Ruth 1 · Verse 4

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.
Ruth 1:4, King James Version

Ruth 1:4 in other translations

BSBwho took Moabite women as their wives, one named Orpah and the other named Ruth. And after they had lived in Moab about ten years,
WEBThey took for themselves wives of the women of Moab. The name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other was Ruth. They lived there about ten years.
ASVAnd 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 dwelt there about ten years.
YLTand they take to them wives, Moabitesses: the name of the one is Orpah, and the name of the second Ruth; and they dwell there about ten years.
DARBYAnd they took them Moabitish wives; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the second Ruth: and they abode there about ten years.
BBEAnd they took two women of Moab as their wives: the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth; and they went on living there for about ten years.
WebsterAnd they took to themselves wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelt there about ten years.

What does Ruth 1:4 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 And they took them wives - The Targum very properly observes, that they transgressed the decree of the word of the Lord, and took to themselves strange women.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ruth 1:1-5

Elimelech's care to provide for his family, was not to be blamed; but his removal into the country of Moab could not be justified. And the removal ended in the wasting of his family. It is folly to think of escaping that cross, which, being laid in our way, we ought to take up. Changing our place seldom is mending it. Those who bring young people into bad acquaintance, and take them out of the way of public…

Read the full comment on Ruth 1:1-5 →

Ruth 1:4 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיִּשְׂא֣וּvai.yis.'Uand they tookH5375
לָהֶ֗םla.Hemfor <the> themselves
נָשִׁים֙na.ShimwivesH802
מֹֽאֲבִיּ֔וֹתmo.'a.vi.YotMoabiteH4125
שֵׁ֤םshem[the] name ofH8034
הָֽאַחַת֙ha.'a.Chatthe oneH259
עָרְפָּ֔ה'a.re.Pah[was] OrpahH6204
וְשֵׁ֥םve.Shemand [the] name ofH8034
הַשֵּׁנִ֖יתha.she.Nitthe secondH8145
ר֑וּתRut[was] RuthH7327
וַיֵּ֥שְׁבוּvai.Ye.she.vuand they dweltH3427
שָׁ֖םshamthereH8033
כְּעֶ֥שֶׂרke.'E.serabout tenH6235
שָׁנִֽים\׃sha.NimyearsH8141

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ruth 1:4

  • Matthew 1:5

    And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;

  • Deuteronomy 7:3

    Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.

  • Deuteronomy 23:3

    An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the Lord for ever:

  • 1 Kings 11:1-2

    But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; Of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
they took.The Targum says, "they transgressed the decree of the word of the Lord, and took to them strange women."
wives.
De 7:3; 23:3; 1Ki 11:1,2
Ruth.
Mt 1:5

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Ruth 1:3

    And Elimelech Naomi’s husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.

  • 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.

  • Ruth 1:5

    And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.

Read all of Ruth 1

Ruth 1:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Los cuales tomaron para sí mujeres de Moab, el nombre de la una Orpha, y el nombre de la otra Ruth; y habitaron allí unos diez años.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et ils prirent des femmes moabites: le nom de l’une était Orpa, et le nom de la seconde, Ruth; et ils habitèrent là environ dix ans.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und sie nahmen sich moabitische Weiber: der Name der einen war Orpa, und der Name der anderen Ruth; und sie wohnten daselbst bei zehn Jahren.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Qui acceperunt uxores Moabitidas, quarum una vocabatur Orpha, altera vero Ruth. Manseruntque ibi decem annis,