18-19 When Naomi saw that Ruth had her heart set on going with her, she gave in. And so the two of them traveled on together to Bethlehem.

When they arrived in Bethlehem the whole town was soon buzzing: “Is this really our Naomi? And after all this time!”

20-21 But she said, “Don’t call me Naomi; call me Bitter. The Strong One has dealt me a bitter blow. I left here full of life, and God has brought me back with nothing but the clothes on my back. Why would you call me Naomi? God certainly doesn’t. The Strong One ruined me.”

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19 So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem.(A) When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred(B) because of them, and the women exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”

20 “Don’t call me Naomi,[a]” she told them. “Call me Mara,[b] because the Almighty[c](C) has made my life very bitter.(D) 21 I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty.(E) Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted[d] me;(F) the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.”

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Footnotes

  1. Ruth 1:20 Naomi means pleasant.
  2. Ruth 1:20 Mara means bitter.
  3. Ruth 1:20 Hebrew Shaddai; also in verse 21
  4. Ruth 1:21 Or has testified against