RUTH 1:19 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) So the two of them travelled on until they reached Beyt-Lehem (Bethlehem). When they entered Beyt-Lehem, the whole town was curious about them, and the women began asking, “Is that Naomi?”

Key: khaki:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

BrLXX Ἐπορεύθησαν δὲ ἀμφότεραι, ἕως τοῦ παραγενέσθαι αὐτὰς εἰς Βηθλεέμ· καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ ἐλθεῖν αὐτὰς εἰς Βηθλεὲμ, καὶ ἤχησε πᾶσα ἡ πόλις ἐπʼ αὐταῖς, καὶ εἶπον, εἰ αὕτη ἐστὶ Νωεμίν;
(Eporeuthaʸsan de amfoterai, heōs tou paragenesthai autas eis Baʸthleʼem; kai egeneto en tōi elthein autas eis Baʸthleem, kai aʸⱪaʸse pasa haʸ polis epʼ autais, kai eipon, ei hautaʸ esti Nōemin; )

BrTr And they went both of them until they came to Bethleem: and it came to pass, when they arrived at Bethleem, that all the city rang with them, and they said, Is this Noemin?

ULT So the two of them traveled until they came to Bethlehem. And it happened, as they were entering Bethlehem, the entire town was agitated on account of them. And the women said, “Is this Naomi?”

UST So the two women continued walking until they came to the town of Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem, many people in the town began talking loudly about them. Many women of the town exclaimed, “It is hard to believe that this is Naomi!”

OEB So they journeyed on until they came to Bethlehem. Their arrival stirred the whole town, and the women said, ‘Can this be Naomi?’

WEBBE So they both went until they came to Bethlehem. When they had come to Bethlehem, all the city was excited about them, and they asked, “Is this Naomi?”

WMBB (Same as above)

NET So the two of them journeyed together until they arrived in Bethlehem.
¶ When they entered Bethlehem, the whole village was excited about their arrival. The women of the village said, “Can this be Naomi?”

LSV and the two of them go until their coming to Beth-Lehem; and it comes to pass at their coming to Beth-Lehem, that all the city is moved at them, and they say, “Is this Naomi?”

FBV So the two of them walked on until they reached Bethlehem. When they arrived there, the whole town got excited. “Is this Naomi?”[fn] the women asked.

1:19 Not that they didn't recognize her, but that she was returning as a widow in poor circumstances.

T4T So the two women continued walking until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived there, everyone in town was excited to see them. The women of the town exclaimed, “◄Can this be Naomi?/It is difficult to believe that this is Naomi!►” [RHQ]

LEB So the two of them went until they came to Bethlehem. _⌊And when they came_⌋[fn] to Bethlehem, all of the town was stirred because of them. And they said, “Is this Naomi?”

1:19 Literally “And it happened at the moment of coming”

BBE So the two of them went on till they came to Beth-lehem. And when they came to Beth-lehem all the town was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?

Moff No Moff RUTH book available

JPS So they two went until they came to Beth-lehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Beth-lehem, that all the city was astir concerning them, and the women said: 'Is this Naomi?'

ASV So they two went until they came to Beth-lehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Beth-lehem, that all the city was moved about them, and the women said, Is this Naomi?

DRA So they went together and came to Bethlehem. And when they were come into the city, the report was quickly spread among all: and the women said: This is that Noemi.

YLT and they go both of them till their coming in to Beth-Lehem; and it cometh to pass at their coming in to Beth-Lehem, that all the city is moved at them, and they say, 'Is this Naomi?'

Drby And they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they came to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and the [women] said, Is this Naomi?

RV So they two went until they came to Beth-lehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Beth-lehem, that all the city was moved about them, and the women said, Is this Naomi?

SLT And they two will go till they came to the house of bread. And it will be as they came to the house of bread, and all the city will be moved at them, and they will say, Is this Naomi?

Wbstr So they two went until they came to Beth-lehem. And it came to pass, when they had come to Beth-lehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?

KJB-1769 ¶ So they two went until they came to Beth-lehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Beth-lehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?

KJB-1611 ¶ So they two went vntill they came to Bethlehem: And it came to passe when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the citie was mooued about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps And so they wet both, vntil they came to Bethlehe: And whe they were come to Bethlehem, it was noysed of them thorow all the citie, and they sayde: Is not this Naomi?
(And so they wet both, until they came to Bethlehe: And when they were come to Bethlehem, it was noised of them through all the city, and they said: Is not this Naomi?)

Gnva So they went both vntill they came to Beth-lehem: and when they were come to Beth-lehem, it was noysed of them through all the citie, and they said, Is not this Naomi?
(So they went both until they came to Beth-lehem: and when they were come to Beth-lehem, it was noised of them through all the city, and they said, Is not this Naomi? )

Cvdl So they wente on both together, till they came vnto Bethleem. And whan they were come in to Bethleem, the whole cite was moued ouer them, and sayde Is not this Naemi?
(So they went on both together, till they came unto Beth-lehem. And when they were come in to Beth-lehem, the whole cite was moved over them, and said Is not this Naomi?)

Wycl And thei yeden forth togidere, and camen in to Bethleem; and whanne thei entriden in to the citee, swift fame roos anentis alle men, and wymmen seiden, This is thilke Noemy.
(And they went forth together, and came in to Beth-lehem; and when they entered in to the city, swift fame rose towards all men, and women said, This is that Noemy.)

Luth Also gingen die beiden miteinander bis sie gen Bethlehem kamen. Und da sie zu Bethlehem einkamen, regte sich die ganze Stadt über ihnen und sprach: Ist das die Naemi?
(So went the both together until they/she/them to/toward Bethlehem came. And there they/she/them to/for Bethlehem einkamen, stirred itself/yourself/themselves the whole/all city above to_them and spoke: Is the the Naemi?)

ClVg profectæque sunt simul, et venerunt in Bethlehem. Quibus urbem ingressis, velox apud cunctos fama percrebruit: dicebantque mulieres: Hæc est illa Noëmi.
(profectæque are at_the_same_time, and they_came in/into/on Bethlehem. To_whom city having_entereds, quick at together fame percrebruit: they_saidque women: This it_is that Noëmi. )

SOTN 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)

1:19a

So Naomi and Ruth traveled until they came to Bethlehem.

¶ Then the two^(dual) of them kept walking until they arrived at Bethlehem.
¶ So, Naomi and Ruth continued to travel/walk, and they arrived at the town of Bethlehem.

So: The Hebrew conjunction that the BSB translates as So introduces the next event in the story. Introduce the next event in a way that is natural in your language.

Naomi and Ruth traveled until they came to Bethlehem: In Hebrew, this clause is more literally “they went on the two of them until they came to Bethlehem.”

If your language uses dual forms, you could use them here.

Here are some other ways to translate this verse part:

So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. (NET)

They went on until they came to Bethlehem. (GNT)

Naomi and Ruth travelled together to Bethlehem. (EASY)

1:19b

When they entered Bethlehem, the whole city was stirred because of them,

When they^(dual/plur) arrived in Bethlehem, people throughout the whole town were excited to see them.
They entered Bethlehem, and all the people in the town were surprised when they saw them.

When they entered Bethlehem: This clause links the previous sentence with the event that happened next.

the whole city was stirred because of them: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as stirred means “excited” or “agitated.” All the people of the town were very surprised to see Naomi return home after many years away.

Here are some other ways to translate this verse part:

the entire town was excited by their arrival (NLT)

When they entered Bethlehem, all the people became very excited. (NCV)

1:19c

and the women of the city exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”

The women asked each other, “Is this really Naomi?”
The women shouted, “Amazing! It is Naomi!”

and: The Hebrew conjunction that the BSB translates as and introduces the next event.

the women of the city exclaimed: Here are some other ways to translate this:

The women who lived there asked (NCV)

and the women said (NRSV)

Can this be Naomi?: This is a rhetorical question. It expresses surprise. The women were surprised that Naomi had come back after she had been gone for many years. There are at least three ways to translate this question to express surprise.

Use a rhetorical question. For example:
Is it really Naomi? (NLT)
Use a statement. For example:
Surely this cannot be Naomi!
Use a statement followed by a tag question. For example:
This can’t be Naomi, can it? (GW)

Some languages may have an idiom or phrase that expresses surprise. For example:

How on earth can this be Naomi?

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-newevent

וַ⁠יְהִ֗י

and=he/it_was

And it happened introduces a new event in the story. Use a word, phrase, or other method in your language that is natural for introducing a new event. Alternate translation: [And it came about]

Note 2 topic: grammar-connect-time-background

כְּ⁠בֹאָ֨⁠נָה֙ בֵּ֣ית לֶ֔חֶם

just,as,they_came house_of food/grain/bread

This phrase provides background information about their arrival to help readers understand what happens next in the story. In your translation, present this information in a way that makes it clear that this is background information. Alternate translation: [while Naomi and Ruth were still walking into Bethlehem]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

כָּל־הָ⁠עִיר֙

all/each/any/every the=city

Here, town represents the people who live there. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression from your language or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [everyone who lived there]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / hyperbole

כָּל־הָ⁠עִיר֙

all/each/any/every the=city

The word entire here is a generalization for emphasis. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a different way to express the emphasis. Many of the residents of the town were excited, but not all of the residents may have been excited by this news. Alternate translation: [most of the residents]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

הֲ⁠זֹ֥את נָעֳמִֽי

[is],this? Nāˊₒmī

The writer is using a rhetorical question to emphasize the reaction of the people to Naomi’s condition upon her return. If you would not use the question form for this purpose in your language, you could translate this as a statement or an exclamation. Because it had been many years since Naomi lived in Bethlehem and now she no longer has her husband and two sons, it is likely that the women were expressing shock that this woman was actually Naomi. Alternate translation: [This must be Naomi, but I do not see her family!]

Parallel RUTH 1:19

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

1:19a

1:19b

1:19c

The Setting of Ruth