The Meaning of Ruth 1:12 Explained

Ruth 1:12

KJV: Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons;

YLT: Turn back, my daughters, go, for I am too aged to be to a husband; though I had said, There is for me hope, also, I have been to-night to a husband, and also I have borne sons:

Darby: Return, my daughters, go; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, I have hope, should I even have a husband to-night, and should I also bear sons,

ASV: Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should even have a husband to-night, and should also bear sons;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Turn again,  my daughters,  go  [your way]; for I am too old  to have an husband.  If I should say,  I have  hope,  [if] I should have an husband  also to night,  and should also bear  sons; 

What does Ruth 1:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Ruth 1:1-14 - Back To Bethlehem
It was a mistake for Elimelech and his family to have left Bethlehem; God would have sent them bread. The path became darker and darker. Mahlon means Pining and Chilion Consumption. Three graves in a strange land! All the laughter and hope that had given Naomi her name of Pleasant had turned to sadness; she longed to see the dear village of her childhood and early married life, and to drink the water of the well, 2 Samuel 23:15. It is thus that the banished soul comes back to God. Moab's fascination palls on the taste; its cisterns are broken and will hold no water. See Psalms 63:1-11.
The two younger women climbed the road with Naomi, till they reached the point where the last glimpse could be taken of Moab. There Naomi uttered this remarkable address, urging her daughters to return. It was very thoughtful and tender, and touched chords of bitter memory and deep pathos. But the saddest undertone was not regret for the dead past; it was the feeling that the hand of the Lord had been against her. Nay, dear soul, that hand is already engaged in making all things work together for good. A few more months and your sorrow will be turned into joy, Ruth 4:16. [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 1:12 mean?

Turn back my daughters go for I am too old to have a husband If I should say have I hope also [if] I should have tonight a husband and also should bear sons
שֹׁ֤בְנָה בְנֹתַי֙ לֵ֔כְןָ כִּ֥י זָקַ֖נְתִּי מִהְי֣וֹת לְאִ֑ישׁ כִּ֤י אָמַ֙רְתִּי֙ יֶשׁ־ לִ֣י תִקְוָ֔ה גַּ֣ם הָיִ֤יתִי הַלַּ֙יְלָה֙ לְאִ֔ישׁ וְגַ֖ם יָלַ֥דְתִּי בָנִֽים

שֹׁ֤בְנָה  Turn  back 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, feminine plural
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
בְנֹתַי֙  my  daughters 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: בַּת  
Sense: daughter.
לֵ֔כְןָ  go 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, feminine plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
זָקַ֖נְתִּי  I  am  too  old 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: זָקֵן  
Sense: to be old, become old.
מִהְי֣וֹת  to  have 
Parse: Preposition-m, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לְאִ֑ישׁ  a  husband 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
אָמַ֙רְתִּי֙  I  should  say 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
תִקְוָ֔ה  hope 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: תִּקְוָה 
Sense: cord.
גַּ֣ם  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
הָיִ֤יתִי  [if]  I  should  have 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
הַלַּ֙יְלָה֙  tonight 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: לַיִל 
Sense: night.
לְאִ֔ישׁ  a  husband 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
וְגַ֖ם  and  also 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
יָלַ֥דְתִּי  should  bear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: יָלַד 
Sense: to bear, bring forth, beget, gender, travail.
בָנִֽים  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.

What are the major concepts related to Ruth 1:12?

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