Would you wait for them till they were grown? would you refrain for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieves me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me.
Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at your father’s house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Perhaps he will die also, as his brothers did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house.
Wherever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn to them: and they were greatly distressed.
Turn back, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I would say, I have hope, if I would have a husband also tonight, and would also bear sons;
I went out full, and the LORD has brought me home again empty: why then do you call me Naomi, seeing the LORD has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?
So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to its own place, that it does not kill us, and our people: for there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.