Ruth 1:7

Ruth 1:7

KJV

Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.

(Bible.cc)

Hebrew

7 וַתֵּצֵ֗א (and she departed) מִן־הַמָּקֹום֙ (from the place) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (which) הָיְתָה־שָׁ֔מָּה (she was in) וּשְׁתֵּ֥י (and two) כַלֹּתֶ֖יהָ (daughters in law) עִמָּ֑הּ (her and they) וַתֵּלַ֣כְנָה (went) בַדֶּ֔רֶךְ (on their way) לָשׁ֖וּב (to return) אֶל־אֶ֥רֶץ (to the land) יְהוּדָֽה׃ (of Judah)

(bliblos.com)

Greek Septuagint

7καὶ (and) ἐξῆλθεν (she departed) ἐκ (from) τοῦ (the) τόπου (land) οὗ (where) ἦν (she was) ἐκεῖ (there) καὶ (and) αἱ (the) δύο (two) νύμφαι (daughters in law) αὐτῆς (of her) μετ' (with) αὐτῆς (her) καὶ (and) ἐπορεύοντο (they went) ἐν (in) τῇ (the) ὁδῷ (way) τοῦ (to) ἐπιστρέψαι (turn around and go) εἰς (into) τὴν (the) γῆν (land) ιουδα (of Judah)

(bliblos.com)

Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was

This passage is taking about Naomi.

Naomi had been living in the land of Moab, fleeing from a famine that had plagued the land of Israel. And now she had found out that there was again an abundance of food in the land of Israel, she decides to return that she may dwell among her own people.

And her two daughters in law with her

The daughters in law were Orpah and Ruth who were married to Naomi’s sons who passed away in the land of Moab.

And they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.

The Greek word for “return” - ἐπορεύοντο,  is used very sparingly in the Bible, appearing only 2 times in the New Testament. It doesn’t just mean to return, but a complete turnaround, a change in direction, much like repentance, which indeed this would have been, for the Jews were not permitted to dwell among a foreign nation.

Judah was the fourth son of Jacob born to him by his wife Leah. The name Judah means “Now will I praise Yahweh” although Judah may not have been his full name, just a shortened or abridged version.