What does Ruth 1:21 mean?
"I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?" - Ruth 1:21
Ruth 1:21 from the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible reads: "I went out full and the Lord hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?"
This verse comes from the book of Ruth, which is one of the shortest books in the Bible but one of the most profound and beautiful stories of loyalty, love, and God’s providence. The book of Ruth is set during the time of the judges and tells the story of a Moabite woman named Ruth who chooses to remain loyal to her Israelite mother-in-law Naomi, even in the face of great hardship and uncertainty.
In Ruth 1:21, Naomi is speaking to the women of Bethlehem upon her return to her homeland after the deaths of her husband and sons. She experiences deep and bitter grief, and in this verse, she expresses her sense of loss and despair. The verse is a lament, expressing Naomi's deep pain and the perceived abandonment she feels by God. She contrasts her former fullness with her current emptiness and inability to see hope or purpose in her life.
The themes present in this verse are the contrast between fullness and emptiness, the role of God in human suffering, and the questioning of one's identity and destiny. It reflects the universal human experience of grappling with loss, disappointment, and the feeling of being forsaken by God.
The context of the book of Ruth is important for understanding the deeper significance of Naomi's words in Ruth 1:21. Naomi and her family had left Bethlehem and settled in Moab due to a famine in their homeland. Both of Naomi's sons married Moabite women, but tragically, all three of the men died, leaving Naomi and her daughters-in-law widowed and vulnerable. When Naomi decides to return to Bethlehem, Ruth chooses to accompany her, demonstrating her unshakable loyalty and love for her mother-in-law.
Naomi’s words in Ruth 1:21 reveal the depth of her pain and suffering. She feels abandoned and alone, and she struggles to understand why God has allowed such tragedy to befall her. By questioning why the women of Bethlehem still call her “Naomi” (which means pleasant) when she sees herself as anything but, she expresses her profound sense of displacement and disillusionment. She feels that the Lord has been a witness against her, allowing these calamities to befall her, and even believes that the Almighty has afflicted her.
The symbolism in this verse is powerful and multi-layered. The contrast between fullness and emptiness represents more than just Naomi's material circumstances. It also points to the loss of her family and the desolation she carries within her soul. Naomi’s feelings of emptiness convey a sense of spiritual and emotional barrenness. Her questioning of her name and identity signifies her struggle with her sense of purpose and belonging.
Despite the darkness and despair in Naomi’s words, the book of Ruth ultimately carries a message of hope, redemption, and God’s unwavering faithfulness. Later in the story, Ruth's commitment to Naomi leads her to a new life and a new husband, ultimately becoming the great-grandmother of King David. Even in the midst of Naomi’s despair, God is working behind the scenes, weaving together a beautiful tapestry of redemption and restoration.
In conclusion, Ruth 1:21 is a poignant and deeply moving verse that captures the raw anguish and questioning that often accompany profound loss and suffering. It speaks to the universal human experience of grappling with despair and questioning the purpose of our pain. At the same time, it points to the overarching theme of God’s sovereignty, faithfulness, and ability to bring beauty from ashes. Naomi’s story serves as a testament to the transformative power of love, loyalty, and God’s providential care even in the midst of overwhelming hardship.
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Ruth 1:21 Artwork
Ruth 1:21 - "I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?"
"I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?" - Ruth 1:21
Ruth 4:21 - "And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,"
Ruth 2:21 - "And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest."
Ruth 1:14 - "And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her."
Ruth 1:4 - "And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years."
"And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed," - Ruth 4:21
ruth, the loyal daughter
Ruth 1:22 - "So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Beth-lehem in the beginning of barley harvest."
"And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest." - Ruth 2:21
Ruth 1:3 - "And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons."
Ruth 1:16 - "And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:"
Ruth 3:1 - "Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?"
"And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her." - Ruth 1:14
Ruth 1:10 - "And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people."
Matthew 1:5 - "And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;"
"And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years." - Ruth 1:4
Ruth 1:18 - "When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her."
Ruth 1:5 - "And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband."
Ruth 2:1 - "And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz."
Ruth 1:20 - "And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me."
"So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Beth-lehem in the beginning of barley harvest." - Ruth 1:22
Ruth 1:1 - "Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Beth-lehem-judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons."
Ruth 1:17 - "Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me."
Ruth 1:11 - "And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?"
Ruth 1:7 - "Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah."
Ruth 1:9 - "The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept."
Ruth 1:16-17 - "But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.""
Ruth 1:15 - "And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law."
"And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons." - Ruth 1:3