Hebrew Bible Study
Hebrew Bible Study

Midrash for Ruth 1:13

הֲלָהֵ֣ן ׀ תְּשַׂבֵּ֗רְנָה עַ֚ד אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִגְדָּ֔לוּ הֲלָהֵן֙ תֵּֽעָגֵ֔נָה לְבִלְתִּ֖י הֱי֣וֹת לְאִ֑ישׁ אַ֣ל בְּנֹתַ֗י כִּֽי־מַר־לִ֤י מְאֹד֙ מִכֶּ֔ם כִּֽי־יָצְאָ֥ה בִ֖י יַד־יְהוָֽה׃

would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye shut yourselves off for them and have no husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes, for the hand of the LORD is gone forth against me.’

Ruth Rabbah

“Would you wait for them until they grow? Would you constrain yourselves for them, not to be with a husband? No, my daughters, for I am greatly embittered for you; as the hand of the Lord has emerged against me” (Ruth 1:13).
“Were I to be,” had I already borne sons, or were I to be with a man tonight and would bear sons, “would you wait,” would you sit idly “until they grow”? “Would you constrain yourselves?” Could you sit in forced solitude, “not to be with a husband”? “No [al], my daughters,” woe [alelai] my daughters, “for I am greatly embittered for you,” for your sakes. “As the hand of the Lord has emerged against me,” and my sons and my husband.
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