When courtesy had served its purpose, Naomi tried to make it clear to her daughters-in-law that she wished to return to Bethlehem alone. She was thinking of their best interests as women. Marriage was about the only occupation available to women in those days. Naomi knew there was little likelihood of a foreigner finding a husband in Bethlehem. The better alternative was to return to the place where they had been raised as children. We would expect Naomi to direct Orpah and Ruth to their fathers’