Ruth 1:7 (KJV)

Passage

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.

Nearby Context

Ruth 1:5 And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.

Ruth 1:6 Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread.

Ruth 1:7 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.

Ruth 1:8 And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother’s house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.

Ruth 1:9 The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "wherefore", "went", "forth", "place", "daughters", and "return". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "wherefore" and "went", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 6's "Then she arose with her daughters in..." into verse 8's "And Naomi said unto her two daughters...", so "wherefore" and "went" belong inside that flow. In Ruth context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "wherefore" and "went" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.