20
She saidוַתֹּאמֶרto them,אֲלֵיהֶן“Do notאַלcallתִּקְרֶאנָהmeלִיNaomi;נָעֳמִיcallקְרֶאןָmeלִיMara,מָרָאforכִּיShaddaiשַׁדַּיhas dealt very bitterlyהֵמַר מְאֹדwith me.לִי
Ruth 1:20
Study it in the app“She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for Shaddai has dealt very bitterly with me.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Ruth 1:20, word by word
- She saidתֹּאמֶרtomer
say
To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.
Where else “tomer” appears- callתִּקְרֶאנָהtikrena
name
To give someone a name.
Where else “tikrena” appears- Naomiנָעֳמִיnaomi
Naomi
Naomi, wife of Elimelech and mother-in-law of Ruth. The name means "pleasant" or "my delight."
Where else “naomi” appears- Maraמָרָאmara
Mara
Mara: the name Naomi asks for herself on returning to Bethlehem. It means "bitter."
Where else “mara” appears- Shaddaiשַׁדַּיshaday
Shaddai, Almighty
"Shaddai": an ancient name of God, above all in Genesis and Job. It is usually translated "Almighty"; the exact origin of the word is not certain.
Where else “shaday” appears- has dealt very bitterlyהֵמַרhemar
embitter
To make someone's life hard, or to weep bitterly.
Where else “hemar” appears- has dealt very bitterlyמְאֹדmeod
very
To a very high degree: the word that adds force to what is said.
Where else “meod” appears
Translation note
“Naomi” means “pleasant” and “Mara” “bitter.” “Shaddai” is a name of God (Genesis 17:1).
The context
19So the two of them went until they came to Bethlehem. And it happened, when they came to Bethlehem, that the whole city was stirred because of them, and they said, “Is this Naomi?”
20 · This verse (above)
21I went away full, and empty YHWH has brought me back. Why do you call me Naomi, when YHWH has testified against me and Shaddai has done me harm?”