Ruth 1:17

Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD punish me, and ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Ruth speaks this vow to Naomi during their journey from Moab to Bethlehem, immediately after refusing Naomi's repeated requests to return to her own family. The statement closes Ruth's declaration of covenantal loyalty.

The words — The phrase כֹּה יַעֲשֶׂה יְהוָה (koh ya‘aseh Yahweh) literally translates to "thus may Yahweh do," serving as a binding oath formula. It places divine judgment directly on the fulfillment of Ruth's pledge.

The thread — This exact oath formula appears in 1 Samuel 3:17, 2 Samuel 19:13, and 1 Kings 2:23, consistently marking moments of irreversible commitment or urgent appeal under divine witness.

Why it lands — The text states that death alone will separate Ruth and Naomi, invoking Yahweh as a severe judge of broken vows. This requires a reader to treat loyalty as an unconditional commitment measured by shared fate rather than convenience.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

בַּאֲשֶׁ֤רba./'a.Sherat/ where תָּמ֙וּתִי֙ta.Mu.tiyou will die אָמ֔וּת'a.MutI will die וְשָׁ֖םve./Shamand/ there אֶקָּבֵ֑ר'e.ka.VerI will be buried כֹּה֩kohthus יַעֲשֶׂ֨הya.'a.Sehmay he do יְהוָ֥הYah.wehYahwehלִי֙l/ito <the>/ meוְכֹ֣הve./Khohand/ thus יֹסִ֔יףyo.Sifmay he add כִּ֣יkiif הַמָּ֔וֶתha./Ma.vet<the>/ death יַפְרִ֖ידyaf.Ridit will separate בֵּינִ֥יbei./Nibetween/ me וּבֵינֵֽךְ׃u./vei.Ne/khand/ between/ you

King James Version

Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.

Cross-references

1 Samuel 3:17 “What was the message He gave you?” Eli asked. “Do not hide it from me. May God punish you, and ever so severely, if you hide from me anything He said to you.”
2 Samuel 19:13 And say to Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my flesh and blood? May God punish me, and ever so severely, if from now on you are not the commander of my army in place of Joab!’”
1 Kings 2:23 Then King Solomon swore by the LORD: “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if Adonijah has not made this request at the expense of his life.
2 Kings 6:31 He announced, “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders through this day!”
1 Samuel 25:22 May God punish David, and ever so severely, if I let one male belonging to Nabal survive until morning.”
1 Kings 20:10 Then Ben-hadad sent another message to Ahab: “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if enough dust remains of Samaria for each of my men to have a handful.”
2 Samuel 3:35 Then all the people came and urged David to eat something while it was still day, but David took an oath, saying, “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets!”
2 Samuel 3:9 May God punish Abner, and ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the LORD has sworn to him:
1 Kings 19:2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I have not made your life like the lives of those you killed!”
Acts 11:23 When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to abide in the Lord with all their hearts.