The Meaning of Ruth 1:16 Explained

Ruth 1:16

KJV: 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:

YLT: And Ruth saith, 'Urge me not to leave thee -- to turn back from after thee; for whither thou goest I go, and where thou lodgest I lodge; thy people is my people, and thy God my God.

Darby: And Ruth said, Do not intreat me to leave thee, 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;

ASV: And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, and 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;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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: 

What does Ruth 1:16 Mean?

Context Summary

Ruth 1:15-22 - Love's Steadfast Choice
This young woman was to be an ancestor of David and in the line of our Lord's descent. Moabite though she was by birth, Ruth was designated for the high honor of introducing a new strain into the Hebrew race, that was to enrich it and through it the world. Indeed, we may almost detect in her noble and beautiful words some anticipation of the Psalms, which have gone singing down the ages. But how stern is the discipline through which those must pass who are called to the highest tasks! The death of her husband in their early married life, the anguish of Naomi, the separation from her own people, the loneliness of a foreign land-these were part of the great price that Ruth paid.
May not something also be said for the mother? It was because of her that Ruth was led to her supreme self-giving. She had never seen a suffering soul bear itself so heroically. She felt that, in the Hebrew faith, there was something which Chemosh had never imparted, to her people; she craved for herself some of the holy radiance that lingered on the worn face of Naomi. More people watch our bearing than we think. Let us attract them to Jesus! [source]

Chapter Summary: Ruth 1

1  Elimelech, driven by famine into Moab, dies there
4  Mahlon and Chilion, having married wives of Moab, die also
6  Naomi, returning homeward
8  dissuades her two daughters-in-law from going with her
14  Orpah leaves her, but Ruth with great constancy accompanies her
19  The two come to Bethlehem, where they are gladly received

What do the individual words in Ruth 1:16 mean?

But said Ruth not Entreat me to leave you [Or [to] turn back from following after you for there wherever you go I will go and wherever you lodge I will lodge Your people [shall be] my people and your God my God
וַתֹּ֤אמֶר רוּת֙ אַל־ תִּפְגְּעִי־ בִ֔י לְעָזְבֵ֖ךְ לָשׁ֣וּב מֵאַחֲרָ֑יִךְ כִּ֠י אֶל־ אֲשֶׁ֨ר תֵּלְכִ֜י אֵלֵ֗ךְ וּבַאֲשֶׁ֤ר תָּלִ֙ינִי֙ אָלִ֔ין עַמֵּ֣ךְ עַמִּ֔י וֵאלֹהַ֖יִךְ אֱלֹהָֽי

וַתֹּ֤אמֶר  But  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
רוּת֙  Ruth 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: רוּת  
Sense: daughter-in-law of Naomi, wife of Boaz, and grandmother of David.
תִּפְגְּעִי־  Entreat 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person feminine singular
Root: פָּגַע  
Sense: to encounter, meet, reach, entreat, make intercession.
בִ֔י  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
לְעָזְבֵ֖ךְ  to  leave  you 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, second person feminine singular
Root: עָזַב 
Sense: to leave, loose, forsake.
לָשׁ֣וּב  [Or  [to]  turn  back 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
מֵאַחֲרָ֑יִךְ  from  following  after  you 
Parse: Preposition-m, second person feminine singular
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
אֲשֶׁ֨ר  wherever 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
תֵּלְכִ֜י  you  go 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person feminine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
אֵלֵ֗ךְ  I  will  go 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
וּבַאֲשֶׁ֤ר  and  wherever 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
תָּלִ֙ינִי֙  you  lodge 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person feminine singular
Root: לוּן 
Sense: to lodge, stop over, pass the night, abide.
אָלִ֔ין  I  will  lodge 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: לוּן 
Sense: to lodge, stop over, pass the night, abide.
עַמֵּ֣ךְ  Your  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person feminine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
עַמִּ֔י  [shall  be]  my  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
וֵאלֹהַ֖יִךְ  and  your  God 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person feminine singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אֱלֹהָֽי  my  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).