Holy Bible · King James Version

Ruth 1:16 — Bible (KJV)

“And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:” — read online, free, in the King James Version.

Ruth 1:16“And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:”

Read in context: Ruth chapter 1 (full chapter) · King James Version (public domain)

“Whither thou goest, I will go” — Ruth's vow to her mother-in-law Naomi, a definition of loyalty.

‹ Ruth 1:15Ruth 1:17 ›

Also read in the Tanakh (JPS 1917): Ruth 1:16 → · Why do two versions of this verse exist?

Frequently asked questions

What does Ruth 1:16 mean?

The Moabite Ruth refuses to leave her widowed Israelite mother-in-law, choosing Naomi's people and God as her own. Her loyalty makes her the great-grandmother of King David — and an ancestress of Jesus in Christian genealogy.

What Bible translation is this?

This is the King James Version (1611) — the classic English translation, in the public domain and free to read and quote.

Where can I read this verse in full context?

The complete text is free to read at fourfaiths.com/bible/ruth/1/ — no account, no download, with every chapter of the Bible.

Read the whole book — free

This verse is part of the free FourFaiths library. Open the full reader for search, bookmarks, reading plans and a verse of the day. No account, no tracking — everything runs locally in your browser.

Open in the Bible reader →