RUTH 1:17 Interlinear View

1. Hebrew word
2. Hebrew lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. Gloss
8. CAPS codes
9. OET tags
10. OET word #
1. בַּ,אֲשֶׁר
2. 179493,179494
3. At where
4. -
6. S-R,Tr
7. at,where
8. S
9. Y-1308
10. 124059
1. תָּמוּתִי
2. 179495
3. you will die
4. -
5. 4191
6. V-Vqi2fs
7. you_will_die
8. -
9. Y-1308
10. 124060
1. אָמוּת
2. 179496
3. I will die
4. I'll
5. 4191
6. V-Vqi1cs
7. I_will_die
8. -
9. Y-1308
10. 124061
1. וְ,שָׁם
2. 179497,179498
3. and there
4. -
5. 8033
6. S-C,D
7. and=there
8. -
9. Y-1308
10. 124062
1. אֶקָּבֵר
2. 179499
3. I will be buried
4. buried
5. 6912
6. V-VNi1cs
7. I_will_be_buried
8. -
9. Y-1308
10. 124063
1. כֹּה
2. 179500
3. thus
4. -
5. 3541
6. S-D
7. thus
8. -
9. Y-1308
10. 124064
1. יַעֲשֶׂה
2. 179501
3. may he do
4. -
6. V-Vqi3ms
7. may_he_do
8. -
9. Y-1308
10. 124065
1. יְהוָה
2. 179502
3. YHWH
4. Yahweh
5. 3068
6. S-Np
7. Yahweh
8. -
9. Person=God; Y-1308
10. 124066
1. לִ,י
2. 179503,179504
3. to me
4. -
6. S-R,Sp1cs
7. to=me
8. -
9. Y-1308
10. 124067
1. וְ,כֹה
2. 179505,179506
3. and thus
4. -
5. 3541
6. S-C,D
7. and,thus
8. -
9. Y-1308
10. 124068
1. יֹסִיף
2. 179507
3. may he add
4. -
5. 3254
6. V-Vhi3ms
7. may_he_add
8. -
9. Y-1308
10. 124069
1. כִּי
2. 179508
3. if/because
4. -
6. S-C
7. if/because
8. -
9. Y-1308
10. 124070
1. הַ,מָּוֶת
2. 179509,179510
3. (the) death
4. death
5. 4194
6. S-Td,Ncmsa
7. (the),death
8. -
9. Y-1308
10. 124071
1. יַפְרִיד
2. 179511
3. it will separate
4. separates
5. 6504
6. V-Vhi3ms
7. it_will_separate
8. -
9. Y-1308
10. 124072
1. בֵּינִ,י
2. 179512,179513
3. between me
4. -
5. 996
6. S-R,Sp1cs
7. between,me
8. -
9. Y-1308
10. 124073
1. וּ,בֵינֵ,ךְ
2. 179514,179515,179516
3. and between you
4. -
5. 996
6. S-C,R,Sp2fs
7. and,between,you
8. -
9. Y-1308
10. 124074
2. 179517
3. -
4. -
6. -x-sof-pasuq
8. -
9. -
10. 124075

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 1:6–22: Naomi returned to Bethlehem with Ruth

This section talks about the next main event of the story, which is Naomi’s return to Bethlehem, accompanied by her daughter-in-law, Ruth.

Many scholars agree that verses 1:7–21 describe this event in detail, and that verse 1:22 is the closing verse of this section, which summarizes the event.

However, scholars do not agree about the function of verse 1:6. Some scholars believe that verse 1:6 is a summary introduction. It says that Naomi arose (she and her daughters-in-law) and returned from the region of Moab. Thus, this section begins and ends with a summary description of the main event.NICOT (pages 99–100 ): The common Hebrew idiom qûm plus a verb of motion (šûḇ) also signals the start of the story’s main action: Then she…returned. Structurally, the idiom is a summary-introduction to the following events (vv. 7–21) and forms an inclusio with the chapter’s summary-conclusion (cf. wattāšāḇ, v. 22). Further, it sounds the chapter’s main theme, namely, the return of Naomi.

Some other scholars do not believe that verse 1:6 is a summary introduction. Rather 1:6 describes the first part of the action. It says that she arose (she and her daughters-in-law) and prepared to return from the region of Moab.

The majority of versions follow the second suggestion. However, the first suggestion follows a pattern that is also in some other Hebrew narratives. An event is introduced by a summary statement, and the verses after it describe that event in detail.For example: Genesis 1:1 introduces the creation account of 1:2–31. Genesis 6:7 introduces the flood account of Genesis 6–9. Ruth 1:1–2 introduces the first section in Ruth 1:3–5. See the Note on 1:6b for more information.

Here are some other examples of section headings:

Naomi and Ruth Return to Bethlehem (NIV)

Naomi and Ruth Return (NLT)

Departure from Moab (GW)

Paragraph 1:16–18

Ruth’s answer in verses 16–17 is in the form of parallel lines. Poetry in Hebrew consists of parallel lines. In these verses, the same meaning is stated twice in a similar way. It is recommended that you keep the form of the lines parallel if it is possible.

1:17a

Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried.

Wherever you die, I will stay until I die, and in that place I will be buried.
The place where you die is where I intend to die, and in that place they will bury me.

Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried: Ruth meant that she intended to stay in Israel with Naomi’s people all her life, even after Naomi’s own death. Here are some other ways to translate this verse part:

Wherever you die, I will die, and I will be buried there with you. (GW)

I will die where you die and be buried beside you. (CEV)

1:17b

May the LORD punish me, and ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.”

May Yahweh punish me strongly if anything except death causes me to leave you.”
When one of us dies, then we^(dual/incl) will be separated. But if I leave you for any other reason, may Yahweh punish me very severely.”

May the LORD punish me, and ever so severely: The Hebrew words are more literally “Thus may Yahweh do to me, and thus may he add.” This was a way of making an oath or a solemn promise. The word “thus” refers to the punishment that Yahweh would give the person who did not keep the oath. Many languages have a specific way to indicate that someone is taking an oath.

Here are some other ways to translate this oath:

May the Lord punish me, and do so severely, (CSB)

May the Lord’s worst punishment come upon me (GNT)

May the Lord punish me severely if I do not keep my promise! (NET)

if anything but death separates you and me: There are two ways to interpret this Hebrew sentence:

It means that they will separate from each other only when one of them dies. For example:
May the Lord punish me severely if I do not keep my promise! Only death will be able to separate me from you! (NET) (BSB, ESV, GNT, KJV, NASB, NET, NIV84, NJPS, NLT)
It means that they will not be separated from each other even when they die, because they will be buried in the same place. For example:
May the Lord do so to me and more also if even death parts me from you. (RSV) (CEV, NABRE, NCV, NIV, RSV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). This is followed by many English versions and most commentaries.WBC, NAC, KD, UBS.

Here are some other ways to translate this verse part:

I will stay beside you until death makes us separate. If I ever leave you, the Lord should punish me. (EASY)

May Yahweh punish me severely if I separate from you. I will be separated from you only when one of us dies. (T4T)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-oathformula

כֹּה֩ יַעֲשֶׂ֨ה יְהוָ֥ה לִ⁠י֙ וְ⁠כֹ֣ה יֹסִ֔יף

thus he/it_made/did YHWH to=me and,thus more

Ruth uses this oath formula to show that she is very committed to doing what she says. She calls down a curse on herself, asking God to punish her if she does not do what she has said she would do. In keeping with the custom, she did not express what that punishment would be. Use a natural way in your language to express an oath. Alternate translation: [May Yahweh strike me dead, and may he do more, and may he do even more]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / hyperbole

כִּ֣י הַ⁠מָּ֔וֶת יַפְרִ֖יד בֵּינִ֥⁠י וּ⁠בֵינֵֽ⁠ךְ

that/for/because/then/when (the),death separates between,me and,between,you

This could mean: (1) even death cannot overcome Ruth’s commitment to Naomi. This could be a form of hyperbole or simply a way to restate her commitment to be buried in the same place as Naomi is buried. Alternate translation: [if even death separates us from each other] (2) the only thing that can separate Ruth from Naomi would be the death of one of them. Alternate translation: [if anything other than death separates us from each other] or [if I leave you while you and I are both still alive]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

יַפְרִ֖יד בֵּינִ֥⁠י וּ⁠בֵינֵֽ⁠ךְ

separates between,me and,between,you

This phrase is an idiom that means “separates you and me.” If this phrase does not have that meaning in your language, you could use an idiom from your language that does have this meaning or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [separates the two of us] or [comes between us]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The Hebrew text, lemmas, and morphology are all thanks to the OSHB and some of the glosses are from Macula Hebrew.

OET interlinear RUTH 1:17

Hebrew word order

Section 1:6–22: Naomi returned to Bethlehem with Ruth

Paragraph 1:16–18

1:17a

1:17b

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)