Ruth 1:20

Analysis & Commentary

Naomi's response reveals her spiritual state: "Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me." She rejects her given name "Naomi" (Na'omi, נָעֳמִי, "pleasant/lovely") and requests instead "Mara" (Mara, מָרָא, "bitter"). This name change expresses her perception that God has transformed her life from pleasant to bitter. The wordplay is deliberate—her name no longer fits her experience.

Significantly, Naomi attributes her suffering to "the Almighty" (Shaddai, שַׁדַּי), a divine name emphasizing God's power and sovereign control. This title appears frequently in Job, another biblical book wrestling with suffering's theological meaning. By using "Shaddai" rather than the covenant name "Yahweh," Naomi may be emphasizing God's overwhelming power that has crushed her, or simply using the traditional patriarchal name for God that expresses His absolute sovereignty.

The phrase "dealt very bitterly" translates hemar li Shaddai me'od (הֵמַר לִי שַׁדַּי מְאֹד), literally "has made very bitter to me the Almighty." The causative form of marar (מָרַר, to be bitter) indicates God actively caused her bitterness. Naomi doesn't see her suffering as random tragedy but as divine action. While her theology is incomplete (she fails to see God's redemptive purposes already working through Ruth), her honesty about feeling that God has dealt harshly with her represents authentic lament found throughout Psalms and biblical prayer.

Historical Context

Name changes in biblical narrative often signal identity transformation—Abram to Abraham, Jacob to Israel, Saul to Paul. Naomi's request for name change reflects ancient Near Eastern understanding that names express identity and destiny. By requesting "Mara," she declares that her identity has been fundamentally altered by suffering—she is no longer the pleasant woman who left but a bitter widow who returns empty.

The use of "Shaddai" (Almighty) connects Naomi's experience to patriarchal narratives where this divine name appears (Genesis 17:1; 28:3; 35:11; 43:14; 48:3). God introduced Himself as "El Shaddai" to Abraham, emphasizing His power to fulfill promises despite impossible circumstances. Ironically, Naomi invokes this name while feeling that God has failed her, yet the same Almighty power that seemed to destroy her family will restore her line through Ruth's child.

The community's response to Naomi's suffering illustrates ancient Middle Eastern communal grieving practices. Her tragedy would have been shared by the entire village through ritual mourning and practical support. The question "Is this Naomi?" wasn't cruel incredulity but shocked compassion at how drastically suffering had changed her. Her altered appearance testified to genuine grief's physical and emotional toll.

Questions for Reflection

• What does Naomi's honest expression of bitterness teach about the legitimacy of bringing raw emotions to God rather than pretending everything is fine?
• How does Naomi's incomplete theological perspective (seeing only God's affliction, missing His provision through Ruth) warn against interpreting circumstances without patience for God's full story?
• In what ways might suffering legitimately make us feel that God has dealt bitterly with us, and how can we maintain faith while experiencing such feelings?