμίνNaomiindeclinable proper noun, subject of εἶπεν→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Νωεμίν: subject; the narrative names her as speaker — the first time she speaks in the book.

ταῖςto theDativearticle→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ταῖς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

νύμφαιςdaughters-in-lawDativedative of indirect object (addressees)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.νύμφη: as vv.6–7.

ΠορεύθητεgoAor Pass Impv 2 Pl · πορεύομαιmain verb of direct speech (command: 'go!')→ constative aorist imperative (urgent command)πορεύομαι: 'go / travel'; the aorist imperative signals an urgent, decisive command — not a process but an act.

δὴnowemphatic/hortatory particle (reinforcing the command)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.δή: particle adding urgency or emphasis to a command; renders נָא (Hebrew particle of entreaty/urgency); LXX uses δή to render נָא throughout.

ἀποστράφητεturn backAor Pass Impv 2 Pl · ἀποστρέφωsecond command (paratactic to Πορεύθητε: 'go, turn back')→ constative aorist imperativeἀποστρέφω: 'turn back / return'; the compound ἀπο- emphasizes reversal of direction — go back the way you came; the word echoes v.6 (ἀπέστρεψεν of Naomi's own return).

ἑκάστηeachNominativenominative distributive (each woman individually)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἑκάστη: 'each one'; distributive — each daughter-in-law is to return separately; renders אִשָּׁה ('each woman / each one').

εἰςtopreposition + accusative (goal of return)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.εἰς: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

οἶκονhouseAccusativeaccusative of goal→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.οἶκος: 'house / household'; renders בֵּית; 'the house of her mother' is unusual — MT Ruth 1:8 also says 'mother's house' (בֵּית אִמָּהּ), not 'father's house'; some scholars see this as addressing widowed women for whom the mother's house is the relevant domain (cf. Song 3:4; 8:2).

μητρὸςmother'sGenitivegenitive of possession ('mother's house')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.μήτηρ: 'mother'; 'mother's house' rather than the expected 'father's house' (בֵּית אָב) — a notable LXX/MT agreement against the usual patriarchal formula; in Ruth the women's network is fore-grounded.

αὐτῆςherGenitivegenitive of possession (each woman's own mother)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.αὐτῆς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

ποιήσαιmay he dealAor Act Opt 3 Sg · ποιέωoptative of wish (blessing formula: 'may the LORD do…')→ aorist optative (prayer / wish)ποιέω: 'do / act'; the optative ποιήσαι is a volitive/prayer optative — 'may he do'; LXX uses this optative construction frequently for Hebrew jussives in blessings; renders יַעַשׂ יהוה.

κύριοςLORDNominativesubject of optative (divine agent of the blessing)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.κύριος: second occurrence in ch. 1 (cf. v.6); Naomi invokes the covenant God as the source of ḥesed/ἔλεος.

μεθ᾿withpreposition + genitive (comitative: 'with you')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.μετά (+ gen.): comitative; renders עִמָּכֶן.

ὑμῶνyouGenitivegenitive object of μετά→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ὑμῶν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

ἔλεοςloyalty / lovingkindnessAccusativedirect object (of ποιήσαι: 'do/show ḥesed')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἔλεος: 'mercy / loyalty / lovingkindness'; renders חֶסֶד (ḥesed) — the book's theological key-word: covenantal loyal love that goes beyond legal obligation; ποιέω + ἔλεος = 'show/do ḥesed,' exactly translating עָשָׂה חֶסֶד. The LXX renders ḥesed variously as ἔλεος ('mercy') or ἀγαθόν, but ἔλεος captures the covenant dimension.

καθὼςas / just ascomparative conjunction (grounding the blessing in their prior conduct)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καθώς: 'as / just as'; renders כַּאֲשֶׁר; the blessing is proportional — κύριος's ἔλεος will match their own ἔλεος.

ἐποιήσατεyou have doneAor Act Indic 2 Pl · ποιέωverb of comparative clause (their prior ḥesed)→ constative aorist (completed acts of loyalty)ποιέω: picking up the same verb as ποιήσαι — the syntax underlines the moral symmetry: as they acted (ποιέω), so may the LORD act (ποιέω) toward them.

μετὰwithpreposition + genitive (comitative)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.μετὰ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

τεθνηκότωνdeadPerf Act Ptc Gen Pl Masc · θνῄσκωsubstantival participle (genitive: 'with those who have died')→ intensive perfect participle (permanent state of death; 'the dead')θνῄσκω: 'die'; the perfect participle τεθνηκότων ('those who have died') refers to the deceased husbands — the daughters-in-law showed ḥesed to their dead husbands (presumably through burial and mourning); the perfect emphasizes the finality of the deaths.

καὶandconnective (adding second recipient of their ḥesed)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

μετ᾿withpreposition + genitive (comitative)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.μετ᾿: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ἐμοῦmeGenitivegenitive object of μετά (Naomi herself as recipient)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἐγώ: first-person emphatic; Naomi includes herself — their ḥesed has been shown to her as well as to the dead.

δῴη κύριος ὑμῖν καὶ εὕροιτε ἀνάπαυσιν ἑκάστη ἐν οἴκῳ ἀνδρὸς αὐτῆς. καὶ κατεφίλησεν αὐτάς, καὶ ἐπῆραν τὴν φωνὴν αὐτῶν καὶ ἔκλαυσαν.

May the LORD grant you, and may you find rest, each in the house of her husband!' And she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept.

Continuation of blessing + emotional responseδῴη

The double optative (δῴη … εὕροιτε) continues the prayer begun in v.8, climaxing in the wish for 'rest' (ἀνάπαυσιν / מְנוּחָה) in a husband's house — security through remarriage. The weeping is the first emotional outburst, foreshadowing the deeper anguish of the scene.

Word-by-word analysis· 21 words

δῴηmay he grantAor Act Opt 3 Sg · δίδωμιoptative of wish (continuation of the blessing from v.8)→ aorist optative (prayer)δίδωμι: 'give / grant'; aorist optative of wish; renders יִתֵּן; the optative carries the prayer forward from ποιήσαι of v.8.

κύριοςLORDNominativesubject (divine agent of the blessing wish)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.κύριος: third occurrence in ch. 1 (vv.6, 8, 9); the repeated divine name in the blessing ties God's action to the women's futures.

ὑμῖνto youDativedative of indirect object / advantage→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ὑμῖν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

καὶandconnective (second wish, coordinate)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

εὕροιτεmay you findAor Act Opt 2 Pl · εὑρίσκωoptative of wish (second prayer for the daughters-in-law)→ aorist optative (prayer)εὑρίσκω: 'find'; the subject switches to second plural — the prayer's second element focuses on what the daughters-in-law themselves find (ἀνάπαυσιν), not what the LORD gives.

ἀνάπαυσινrestAccusativedirect object (of εὕροιτε)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἀνάπαυσις: 'rest / repose'; renders מְנוּחָה (menûḥāh); in Ruth this is a relational-social concept — security found in a husband's home and household; the same root appears in 3:1 ('shall I not seek rest for you?'). The word is a theological-social term for settled peace within covenantal relationships.

ἑκάστηeachNominativenominative distributive (each woman individually)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἑκάστη: as v.8; distributive — each daughter-in-law individually.

οἴκῳhouseDativedative of place (in the house of her husband)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.οἶκος: 'house / household'; the phrase 'in the house of her husband' (ἐν οἴκῳ ἀνδρὸς αὐτῆς) = 'in a husband's home' — Naomi prays for remarriage as the path to security for each woman.

ἀνδρὸςhusband'sGenitivegenitive of possession ('husband's house')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἀνήρ: 'husband'; anarthrous here — 'a husband' (unspecified); renders אִישׁ.

αὐτῆςherGenitivegenitive of possession (distributive with ἑκάστη: each woman's own husband)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.αὐτῆς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

καὶandnarrative conjunction (transitioning from speech to action)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

κατεφίλησενshe kissedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · καταφιλέωmain verb (narrative action: farewell kiss)→ constative aoristκαταφιλέω: 'kiss (warmly / fervently)'; the κατα- prefix intensifies φιλέω — 'kiss earnestly'; renders וַתִּשַּׁק; the farewell kiss is a culturally loaded gesture of parting and blessing.

αὐτάςthemAccusativedirect object (the daughters-in-law)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.αὐτάς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

ἐπῆρανthey lifted upAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἐπαίρωmain verb (idiomatic: beginning of weeping)→ ingressive aorist (onset of weeping)ἐπαίρω: 'lift up'; the idiom ἐπαίρω + τὴν φωνήν ('raise the voice') is a LXX rendering of נָשָׂא קוֹל, the stereotyped formula for beginning to cry aloud; cf. vv.14, 2:4.

τὴνtheAccusativearticle→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.τὴν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

φωνὴνvoiceAccusativedirect object (of ἐπῆραν: idiomatic)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.φωνή: 'voice / sound'; in the idiom φωνὴν αἴρω, the 'voice' is the vehicle of the cry.

αὐτῶνtheirGenitivegenitive of possession→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.αὐτῶν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

ἔκλαυσανthey weptAor Act Indic 3 Pl · κλαίωmain verb (emotional response: weeping)→ constative aoristκλαίω: 'weep / cry'; renders וַתִּבְכֶּינָה; all three women weep — a moment of shared grief that will deepen in v.14 when only Ruth clings.

καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῇ Μετὰ σοῦ ἐπιστρέψομεν εἰς τὸν λαόν σου.

And they said to her, 'With you we will return to your people.'

Direct speech (joint declaration of loyalty)καὶ

The two daughters-in-law speak as one unit (εἶπαν), jointly declaring they will return with Naomi. The phrasing mirrors (and anticipates) Ruth's greater declaration in v.16 — 'wherever you go I will go' — but here both women speak and neither yet distinguishes herself.

Word-by-word analysis· 10 words

καὶandnarrative conjunction (response to kiss and weeping)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

εἶπανthey saidAor Act Indic 3 Pl · λέγωmain verb (speech introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: 'say'; both daughters-in-law respond together — the plural verb marks their solidarity at this stage.

αὐτῇto herDativedative of indirect object (addressed to Naomi)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.αὐτῇ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

Μετὰwithpreposition + genitive (comitative, fronted for emphasis)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.μετά (+ gen.): comitative; fronted before the verb to emphasize solidarity — 'with you (and no one else) we will return.'

σοῦyouGenitivegenitive object of μετά (comitative: 'with you')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.σύ: second singular; Naomi is the point of reference and allegiance.

ἐπιστρέψομενwe will returnFut Act Indic 1 Pl · ἐπιστρέφωmain verb (future volitional: committed return)→ future (volitional / promissory)ἐπιστρέφω: 'return / turn back'; the future indicative expresses a resolved commitment — 'we will return' (a promise); renders נָשׁוּב ('we will return').

λαόνpeopleAccusativeaccusative of goal ('to your people')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.λαός: 'people'; 'your people' (τὸν λαόν σου) — the daughters-in-law declare willingness to join Naomi's people; this phrase will recur in Ruth's great declaration (v.16: ὁ λαός σου λαός μου = 'your people are my people').

σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession ('your people')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.σου: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

καὶ εἶπεν Νωεμίν Ἐπιστράφητε δή, θυγατέρες μου· ἵνα τί πορεύεσθε μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ; μὴ ἔτι μοι υἱοὶ ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ μου καὶ ἔσονται ὑμῖν εἰς ἄνδρας;

And Naomi said, 'Turn back, my daughters! Why do you go with me? Are there still sons in my womb, that they should become husbands for you?'

Direct speech (Naomi's second and stronger dismissal — the reductio)καὶ

The rhetorical question μὴ ἔτι μοι υἱοί…; initiates a reductio ad absurdum: levirate logic would require future sons to redeem these women, but Naomi has none. The address θυγατέρες μου ('my daughters') is affectionate and occurs three times (vv.11, 12, 13).

Word-by-word analysis· 25 words

εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech introduction)→ constative aoristεἶπεν: verbal form rendered 'said' here; its aspect and clause role are specified by the parse and syntax fields.

ΝωεμίνNaomiindeclinable proper noun, subject of εἶπεν→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Νωεμίν: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

Ἐπιστράφητεturn backAor Pass Impv 2 Pl · ἐπιστρέφωimperative command (urgent: 'turn back!')→ constative aorist imperativeἐπιστρέφω: now directed at both women again — Naomi repeats the command; same root as v.10's ἐπιστρέψομεν, creating a verbal echo contrasting their wish with her insistence.

δήnow / pleasehortatory/emphatic particle→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.δή: urgent particle; renders נָא; see v.8.

θυγατέρεςdaughtersVocativevocative (address: 'my daughters')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.θυγάτηρ: 'daughter'; vocative address — tender despite the difficult content; renders בְּנֹתַי ('my daughters').

μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession (with vocative)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.μου: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

ἵναwhyinterrogative conjunction (ἵνα τί = 'why?'; deliberative rhetorical question)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἵνα τί: 'why / to what end?'; the idiom ἵνα τί (lit. 'in order that what?') is a LXX Hebraism for לָמָּה ('why?'); it signals a deliberative question expecting a negative answer.

τίwhatinterrogative pronoun (in ἵνα τί idiom)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.τί: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

πορεύεσθεdo you goPres Mid Indic 2 Pl · πορεύομαιmain verb of the rhetorical question→ progressive present (ongoing movement: 'why keep going?')πορεύομαι: present depicting their ongoing journey as Naomi asks why they persist.

ἐμοῦmeGenitivegenitive object of μετά→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἐγώ: emphatic first person — 'with me (of all people, who can offer nothing).'

μὴnotnegative particle (introducing rhetorical question expecting 'no')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.μή: with the interrogative μή…; signals a question expecting the answer 'no' — 'I don't have sons, do I?'

ἔτιstilladverb of time (intensifying the impossibility)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἔτι: 'still / yet'; renders עוֹד; the adverb intensifies the impossibility: 'are there still (actually) sons…?'

μοιfor me / in meDativedative of possession or reference ('to/for me')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἐγώ: dative; 'to me' — Naomi speaks of her own womb.

υἱοὶsonsNominativepredicate nominative (subject of implied εἰσίν in rhetorical question)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.υἱός: 'sons'; the levirate argument requires future brothers of the deceased — Naomi claims she has none in the womb.

ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative: 'in my womb')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἐν: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

κοιλίᾳwombDativedative of place (locative: 'in the womb')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.κοιλία: 'belly / womb'; renders מֵעַי ('my insides / womb'); the imagery is bluntly physical — Naomi is past childbearing.

μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.μου: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

καὶandconnective (result clause: '… and they would be…')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ἔσονταιthey would be / becomeFut Mid Indic 3 Pl · εἰμίfuture in apodosis of implicit conditional (hypothetical sons as future husbands)→ future (potential / conditional)εἰμί: 'be / become'; the future εἰσόνται here is in the apodosis of an implicit condition: 'even if there were sons in my womb, would they become husbands for you?' The verb εἰμί here has a predicative nuance 'become / serve as.'

ὑμῖνto youDativedative of advantage (for you as potential husbands)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ὑμῖν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

εἰςaspreposition εἰς + accusative (predicative: 'serve as / become')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.εἰς: predicative use ('into / as'); the construction εἰμί + εἰς = 'be/become as / serve as'; a LXX Hebraism calquing הָיָה לְ ('to become [husbands] for you').

ἄνδραςhusbandsAccusativeaccusative after predicative εἰς ('as husbands')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἀνήρ: 'husband'; the predicative use — these hypothetical sons would become husbands for the daughters-in-law; the levirate institution (Deut 25:5–10) underlies the argument.

ἐπιστράφητε δή, θυγατέρες μου, ὅτι ἐγήρακα τοῦ μὴ εἶναι ἀνδρί· ὅτι εἶπα ὅτι ἔστιν μοι ὑπόστασις τοῦ γενέσθαι με ἀνδρί,

Turn back, my daughters, for I am too old to belong to a husband. Even if I said, 'There is hope for me, that I should come to belong to a husband,'

Continuation of argument (impossibility: age and hypothetical remarriage)ἐπιστράφητε

Naomi repeats the imperative ἐπιστράφητε and intensifies the reductio: not only does she lack sons in the womb (v.11), she is too old even to remarry. ὑπόστασις ('substance / hope') is a significant LXX word — it translates תִּקְוָה ('hope') here.

Word-by-word analysis· 20 words

ἐπιστράφητεturn backAor Pass Impv 2 Pl · ἐπιστρέφωimperative (repeated command: anaphora)→ constative aorist imperativeἐπιστρέφω: the third repetition of the 'turn back' command (vv.8, 11, 12) — the insistence drives the structural point.

δήpleaseemphatic/hortatory particle→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.δή: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

θυγατέρεςdaughtersVocativevocative (tender address, repeated)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.θυγάτηρ: second time (cf. v.11); the repeated 'daughters' frames Naomi's argument with maternal concern.

ὅτιbecausecausal conjunction (giving the reason for the imperative)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ὅτι: causal — 'because I am too old'; the first of three ὅτι clauses in this verse.

ἐγήρακαI have grown oldPerf Act Indic 1 Sg · γηράσκωmain verb of causal clause→ intensive perfect (permanent resulting state: 'I am (now) old')γηράσκω: 'grow old / age'; the perfect ἐγήρακα conveys the state as present and irreversible — 'I have aged (and so I am old)'; renders זָקַנְתִּי.

τοῦtoGenitivearticle with genitive infinitive (purpose / result: 'so as not to be')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.τοῦ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

μὴnotnegative particle (negating the infinitive)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.μὴ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

εἶναιto be / belongPres Act Inf · εἰμίinfinitive of result (τοῦ μὴ εἶναι: 'so as not to be / have')→ present infinitive (stative)εἰμί: the construction τοῦ μὴ εἶναι ἀνδρί = 'so as not to belong to a husband / so as to be without a husband'; εἶναι + dative = 'belong to.'

ἀνδρίto a husbandDativedative of possession (or relation: 'belong to a husband')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἀνήρ: 'husband'; the dative with εἶναι expresses belonging — 'to be a man's [wife]'; the LXX idiom εἶναι ἀνδρί renders לְאִישׁ ('to belong to a husband').

ὅτιeven ifconcessive conjunction (second ὅτι: hypothetical concession 'even if')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ὅτι: here concessive-hypothetical ('even though / even if I said'); renders כִּי ('for / even if').

εἶπαI saidAor Act Indic 1 Sg · λέγωverb of speech (in hypothetical frame: 'even if I were to say')→ constative aorist (hypothetical)λέγω: 'say'; the aorist εἶπα in a hypothetical context: 'even if I said / were to say.'

ὅτιthatcontent conjunction (recitative: introducing what was said)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ὅτι: recitative, introducing the content of εἶπα.

ἔστινthere isPres Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίexistential verb ('there is hope for me')→ present (stative)εἰμί: existential 'there is'; with ὑπόστασις.

μοιfor meDativedative of advantage / possession→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.μοι: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

ὑπόστασιςhope / prospectNominativesubject (of ἔστιν: 'there is hope for me')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ὑπόστασις: lit. 'substance / foundation / standing'; here it renders תִּקְוָה ('hope / expectation'); the LXX often uses ὑπόστασις for hope of a concrete future (cf. Ezek 19:5; 37:11; also Heb 11:1 where it takes on the sense of 'assurance / substance of faith'). In this context it means 'prospect [of remarriage and sons].'

τοῦtoGenitivearticle with genitive infinitive (epexegetical: explaining ὑπόστασις)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.τοῦ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

γενέσθαιbecome / belongAor Mid Inf · γίνομαιgenitive articular infinitive (epexegetical of ὑπόστασις: 'hope = that I should become a man's [wife]')→ aorist infinitive (entry into state)γίνομαι: 'become'; γενέσθαι με ἀνδρί = 'that I should become a man's [wife]' — the same idiom as εἶναι ἀνδρί above but with γίνομαι (entry into state vs. existing state).

μεmeAccusativeaccusative subject of infinitive→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.με: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

ἀνδρίto a husbandDativedative of belonging (with γενέσθαι: 'become a man's wife')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἀνδρί: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

καὶ τέξομαι υἱούς, μὴ αὐτοὺς προσδοκήσετε ἕως οὗ μεγαλυνθῶσιν; μὴ αὐτοὺς κατασχεθήσεσθε τοῦ μὴ γενέσθαι ἀνδρί; μὴ κύριέ μοι, ὅτι ἐξεπικράνθη ἐν ἐμοὶ σφόδρα ὑπὲρ ὑμᾶς, ὅτι ἐξῆλθεν ἐν ἐμοὶ χεὶρ κυρίου.

'…and I bore sons — would you wait for them until they grew up? Would you hold yourselves back for them from belonging to a husband? No, my daughters, for it is very bitter for me on your account, for the hand of the LORD has gone out against me.'

Continuation and climax of argument (hand of LORD against her)καὶ

The double rhetorical question (μή…; μή…;) presses the reductio to its conclusion: even if sons existed, would the women wait decades? Naomi then refuses to transfer blame, instead declaring directly that the hand of the LORD (χεὶρ κυρίου) has gone out against her — the chapter's most theologically charged statement.

Word-by-word analysis· 32 words

καὶandnarrative conjunction (apodosis continuing the hypothetical of v.12)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

τέξομαιI bear / I give birthFut Mid Indic 1 Sg · τίκτωverb in hypothetical apodosis ('even if I bore sons')→ future in hypothetical protasis (potential future)τίκτω: 'give birth / bear'; the future is used in the hypothetical continuation of the impossible scenario begun in v.12.

υἱούςsonsAccusativedirect object (of τέξομαι)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.υἱός: the sons of the hypothetical scenario — the ones the daughters-in-law would have to wait for.

μὴwouldnegative particle introducing rhetorical question (expecting 'no')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.μή: first of two μή questions expecting 'no' — 'Surely you would not wait…?'

αὐτοὺςfor themAccusativeaccusative object (of προσδοκήσετε; fronted for emphasis)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.αὐτός: referring to the hypothetical sons; fronted before the verb for emphasis.

προσδοκήσετεwill you wait for / expectFut Act Indic 2 Pl · προσδοκάωverb of first rhetorical question→ future (interrogative rhetorical, expecting 'no')προσδοκάω: 'wait for / expect / look for'; renders תְּשַׂבֵּרְנָה ('would you wait / hope'); the word suggests patient, hopeful waiting — something Naomi regards as an impossible demand.

ἕωςuntiltemporal conjunction (until they grow up)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἕως: 'until / as long as.'

οὗwhich / whenrelative adverb with ἕως (ἕως οὗ = 'until the time when')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.οὗ: genitive relative forming the idiom ἕως οὗ = 'until / until the time that'; renders עַד אֲשֶׁר.

μεγαλυνθῶσινthey grew upAor Pass Subj 3 Pl · μεγαλύνωsubjunctive in temporal clause (ἕως οὗ + subj.)→ constative aorist subjunctive (hypothetical future maturity)μεγαλύνω: 'make great / grow up'; passive 'be made great' = 'grow up / come of age'; renders יִגְדָּלוּ.

μὴwouldnegative particle introducing second rhetorical question→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.μὴ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

αὐτοὺςfor themAccusativeaccusative object (fronted for emphasis)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.αὐτοὺς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

κατασχεθήσεσθεwould you hold yourselves backFut Pass Indic 2 Pl · κατέχωverb of second rhetorical question (passive: 'be restrained for them')→ future passive (potential)κατέχω: 'hold / restrain'; passive 'be held back / restrain yourself'; renders תֵּעָגֵנָה ('would you be barred / hold back?') — a hapax in Hebrew related to the levirate bind.

τοῦfromGenitivearticle with genitive infinitive (result / purpose: 'so as not to belong to a husband')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.τοῦ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

γενέσθαιto become / belongAor Mid Inf · γίνομαιgenitive articular infinitive (τοῦ μὴ γενέσθαι ἀνδρί: 'from belonging to a husband')→ aorist infinitiveγίνομαι: as in v.12; the same idiom γενέσθαι ἀνδρί — Naomi asks whether they would forego remarriage.

ἀνδρίto a husbandDativedative of belonging (with γενέσθαι)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἀνδρί: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

μὴnonegative exclamation (emphatic refusal: 'No! / Don't!')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.μή: here an emphatic negative, not a question but a strong 'No!' (cf. μή κύριέ μου = 'No, my daughters!'). Renders אַל.

κύριέdaughtersVocativevocative (tender address: 'my daughters')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Note: κύριέ here is an unusual form — Rahlfs prints θυγατέρες μου at this point in some manuscripts. The Rahlfs–Hanhart text reads μὴ κύριέ μοι as Naomi addressing her daughters-in-law ('No, my [daughters]'), but this is a debated crux; some witnesses read θυγατέρες μου ('my daughters') in direct address. The word κύριέ in vocative here is very odd for a human address and may reflect a scribal confusion.

μοιmyDativedative of possession (with address)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.μοι: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

ὅτιfor / becausecausal conjunction (giving the reason for 'no')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ὅτι: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ἐξεπικράνθηit is very bitterAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἐκπικραίνωmain verb of causal clause (impersonal or with understood subject)→ constative aorist passiveἐκπικραίνω: 'make very bitter / embitter completely'; the compound with ἐξ- intensifies πικραίνω ('make bitter'); renders מַר־לִי מְאֹד ('it is exceedingly bitter for me'); the root πικρ- recurs in the name-change to Μαρά (v.20).

ἐνin / forpreposition + dative (experiential / dative of reference: 'for/to me it is bitter')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἐν: here instrumental-experiential, rendering בִּי ('in me / for me').

ἐμοὶmeDativedative of reference / sphere ('it is bitter in/for me')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἐγώ: emphatic first-person dative.

σφόδραvery much / exceedinglyadverb of degree (intensifying ἐξεπικράνθη)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.σφόδρα: 'exceedingly / very much'; renders מְאֹד ('very'); reinforces the superlative bitterness.

ὑπὲρon account of / forpreposition + accusative (causal / representative: 'on your account')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ὑπέρ: here causal, 'on account of / for the sake of you'; renders מִכֶּן ('more than you' in MT, but LXX takes it as 'because of you').

ὑμᾶςyouAccusativeaccusative object of ὑπέρ→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ὑμᾶς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

ὅτιforcausal conjunction (second causal: the deeper theological reason)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ὅτι: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ἐξῆλθενhas gone outAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐξέρχομαιmain verb (divine action against Naomi)→ constative aorist (decisive divine action)ἐξέρχομαι: 'go out'; the idiom 'the hand of the LORD went out against me' (χεὶρ κυρίου ἐξῆλθεν ἐν ἐμοί) is a bold anthropomorphism — divine opposition; renders יָצְאָה בִי יַד יהוה.

ἐνagainstpreposition + dative (hostile sphere: 'against me')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἐν: here adversative, 'against / upon me'; renders בִּי in the idiom יָצְאָה בִי יַד יהוה.

ἐμοὶmeDativedative object of ἐν (adversative)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἐμοὶ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

χεὶρhandNominativesubject (of ἐξῆλθεν: 'the hand of the LORD')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.χείρ: 'hand'; the 'hand of the LORD' (יַד יהוה) is a common OT/LXX idiom for divine power and judgment (cf. Exod 9:3; 1 Sam 7:13; Isa 59:1); here Naomi applies it to her own situation of loss.

κυρίουof the LORDGenitivegenitive of possession (whose hand)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.κύριος: fourth occurrence in ch. 1; here in a context of divine adversity — Naomi attributes her suffering to κύριος, not to chance.

καὶ ἐπῆραν τὴν φωνὴν αὐτῶν καὶ ἔκλαυσαν ἔτι· καὶ κατεφίλησεν Ορφα τὴν πενθερὰν αὐτῆς, Ρουθ δὲ ἐκολλήθη αὐτῇ.

And they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

Narrative turning point (divergence: Orpah departs, Ruth clings)καὶ

The pivotal verse of the chapter: the two daughters-in-law diverge. Ορφα kisses and departs (implicitly); Ρουθ ἐκολλήθη ('clung') — the aorist passive of κολλάω renders the Hebrew דָּבַק ('cleave'), the covenant-bonding word of Gen 2:24 and Deut 10:20. The δέ is adversative: 'but Ruth.'

Word-by-word analysis· 18 words

ἐπῆρανthey lifted upAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἐπαίρωmain verb (idiomatic: raising the voice to weep, as in v.9)→ ingressive aoristἐπαίρω: as v.9; the verbal echo τὴν φωνὴν αὐτῶν repeated verbatim links the two weeping scenes.

φωνὴνvoiceAccusativedirect object (idiomatic: 'raise the voice')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.φωνὴν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

ἔκλαυσανthey weptAor Act Indic 3 Pl · κλαίωmain verb (weeping, echoing v.9)→ constative aoristκλαίω: as v.9.

ἔτιagain / stilladverb of time (indicating repetition: 'again')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἔτι: 'still / again'; the weeping intensifies after Naomi's speech — this is the second bout of tears.

καὶandnarrative conjunction (now narrating the divergence)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

κατεφίλησενkissedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · καταφιλέωmain verb (Orpah's farewell action)→ constative aoristκαταφιλέω: as v.9; Orpah's kiss is a goodbye — after the kiss she is understood to depart (the text does not narrate her walking away, only the kiss).

ΟρφαOrpahindeclinable proper noun, subject of κατεφίλησεν→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Ορφα: named explicitly as subject for the first (and only) time she acts; after this verse she disappears from the narrative.

πενθερὰνmother-in-lawAccusativedirect object (of κατεφίλησεν)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.πενθερά: 'mother-in-law'; renders חֲמוֹתָהּ; the relationship word πενθερά occurs throughout this chapter but is now used as the object of Orpah's kiss — a formal farewell gesture.

ΡουθRuthindeclinable proper noun, subject of ἐκολλήθη→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Ρουθ: now named as subject in the pivot sentence — her name stands at the turning point; from here on she is the protagonist.

δὲbutadversative particle (contrasting Ruth with Orpah)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.δέ: the post-positive adversative marks the contrast — the narrative hinge of the chapter: 'Orpah kissed … but Ruth clung.'

ἐκολλήθηclungAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · κολλάωmain verb (Ruth's decisive act of loyalty)→ constative aorist passive (intensive / resultant: 'attached herself firmly')κολλάω: 'join / cling / cleave'; the passive ἐκολλήθη renders דָּבַק ('cleave / cling') — the word used in Gen 2:24 ('a man shall cleave to his wife') and Deut 10:20 ('you shall cleave to him [the LORD]'). The use of this covenant-bonding word for Ruth's action is surely deliberate: she binds herself to Naomi with the same covenantal intensity. Ruth's act exceeds duty.

αὐτῇto herDativedative of object (of ἐκολλήθη: 'clung to her')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.αὐτή: referring to Naomi — Ruth clung to Naomi.

εἶπεν δὲ Νωεμίν πρὸς Ρουθ Ἰδοὺ ἀπέστρεψεν ἡ σύννυμφός σου πρὸς λαὸν αὐτῆς καὶ πρὸς τοὺς θεοὺς αὐτῆς· ἐπιστράφητι δὴ καὶ σύ ὀπίσω τῆς συννύμφου σου.

And Naomi said to Ruth, 'Look, your sister-in-law has returned to her people and to her gods; return now, you also, after your sister-in-law.'

Direct speech (Naomi's final urging of Ruth to follow Orpah)δὲ

Naomi's argument now turns explicitly to Orpah as a model: she has returned πρὸς λαὸν αὐτῆς καὶ πρὸς τοὺς θεοὺς αὐτῆς — 'to her people and to her gods.' The mention of 'her gods' (τοὺς θεοὺς αὐτῆς) is striking: Naomi acknowledges that following her means embracing Israel's God; this sets up Ruth's counter-declaration in v.16.

Word-by-word analysis· 26 words

δὲand / butconnective particle (transitional; mildly contrastive after Ruth's action)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.δέ: post-positive transitional particle; here the contrast is between Ruth's clinging (v.14) and Naomi's verbal response directing her to follow Orpah.

ΝωεμίνNaomiindeclinable proper noun, subject of εἶπεν→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Νωεμίν: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.πρὸς: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ΡουθRuthindeclinable proper noun, indirect object of speech (addressee)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Ρουθ: addressed directly and by name for the first time; until now the daughters-in-law have been addressed together.

Ἰδοὺlook / beholdattention-marker / interjection→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἰδού: 'look!'; draws attention to Orpah's departure as a model; as in v.2's narrative 'behold,' it marks something notable.

ἀπέστρεψενhas returnedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποστρέφωmain verb (reporting Orpah's departure)→ constative aorist (completed action)ἀποστρέφω: as v.6; 'has turned back' — Orpah's action is cited as precedent for Ruth to follow.

σύννυμφόςsister-in-lawNominativesubject (of ἀπέστρεψεν)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.σύννυμφος: 'co-bride / sister-in-law'; a compound of σύν ('together') + νύμφη ('bride / daughter-in-law'); renders יְבִמְתֵּךְ ('your sister-in-law,' the wife of the brother-in-law, a levirate term); the word indicates the women's shared social position.

σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession ('your sister-in-law')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.σου: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (goal: to her people)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.πρὸς: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

λαὸνpeopleAccusativeaccusative of goal (where Orpah returned)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.λαός: 'people'; Orpah's return is to 'her people' — the Moabite community; this contrasts with Ruth's declaration in v.16 ('your people are my people').

καὶandconnective (second destination)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (second goal: to her gods)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.πρὸς: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

τοὺςtheAccusativearticle→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.τοὺς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

θεοὺςgodsAccusativeaccusative of goal ('to her gods')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.θεός: 'god'; plural — 'her gods' (τοὺς θεοὺς αὐτῆς), the Moabite deities (Chemosh and others); Naomi explicitly names the religious dimension: returning to Moab means returning to its gods. This sets up Ruth's counter-commitment to κύριος in v.16.

ἐπιστράφητιturn backAor Pass Impv 2 Sg · ἐπιστρέφωimperative command (now singular: addressed to Ruth alone)→ constative aorist imperativeἐπιστρέφω: now in the second singular — the command is addressed to Ruth alone; all previous imperatives were plural; this is the final and most personal dismissal.

δὴnowemphatic/hortatory particle→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.δὴ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

καὶalsoadjunctive καί ('you also / even you')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καί: adjunctive use — 'also / even you (like Orpah).'

σύyouNominativeemphatic pronoun (nominative subject, emphasized: 'even you')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.σύ: emphatic pronoun; 'you too, Ruth' — Ruth is invited to follow Orpah's example.

ὀπίσωafter / behindpreposition (adverbial: 'after / following')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ὀπίσω: 'after / in the footsteps of'; renders אַחֲרֵי; the irony: Ruth has been urged to 'follow after' Orpah, but her great declaration in v.16 will say 'wherever you go I will go' — the directional vocabulary is reversed.

τῆςtheGenitivearticle→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.τῆς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

συννύμφουsister-in-lawGenitivegenitive object of ὀπίσω ('follow after your sister-in-law')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.σύννυμφος: as above; Ruth is asked to follow Orpah back to Moab.

σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.σου: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

εἶπεν δὲ Ρουθ Μὴ ἀπαντήσαι μοι τοῦ καταλιπεῖν σε καὶ ἀποστραφῆναι ὄπισθέν σου· ὅτι σὺ ὅπου ἐὰν πορευθῇς πορεύσομαι, καὶ οὗ ἐὰν αὐλισθῇς αὐλισθήσομαι· ὁ λαός σου λαός μου καὶ ὁ θεός σου θεός μου·

But Ruth said, 'Do not urge me to leave you or to turn back from following you; for wherever you go I will go, and wherever you lodge I will lodge; your people are my people, and your God is my God.'

Counter-speech / climax (Ruth's oath of covenant loyalty)δὲ

The theological and literary climax of the chapter: Ruth refuses Naomi's dismissal with a solemn declaration binding herself to Naomi's journey, people, land, death, and God. The ὅτι is not merely causal but confessional — 'for' introduces the ground that makes separation unthinkable. The parallelism of the two destination pairs (πορεύθῇς/πορεύσομαι; αὐλισθῇς/αὐλισθήσομαι) and the two identity claims (λαός/θεός) is poetic and formal.

Word-by-word analysis· 35 words

δὲbutadversative particle (Ruth counters Naomi's command)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.δέ: the δέ is strongly adversative — Ruth's refusal overrides the command.

ΡουθRuthindeclinable proper noun, subject of εἶπεν→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Ρουθ: named as speaker; this is her first speech in the book.

Μὴdo notnegative particle (introducing optative of wish / appeal)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.μή: with optative ἀπαντήσαι forms an appeal / negative wish — 'may it not happen to me that…'; renders אַל־תִּפְגְּעִי־בִי ('do not press me').

ἀπαντήσαιmeet / pressAor Act Opt 3 Sg · ἀπαντάωoptative of wish/appeal (negative wish: 'may it not happen to me that…')→ aorist optativeἀπαντάω: 'meet / encounter'; renders פָּגַע ('press / urge / implore'); here Μὴ ἀπαντήσαι μοι = 'may it not befall me' / 'do not urge me'; the idiom פָּגַע + בְּ means 'to press / implore someone.'

μοιto meDativedative of reference / indirect object→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.μοι: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

τοῦtoGenitivearticle with genitive infinitive (complementing ἀπαντήσαι: 'to leave you')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.τοῦ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

καταλιπεῖνleaveAor Act Inf · καταλείπωgenitive articular infinitive (object of ἀπαντήσαι: 'to leave you')→ aorist infinitive (decisive action)καταλείπω: 'leave behind / abandon'; echoes v.3's κατελείφθη — the word that described Naomi being 'left'; Ruth refuses to inflict on Naomi what death inflicted on her.

σεyouAccusativeaccusative object of καταλιπεῖν→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.σε: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

καὶandconnective (adding second infinitive of refusal)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ἀποστραφῆναιto turn backAor Pass Inf · ἀποστρέφωgenitive articular infinitive (coordinate with καταλιπεῖν: 'or to turn back')→ aorist passive infinitiveἀποστρέφω: the same 'return' word used throughout — Ruth refuses the very action Naomi has been urging.

ὄπισθένfrom behind / away frompreposition + genitive (separation from following)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ὄπισθεν: 'behind / from behind'; with ἀποστραφῆναι = 'to turn away from following you'; renders מֵאַחֲרַיִךְ ('from behind/following you').

σουyouGenitivegenitive object of ὄπισθεν→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.σου: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

ὅτιforcausal/confessional conjunction (introducing the ground of the refusal)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ὅτι: causal-confessional — 'for / because'; the ὅτι introduces the unbreakable reasons why Ruth cannot leave; renders כִּי.

σὺyouNominativeemphatic pronoun (nominative subject, foregrounded: 'you — wherever you go')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.σύ: emphatic 'you'; foregrounded before the conditional relative.

ὅπουwhereverrelative adverb of place (indefinite: 'wherever')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ὅπου: 'where / wherever'; with ἐάν = indefinite 'wherever.'

ἐὰνeverindefinitizing particle (with ὅπου: 'wherever')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἐάν: conditional particle making the relative indefinite ('wherever' rather than 'where').

πορευθῇςyou goAor Pass Subj 2 Sg · πορεύομαιverb in indefinite relative clause (subjunctive with ἐάν)→ aorist subjunctive (indefinite future: whenever/wherever this happens)πορεύομαι: 'go'; subjunctive in the indefinite relative — 'wherever you may go.'

πορεύσομαιI will goFut Mid Indic 1 Sg · πορεύομαιmain verb of apodosis (future promissory: 'I will go')→ future indicative (solemn promise)πορεύομαι: the future is promissory — an oath-commitment; the repetition of the same verb (πορευθῇς / πορεύσομαι) in both protasis and apodosis creates the characteristic parallelism of the oath.

καὶandconnective (introducing second parallel pair)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

οὗwhererelative adverb of place (genitive form: 'where')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.οὗ: genitive relative adverb 'where'; with ἐάν = 'wherever.'

ἐὰνeverindefinitizing particle→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἐὰν: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

αὐλισθῇςyou lodgeAor Pass Subj 2 Sg · αὐλίζομαιverb in indefinite relative clause (subjunctive with ἐάν)→ aorist subjunctive (indefinite future)αὐλίζομαι: 'spend the night / lodge'; renders תָּלִינִי ('you lodge / spend the night'); the word implies temporary lodging — wherever Naomi stops for the night, Ruth will stop.

αὐλισθήσομαιI will lodgeFut Pass Indic 1 Sg · αὐλίζομαιmain verb of apodosis (future promissory)→ future indicative (solemn promise)αὐλίζομαι: parallel to πορεύσομαι — the second pair of the oath; same verb in subjunctive (protasis) and future (apodosis).

λαόςpeopleNominativesubject (of verbless clause: 'your people are my people')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.λαός: 'people'; in the verbless nominal clause ὁ λαός σου λαός μου, Ruth declares her identification with Naomi's people (Israel) — a statement of ethnic and covenantal transfer.

λαόςpeopleNominativepredicate nominative (of verbless clause)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.λαός: 'people'; anarthrous as predicate — 'your people = my people.'

μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession (Ruth's own people = Naomi's)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.μου: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

καὶandconnective (parallel: second identity claim)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

θεόςGodNominativesubject (of second verbless clause: 'your God is my God')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.θεός: 'God'; the singular ὁ θεός in contrast to τοὺς θεούς of v.15 — Ruth switches from 'her (Orpah's) gods' (plural) to 'your (Naomi's) God' (singular); a confession of monotheistic transfer; Ruth chooses κύριος.

σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession ('your God')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.σου: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

θεόςGodNominativepredicate nominative (of second verbless clause: 'your God = my God')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.θεός: anarthrous as predicate — 'my God'; Ruth's confession that Naomi's God (κύριος) is now her own is the theological centre of the book and its most famous verse.

οὗ ἐὰν ἀποθάνῃς ἀποθανοῦμαι κἀκεῖ ταφήσομαι. τάδε ποιήσαι μοι κύριος καὶ τάδε προσθείη, ὅτι θάνατος διαστελεῖ ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ σοῦ.

'Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD do so to me and more besides, for death alone shall separate me from you.'

Continuation of oath (death-binding + divine self-imprecation)οὗ ἐὰν

The oath climaxes with death: Ruth binds herself to Naomi even beyond life (ὅπου ἀποθάνῃς ἀποθανοῦμαι). The self-imprecation τάδε ποιήσαι μοι κύριος καὶ τάδε προσθείη is the standard biblical oath formula (cf. 1 Sam 3:17; 2 Sam 3:9), invoking κύριος as guarantor. Only death (θάνατος) will separate them.

Word-by-word analysis· 21 words

οὗwhererelative adverb of place (indefinite with ἐάν: 'wherever')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.οὗ: as in v.16; continuing the series of parallel conditional-relative pairs.

ἀποθάνῃςyou dieAor Act Subj 2 Sg · ἀποθνῄσκωverb in indefinite relative clause (subjunctive with ἐάν)→ aorist subjunctive (indefinite future: whenever/wherever death comes)ἀποθνῄσκω: 'die'; subjunctive in the indefinite relative — 'wherever you die.'

ἀποθανοῦμαιI will dieFut Mid Indic 1 Sg · ἀποθνῄσκωmain verb of apodosis (future promissory: 'I will die there')→ future indicative (solemn promise)ἀποθνῄσκω: same verb in both clauses (ἀποθάνῃς / ἀποθανοῦμαι), continuing the parallelism; renders תָּמוּתִי ('you die') / אָמוּת ('I die'). This is Ruth's most radical declaration — binding herself even to Naomi's death.

κἀκεῖand thereadverb of place (crasis: καὶ ἐκεῖ; 'and there')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.κἀκεῖ: crasis of καὶ + ἐκεῖ; 'and in that very place'; Ruth will be buried where Naomi dies — in the covenant land, not Moab.

ταφήσομαιI will be buriedFut Pass Indic 1 Sg · θάπτωmain verb (future passive: burial promise)→ future passive (solemn promise)θάπτω: 'bury'; the burial promise is the deepest commitment — it means Ruth will not return to Moab even in death; she identifies fully with Naomi's people, land, and God for eternity.

τάδεthus / these thingsAccusativedemonstrative pronoun, accusative (object of ποιήσαι: 'may the LORD do these things to me')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ὅδε: 'this / such'; τάδε (neuter plural accusative) is the standard LXX rendering of כֹּה in the oath formula כֹּה יַעֲשֶׂה לִי יהוה ('thus may the LORD do to me'); the pronoun refers to unnamed evils the swearer calls down on herself if she breaks the oath.

ποιήσαιmay he doAor Act Opt 3 Sg · ποιέωoptative of wish / imprecation (self-curse invoking the LORD)→ aorist optative (prayer / imprecation)ποιέω: 'do'; optative of imprecation — as in v.8's blessing-optative, but here inverted: Ruth calls down divine judgment on herself if she breaks the oath; the formula τάδε ποιήσαι μοι κύριος καὶ τάδε προσθείη recurs in identical form in 1 Sam 3:17; 14:44; 20:13; 2 Sam 3:9, 35.

μοιto meDativedative of disadvantage (self-imprecation: punishment falls on Ruth if she defaults)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.μοι: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

κύριοςLORDNominativesubject (divine agent of the imprecation)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.κύριος: fifth occurrence in ch. 1; the LORD is now Ruth's God (per v.16) and the guarantor of her oath — she invokes the deity she has just claimed as her own.

καὶandconnective (adding the intensifying element of the formula)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

τάδεyet moreAccusativedemonstrative pronoun (object of προσθείη: 'and add yet more')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ὅδε: 'these things'; in the formula, the second τάδε refers to additional, unnamed punishments beyond the first; renders כֹּה יֹסֵף ('so may he add').

προσθείηmay he addAor Act Opt 3 Sg · προστίθημιoptative of wish / imprecation (intensifying the self-curse)→ aorist optative (imprecation)προστίθημι: 'add / append'; 'may he add to it' — the formula stacks up additional (unspecified) consequences; renders יֹסֵף ('may he add').

ὅτιfor / exceptcausal/exceptive conjunction (stating what alone could separate them)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ὅτι: here limiting/exceptive ('for only / except that'); renders כִּי ('for'); introduces the one thing that will separate them.

θάνατοςdeathNominativesubject (only death will separate them)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.θάνατος: 'death'; ὁ θάνατος as subject makes death the sole exception — and even death is more limitation than release; the oath has already neutralized death's power to separate by promising joint burial.

διαστελεῖwill separateFut Act Indic 3 Sg · διαστέλλωmain verb of ὅτι clause (what death will do)→ future indicative (what alone will part them)διαστέλλω: 'set apart / separate / distinguish'; renders יַפְרִיד ('separate / part'); only death can separate Ruth from Naomi — and even that is minimized by the burial vow.

ἀνὰbetweenpreposition in distributive idiom (ἀνὰ μέσον: 'in the midst / between')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἀνά: distributive preposition; ἀνὰ μέσον + genitive = 'between'; renders בֵּין ('between').

μέσονmiddle / betweenAccusativeaccusative in prepositional idiom (ἀνὰ μέσον = 'between')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.μέσος: 'middle'; in the phrase ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ σοῦ = 'between me and you.'

ἐμοῦmeGenitivegenitive object of ἀνὰ μέσον (first party: Ruth)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἐγώ: emphatic first-person genitive.

καὶandconnective (joining the two parties)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

σοῦyouGenitivegenitive object of ἀνὰ μέσον (second party: Naomi)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.σύ: second singular; 'between me and you.'

ἰδοῦσα δὲ Νωεμίν ὅτι κραταιοῦται αὐτὴ τοῦ πορεύεσθαι μετ᾿ αὐτῆς, ἐκόπασεν τοῦ λαλῆσαι αὐτῇ ἔτι.

And when Naomi saw that she was resolved to go with her, she ceased speaking to her further.

Narrative closure (Naomi falls silent before Ruth's resolve)δὲ

Naomi's silence (ἐκόπασεν τοῦ λαλῆσαι) is eloquent: the argument has been won not by persuasion but by Ruth's unshakeable resolve (κραταιοῦται — 'she is strong / resolved'). The aorist of the main verb contrasts with the present κραταιοῦται, which vividly depicts Ruth's ongoing determination.

Word-by-word analysis· 15 words

ἰδοῦσαseeing / when she sawAor Act Ptc Nom Sg Fem · ὁράωcircumstantial participle (temporal/causal: 'when/because Naomi saw')→ constative aorist participle (antecedent to main verb)ὁράω: 'see'; the circumstantial aorist participle precedes the main verb in time — Naomi 'saw' Ruth's determination and then fell silent.

δὲand / buttransitional particle→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.δέ: marking transition.

ΝωεμίνNaomiindeclinable proper noun, subject of both participle and main verb→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Νωεμίν: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ὅτιthatcontent conjunction (introducing what Naomi saw)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ὅτι: recitative-content — introduces the content of ἰδοῦσα ('she saw that…').

κραταιοῦταιshe is resolved / determinedPres Mid/Pass Indic 3 Sg · κραταιόωverb of content clause (present: Ruth's ongoing determined state)→ progressive present (Ruth is in the midst of her determination)κραταιόω: 'strengthen / make strong'; middle/passive 'be strong / resolve'; renders מִתְאַמֶּצֶת ('was determined / strengthened herself'); the present tense gives a vivid, in-progress sense — Naomi observes Ruth's resolve as an ongoing reality, not a past decision.

αὐτὴsheNominativeintensive/resumptive pronoun (subject of κραταιοῦται: Ruth)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.αὐτή: intensive 'she herself'; emphasizes Ruth's personal, individual resolve.

τοῦtoGenitivearticle with genitive infinitive (complementing κραταιοῦται: what her resolve is to do)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.τοῦ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

πορεύεσθαιto goPres Mid Inf · πορεύομαιgenitive articular infinitive (complementary: 'resolved to go')→ present infinitive (ongoing action: to keep going)πορεύομαι: 'go'; the present infinitive marks the continuing nature of the journey — resolved to go on going with her.

αὐτῆςherGenitivegenitive object of μετά (Naomi)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.αὐτῆς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

ἐκόπασενshe ceasedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · κοπάζωmain verb (Naomi stops speaking)→ ingressive/constative aorist (she stopped)κοπάζω: 'cease / abate / grow weary'; renders וַתֶּחְדַּל ('she ceased'); the word is often used of storms abating (cf. Jon 1:11); here it vividly captures Naomi's argument running out of force before Ruth's determination.

τοῦfromGenitivearticle with genitive infinitive (complementary: what she ceased doing)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.τοῦ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

λαλῆσαιspeakingAor Act Inf · λαλέωgenitive articular infinitive (complementary of cessation: 'ceased speaking')→ aorist infinitiveλαλέω: 'speak / talk'; ἐκόπασεν τοῦ λαλῆσαι = 'she ceased from speaking'; her silence is the narrator's way of conceding Ruth's victory.

αὐτῇto herDativedative of indirect object (she stopped speaking to Ruth)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.αὐτῇ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

ἔτιany longer / furtheradverb of time (cessation: 'no longer / any more')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἔτι: 'still / yet / any longer'; with negative cessation verbs, ἔτι means 'any longer'; renders עוֹד ('again / further').

ἐπορεύθησαν δὲ ἀμφότεραι ἕως τοῦ παραγενέσθαι αὐτὰς εἰς Βαιθλεεμ. καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς εἰσῆλθον εἰς Βαιθλεεμ, καὶ ἐξήχησεν πᾶσα ἡ πόλις ἐπ᾿ αὐταῖς λέγουσαι Αὕτη ἐστὶν Νωεμίν;

And the two of them went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass when they entered Bethlehem that the whole city was stirred because of them, saying, 'Is this Naomi?'

Narrative transition (arrival in Bethlehem; communal recognition scene)δὲ

The travel summary ἐπορεύθησαν ἀμφότεραι ('both went') treats Ruth and Naomi as a unit. The arrival formula καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς εἰσῆλθον echoes the opening ἐγένετο (v.1) — a structural bookend. The city's stunned question ('Is this Naomi?') introduces the name-reflection of vv.20–21.

Word-by-word analysis· 26 words

ἐπορεύθησανthey wentAor Pass Indic 3 Pl · πορεύομαιmain verb (journey summary)→ constative aorist (completing the journey)πορεύομαι: 'go / travel'; the aorist summarizes the journey — the narrative jumps from the moment of resolve to the arrival without depicting the travel itself.

δὲandtransitional particle→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.δὲ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ἀμφότεραιbothNominativenominative subject (both women together)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἀμφότεραι: 'both (feminine)'; now Ruth and Naomi are ἀμφότεραι — the same word used for the two dead sons in v.5, but now of a surviving pair moving toward life.

ἕωςuntilconjunction (temporal: 'until they arrived')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἕως: 'until'; with τοῦ παραγενέσθαι = 'until their arriving' (articular infinitive).

τοῦtheirGenitivearticle with genitive infinitive (ἕως τοῦ + inf.: 'until arriving')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.τοῦ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

παραγενέσθαιcome / arriveAor Mid Inf · παραγίνομαιgenitive articular infinitive (temporal terminus: 'until they arrived')→ aorist infinitiveπαραγίνομαι: 'arrive / come to'; renders בֹּאָנָה ('their coming'); the arrival at Bethlehem is the telos of the whole journey.

αὐτὰςthemAccusativeaccusative subject of infinitive→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.αὐτὰς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

εἰςtopreposition + accusative (goal of arrival)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.εἰς: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ΒαιθλεεμBethlehemindeclinable proper noun, accusative of goal→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Βαιθλεεμ: the 'house of bread' where they left (vv.1–2) — now the bread has returned and so has Naomi; the narrative circle closes.

ἐγένετοit came to passAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · γίνομαιframing formula (καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς + temporal clause)→ constative aoristγίνομαι: the ἐγένετο formula as in v.1 — here καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς εἰσῆλθον ('and it came to pass when they entered'), the same narrative opening device; the bookend of ἐγένετο frames the whole chapter.

ὡςwhentemporal conjunction ('when / as')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ὡς: temporal 'when'; with aorist indicative; renders כְּ + infinitive.

εἰσῆλθονthey enteredAor Act Indic 3 Pl · εἰσέρχομαιverb of temporal clause (their entrance into the city)→ constative aoristεἰσέρχομαι: 'enter / come into'; the first entrance into the city triggers the communal response.

εἰςintopreposition + accusative (goal: into Bethlehem)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.εἰς: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ΒαιθλεεμBethlehemindeclinable proper noun, accusative of goal (repeated for emphasis)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Βαιθλεεμ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

καὶandnarrative conjunction (apodosis)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ἐξήχησενwas stirred / buzzedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐξηχέωmain verb of the apodosis (city's reaction)→ ingressive aorist (city erupts in reaction)ἐξηχέω: 'ring out / sound loudly / be stirred up'; renders וַתֵּהֹם ('and it was stirred / buzzed'); the word is onomatopoeic — the city 'rang out' / 'buzzed' with excitement; used of a tumultuous crowd-sound (cf. 1 Sam 4:5 LXX of a great shout).

πᾶσαall / wholeNominativenominative subject (predicate adjective: 'the whole city')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.πᾶς: 'all / whole'; πᾶσα ἡ πόλις = 'the whole city'; the universal scope emphasizes the impact of the return.

πόλιςcityNominativesubject (of ἐξήχησεν)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.πόλις: 'city / town'; the same city is Bethlehem, known from v.1 as the origin — its community will play a role in the legal proceedings of ch. 4.

ἐπ᾿because of / overpreposition + dative (causal or referential: 'on account of them')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἐπί (+ dat.): here causal-referential 'on account of / concerning them.'

αὐταῖςthemDativedative object of ἐπί→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.αὐταῖς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

λέγουσαιsayingPres Act Ptc Nom Pl Fem · λέγωcircumstantial participle (manner / content: 'saying')→ progressive present participle (ongoing communal speech)λέγω: 'say'; the nominative plural feminine agrees with the collective πᾶσα ἡ πόλις, personified as women speaking — the recognition scene is female-communal.

ΑὕτηthisNominativedemonstrative pronoun (subject of recognition question: 'Is this…?')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.αὕτη: 'this one (woman)'; the pointing question — they recognize someone but cannot believe it is really she.

ἐστὶνisPres Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίmain verb (recognition question: identity)→ present (equative)εἰμί: equative 'is'; the question of identity is the question of the whole chapter — is this really the woman who left full?

ΝωεμίνNaomiindeclinable proper noun, predicate nominative (of recognition question)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Νωεμίν: the name 'Naomi' (= 'pleasantness') is spoken by the townswomen — and will be immediately rejected by Naomi herself in v.20.

καὶ εἶπεν αὐταῖς Μὴ δὴ καλεῖτέ με Νωεμίν· καλέσατέ με Μαρά, ὅτι ἐπικράνθη ἐν ἐμοὶ ὁ ἱκανὸς σφόδρα.

And she said to them, 'Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.'

Direct speech (Naomi's self-renaming / lament)καὶ

Naomi enacts a symbolic self-renaming: from Νωεμίν ('pleasantness') to Μαρά ('bitterness'). The name-change is a lament statement — she does not literally rename herself but protests her condition. ὁ ἱκανός ('the Sufficient / Almighty') renders שַׁדַּי (El Shaddai) — the divine name of patriarchal contexts; the LXX thus flags the theological register.

Word-by-word analysis· 18 words

αὐταῖςto themDativedative of indirect object (addressing the townswomen)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.αὐταῖς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

Μὴdo notnegative particle (with present imperative: 'stop calling')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.μή + present imperative: prohibition of an ongoing action — 'stop calling me Naomi (pleasantness).'

δὴpleaseemphatic/hortatory particle→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.δή: here intensifies the prohibition — 'do not please call me…'

καλεῖτέcallPres Act Impv 2 Pl · καλέωprohibited verb (present imperative with μή: 'stop calling')→ present imperative with μή (cessation of ongoing action)καλέω: 'call / name'; present imperative prohibited by μή = 'cease calling me by this name.'

μεmeAccusativeaccusative object (of καλεῖτε)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.με: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

ΝωεμίνNaomiindeclinable proper noun, accusative predicate (the name to be abandoned)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Νωεμίν: 'pleasantness / sweetness'; the name she rejects as no longer fitting her experience.

καλέσατέcallAor Act Impv 2 Pl · καλέωimperative command (aorist: decisive new naming)→ constative aorist imperative (command to enact)καλέω: now the aorist imperative — a positive command to adopt the new name immediately and decisively; the shift from present (stop doing) to aorist (start doing) is intentional.

μεmeAccusativeaccusative object→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.με: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

ΜαράMaraindeclinable proper noun, accusative predicate (the new name: 'bitterness')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Μαρά: transliteration of מָרָא ('bitterness'); the wordplay with Νωεμίν (= נָעִים, 'pleasant') is exact — pleasant vs. bitter; the LXX preserves the name as a transliteration rather than translating it (the Greek reader must be told the meaning).

ὅτιfor / becausecausal conjunction (explaining the name-change)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ὅτι: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ἐπικράνθηhas dealt bitterlyAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἐπικραίνωmain verb of causal clause (divine bitter dealing)→ constative aorist passiveἐπικραίνω: 'embitter / deal bitterly with'; note the parallel with ἐξεπικράνθη in v.13 — the same root; now in the context of the divine name ὁ ἱκανός. The passive 'was embittered' or 'has dealt bitterly' — the subject is ὁ ἱκανός.

ἐνin / againstpreposition + dative (sphere / reference: 'in/against me')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἐν: as in v.13; the Hebraizing ἐν ἐμοί = בִּי ('in me / against me').

ἐμοὶmeDativedative of sphere / reference→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἐμοὶ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

ὁtheNominativearticle (with divine title)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ὁ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

ἱκανὸςAlmighty / SufficientNominativesubject (divine title: 'the Almighty')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἱκανός: 'sufficient / adequate / able'; LXX renders שַׁדַּי (El Shaddai) as ὁ ἱκανός or ὁ παντοκράτωρ; here ἱκανός ('the Sufficient One / the Almighty') highlights God's sovereign capacity — the same God who is sufficient to bless is the one who has afflicted. This divine name occurs in patriarchal narrative contexts (Gen 17:1; 28:3) and Job — the LXX's rendering flags the lament register.

σφόδραexceedingly / veryadverb of degree→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.σφόδρα: 'very / exceedingly'; intensifier, as in v.13; the bitterness is superlative.

ἐγὼ πλήρης ἐπορεύθην, καὶ κενὴν ἀπέστρεψέν με κύριος· καὶ ἵνα τί καλεῖτέ με Νωεμίν; καὶ κύριος ἐταπείνωσέν με καὶ ὁ ἱκανὸς ἐκάκωσέν με.

'I went out full, and the LORD has brought me back empty. Why then do you call me Naomi? For the LORD has humbled me and the Almighty has dealt evilly with me.'

Continuation of lament (full / empty antithesis; divine agency stated twice)ἐγὼ

The πλήρης / κενή ('full / empty') antithesis is the chapter's central metaphor — and theologically loaded: the Bethlehem of 'bread' that once could not feed them now has bread, but Naomi returns empty of family. The double statement of divine agency (κύριος … ὁ ἱκανός) makes the lament formally complete and echoes v.13.

Word-by-word analysis· 23 words

ἐγὼINominativeemphatic nominative subject (foregrounded: 'I, for my part')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἐγώ: emphatic first-person pronoun; foregrounded before the predicate to stress Naomi's personal testimony — 'I went out full.'

πλήρηςfullNominativepredicate adjective (with ἐπορεύθην: 'I went out full')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.πλήρης: 'full / complete'; renders מְלֵאָה ('full'); the fullness was of family (husband and sons) — she left wealthy in relationships.

ἐπορεύθηνI wentAor Pass Indic 1 Sg · πορεύομαιmain verb (narrative of her departure from Bethlehem)→ constative aoristπορεύομαι: 'go'; the aorist recalls the journey of v.1 — the same departure, now narrated from Naomi's perspective.

καὶandadversative-narrative conjunction (antithesis: full vs. empty)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καί: here adversative in effect — 'and [yet] empty the LORD brought me back.'

κενὴνemptyAccusativepredicate accusative (object complement of ἀπέστρεψέν με: 'brought me back empty')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.κενός: 'empty / void'; accusative object complement agreeing with με; renders רֵיקָם ('empty-handed / empty'); the antithesis πλήρης → κενή is the chapter's dramatic heart.

ἀπέστρεψένbrought backAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποστρέφωmain verb (divine action: God as the agent of return)→ constative aoristἀποστρέφω: 'turn back / return'; the same 'return' verb of vv.6, 8, 15, now with κύριος as the causative subject — God himself 'turned her back' empty; divine agency in both departure and return.

μεmeAccusativeaccusative direct object→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.με: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

κύριοςLORDNominativesubject (of ἀπέστρεψέν: the LORD as agent of the return)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.κύριος: sixth and seventh occurrences in ch. 1 (here and in the next clause); the repeated divine name makes clear that Naomi attributes her situation entirely to God's sovereign action.

καὶandinterrogative καί ('and why then? / so why?')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ἵναwhyinterrogative conjunction (ἵνα τί = 'why?' as in v.11)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἵνα τί: as v.11; the same Hebraistic idiom 'why / for what purpose?'; renders לָמָּה.

καλεῖτέdo you callPres Act Indic 2 Pl · καλέωverb of rhetorical question (present: ongoing calling)→ progressive presentκαλέω: as v.20; the same verb repeated — the rhetorical question reinforces the name-change of v.20.

ΝωεμίνNaomiindeclinable proper noun, predicate accusative (the name she refuses)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Νωεμίν: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

καὶand / forcausal-connective καί (giving the reason for not calling her Naomi)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

κύριοςLORDNominativesubject (first divine agent in the double statement)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.κύριος: repeated for the seventh time; with ἐταπείνωσέν the relationship is explicit divine humiliation.

ἐταπείνωσένhas humbled / afflictedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ταπεινόωmain verb (first divine action: humbling)→ constative aoristταπεινόω: 'humble / afflict / bring low'; renders עָנָה ('afflict / humble'); the word is used in Deut 8:2–3 of God humbling Israel in the wilderness — Naomi places herself in the same theological tradition of God-willed humiliation.

καὶandconnective (parallel divine agent)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ἱκανὸςAlmightyNominativesubject (second divine agent: ὁ ἱκανός = Shaddai, as in v.20)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἱκανός: as v.20; the double attribution (κύριος … ὁ ἱκανός) reinforces the completeness of the lament — both the covenant name and the patriarchal title are invoked.

ἐκάκωσένdealt evilly / afflictedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · κακόωmain verb (second divine action: causing evil / affliction)→ constative aoristκακόω: 'do evil to / afflict / harm'; renders הֵרַע ('did evil / dealt badly'); the verb is blunt — God 'did evil' to her (from her perspective of suffering); the LXX does not soften the complaint.

καὶ ἐπέστρεψεν Νωεμίν, καὶ Ρουθ ἡ Μωαβῖτις ἡ νύμφη αὐτῆς μετ᾿ αὐτῆς, ἐπιστρέψασα ἐξ ἀγροῦ Μωαβ· αὐτοὶ δὲ παρεγένοντο εἰς Βαιθλεεμ ἐν ἀρχῇ θερισμοῦ κριθῶν.

And Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, with her, who had returned from the field of Moab; and they arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.

Narrative closure / chapter frame (return confirmed; scene set for ch. 2)καὶ

The closing verse is the narrative summation: it confirms the return of both women, explicitly labels Ruth as ἡ Μωαβῖτις ('the Moabite'), and closes the chapter with the hopeful temporal notice ἐν ἀρχῇ θερισμοῦ κριθῶν ('at the beginning of the barley harvest') — the very circumstance that will enable Ruth to glean in ch. 2.

Word-by-word analysis· 25 words

ἐπέστρεψενreturnedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐπιστρέφωmain verb (summary of the return)→ constative aoristἐπιστρέφω: the chapter's dominant verb of return used one final time as summary; the word has been used for Orpah's return to Moab (v.15), Naomi's return to Judah, and now as the chapter's closing statement of completed return.

ΝωεμίνNaomiindeclinable proper noun, subject of ἐπέστρεψεν→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Νωεμίν: despite her protest of v.20–21, the narrator continues to use the name Νωεμίν (not Μαρά) — the narrative withholds the new name, perhaps signaling that the story's resolution will restore 'pleasantness.'

καὶandconnective (adding Ruth as co-subject)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.καὶ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ΡουθRuthindeclinable proper noun, co-subject of ἐπέστρεψεν / παρεγένοντο→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Ρουθ: the protagonist's name, now definitively placed alongside Naomi.

ἡtheNominativearticle (with ethnic designation)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἡ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

ΜωαβῖτιςMoabiteNominativenominative in apposition (ethnic gentilic: 'the Moabite')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Μωαβῖτις: 'Moabite woman'; this ethnic label frames the chapter's close and will recur at 2:2, 21; 4:5, 10 — each time as an identifying mark of her otherness that the narrative progressively overcomes through ḥesed.

ἡtheNominativearticle (with relational noun)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἡ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

νύμφηdaughter-in-lawNominativenominative in apposition (relational identification)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.νύμφη: 'daughter-in-law'; as throughout ch. 1; the double apposition (ἡ Μωαβῖτις ἡ νύμφη αὐτῆς) defines Ruth at the chapter's close by both her ethnic identity and her relational bond to Naomi.

αὐτῆςherGenitivegenitive of possession ('her daughter-in-law')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.αὐτῆς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

αὐτῆςherGenitivegenitive object of μετά→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.αὐτῆς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this chapter.

ἐπιστρέψασαhaving returnedAor Act Ptc Nom Sg Fem · ἐπιστρέφωcircumstantial participle (concessive/descriptive: 'who had returned from Moab')→ constative aorist participle (antecedent return)ἐπιστρέφω: the participle applied to Ruth — she 'having returned from the field of Moab'; the participial phrase anchors her to the return-journey and marks her as a voluntary migrant, not a captive.

ἐξfrompreposition + genitive (ablative: point of departure)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἐξ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ἀγροῦfieldGenitivegenitive of separation (point of departure: the field of Moab)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἀγρός: as vv.1–2, 6–7; the phrase ἐξ ἀγροῦ Μωαβ echoes the opening of the chapter (ἐν ἀγρῷ Μωαβ, v.1) — the closing verse deliberately echoes the opening, creating an inclusion.

ΜωαβMoabindeclinable proper noun, genitive of place→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Μωαβ: final occurrence in ch. 1; the chapter began and ends with this name as the territory of exile and loss.

αὐτοὶtheyNominativeintensive/resumptive pronoun (emphatic subject: 'they themselves')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.αὐτοί: resumptive — 'they themselves (and no other)'; the masculine plural may reflect a grammatical default for the pair; emphasizes the joint arrival.

δὲand / nowtransitional particle (resumptive: continuing the narrative)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.δὲ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

παρεγένοντοarrivedAor Mid Indic 3 Pl · παραγίνομαιmain verb (confirmed arrival: the narrative closes)→ constative aoristπαραγίνομαι: 'arrive / come to'; the same verb as in v.19 (παραγενέσθαι) — here as a finite verb confirming what v.19 described as a temporal clause; the narrative now rests at Bethlehem.

ΒαιθλεεμBethlehemindeclinable proper noun, accusative of goal (final destination)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.Βαιθλεεμ: the name appears for the fifth and final time in this chapter; the city of bread is the point of return and the stage for the story of redemption.

ἐνatpreposition + dative (temporal: 'at the beginning of')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἐν: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.

ἀρχῇbeginningDativedative of time ('at the beginning of the barley harvest')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.ἀρχή: 'beginning'; ἐν ἀρχῇ θερισμοῦ κριθῶν = 'at the beginning of the barley harvest'; the precise agricultural timing (March–April in Palestine) sets the stage for Ruth's gleaning in ch. 2 and the book's movement from desolation to abundance.

θερισμοῦharvestGenitivegenitive of kind (what harvest: 'of barley')→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.θερισμός: 'reaping / harvest'; renders קָצִיר ('harvest season'); this is the harvest that Naomi heard about in v.6 (ἐπέσκεπται κύριος … δοῦναι αὐτοῖς ἄρτους) — the divine provision that drew her home.

κριθῶνof barleyGenitivegenitive of content / specification (what is harvested)→ The prologue of the book: a Bethlehemite family flees famine for Moab and is progressively stripped of every member except Naomi, who returns home empty — but with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose oath of covenant loyalty (vv.16–17) is the theological hinge on which the whole narrative turns.κριθή: 'barley'; renders שְׂעֹרִים; barley harvest precedes wheat harvest; the closing note is quietly hopeful — famine is over, harvest has begun, and two women stand on the threshold of the redemption the rest of the book will narrate.

The Book of Ruth, Chapter 1ΡΟΥΘ Α′

Theme

Translation & textual notes