"They started weeping loudly all over again" (NJB)

"then they renewed their audible weeping" (Berkley)

"they sobbed aloud and wept;" (NAB)

The Septuagint (LXX) uses a verb that means to cry with a loud voice. There comes a place in our following after God, where it comes down to doing. Ruth and Orpah were both feeling the same feelings but Ruth did differently than Orpah. Applying Ruth's decisive action for God's people and thus for God one notes that in Christianity some are content with feeling Christian feelings, with feeling a love for God, with feeling a love for His Word, with feeling a love for His people. But the decisive question is will you be doers of the word? We are all thankful that God did not just feel His love for us? Instead "God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son." (Jn 3:16)

Ruth showed her feeling of love by her willingness to make a "costly commitment" especially when one realizes that she had not yet "read" the next three chapters! Her action is an excellent OT example of faith which Hebrews "defines" as

the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (see note Hebrews 11:1) and goes on to add that "without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a Rewarder of those who seek Him. (see note Hebrews 11:6)

AND ORPAH KISSED HER MOTHER IN LAW:

"Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye" (NLT, NET, NAB, AMP)

Kissed (5401) (nashaq) means to kiss mouth to mouth or  to be attached and the Greek Septuagint verb adds the interesting nuance of kissing one tenderly, with caressing and as a sign of special affection (the same verb was used by the Greek Septuagint in (Ruth 1:9).

Alexander Maclaren writes that...

Orpah as she goes back to her home and her gods. She is the first in the sad series of those, 'not far from the kingdom of God'' (Mark 12:34) who needed but a little more resolution at the critical moment, and, for want of it, shut themselves out from the covenant, and sank back to a world which they had half renounced. So these two lonely widows are left, each seeking to sacrifice herself for the other. Who shall decide which was the more noble and truly womanly in her self-forgetfulness,--the elder, sadder heart, which strove to secure for the other some joy and fellowship at the price of its own deepened solitude; or the younger, which steeled itself against entreaties, and cast away friends and country for love's sweet sake? We rightly praise Ruth's vow, but we should not forget Naomi's unselfish pleading to be left to tread her weary path alone

Matthew Henry referring to Orpah's apparent resolution to do but failure to do so says

Strong passions, without a settled judgment, commonly produce weak resolutions

What is the application to saints today?  It is probably unfair to Orpah to be too critical of her action and to misjudge her motives for kissing Naomi goodbye. The Greek verb certainly suggests a tenderness and therefore a heartfelt sincerity in her action. Nevertheless, by way of application, it should be noted that a kiss of outward profession can be an an act that appears sincere (Mt 26:48, 49 Lk 22:47, 48), but the practical cleaving to the Lord, which must show itself in decisive decision for truth and holiness, is not so small a matter. Is your heart fixed upon Jesus (Col 3:1, 2, He 12:1, 2- see notes Col 3:1; 3:2; He 12:1;  2) and the sacrifice bound with cords to the horns of the altar (Ps 118:7- Spurgeon's Note on Ps 118:7)? Have you counted the cost, and are you solemnly ready to suffer all worldly loss for the Master’s sake (Lk 14:28; 14:33, Mk 8:34, 35, 36, 37)? The gain will be an abundant recompense, for Egypt’s treasures are not to be compared with the glory to be revealed (cf Moses - He 11:24, 25, 26, 27 - see notes He 11:24;  25, 26, 27).

What happened to Orpah? The Living Bible says she "returned to her childhood home" and the TEV says she "went back home," both of which are certainly plausible but neither of which is clearly stated in the Hebrew or Greek Septuagint texts. So the most reliable answer is that we don’t know what happened to Orpah and that is where the commentary should cease. Men however often concoct fantastic stories to explain what they don’t know. For example, Jewish tradition says this request of Naomi came four miles outside of Moab; and that Orpah shed only four tears and the thought of parting from her mother-in-law Naomi. The rabbis go on to say that in recompense for the four miles that she went with Naomi, Orpah gave birth to four sons - Goliath and his three brothers! Fruitless, foolish speculation.

BUT RUTH CLEAVED ("clave" KJV):

Ruth would not be parted from her (BBE)

Ruth held on to her (CEV)

Ruth insisted on staying with Naomi (NLT)

Ruth held on to her tightly (GWT)

Ruth hugged her tightly (NET)

Note the phrase "but Ruth", which draws a contrast so vivid that one can easily imagine themselves as a quiet observer standing nearby as this poignant, life-changing drama unfolds.

Cleaved (1692) (dabaq) is found about 53x in the OT (click for verses) and which means to stick to, adhere to, stay in close proximity to and which yields the noun form for "glue". 

It is interesting that one of the most concentrated uses of "dabaq" in the OT is found in this short story of Ruth (Ru 1:14, 2:8, 2:21, 23-see notes Ru 1:14; 2:8; 21; 23)

Dabaq often refers to physical things sticking to each other, especially parts of the body as described vividly by Job who said

"My bone clings to my skin and my flesh, and I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth" (Job 19:20, cf one's tongue "stuck to their palate" Job 29:10). 

God speaking through Moses warned Israel to

"choose life in order that you may live...by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast (dabaq) to Him" going on to explain that one should cling to Jehovah because "this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them." (Dt 30:19, 20)

King Hezekiah heeded this instruction and

"clung to the LORD; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the LORD had commanded Moses." and the result of his clinging was that "Jehovah was with him; wherever he went he prospered." (2Ki 18:6 18:7, cf : Ps 63:8)

A vivid picture of the meaning of dabaq is found in David's declaration

"I will set no worthless thing before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not fasten its grip on me." (Ps 101:3), picturing the power of sin to entrap the sinner. (Spurgeon on Ps 101:3)

Dabaq also conveys the ideas of loyalty and devotion as in the first use of dabaq where "a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh" (Ge 2:24) which also emphasizes the basic meaning of being intimately joined to another and of being identified with one another, even as Ruth was now committing to be "identified" no longer with the Moabites but primarily with Naomi, her people and her God.

As alluded to earlier, this idea of leaving former affections and loyalties and shifting them to Jehovah is found numerous times in Deuteronomy, as for example in (Dt 10:20) where Moses instructs Israel that they are to "fear the LORD your God; you shall serve Him and cling to Him, and you shall swear by His name". In this verse we also see that reverential awe (fear) of God is in part manifest by one cleaving closely to Him. This truth gives us some insight into Ruth's cleaving to Naomi and ultimately to Naomi's God. (cf Dt 11:22 23, 13:4 Josh 23::8 contrast Josh 23:12 Dt 13:17)

The Septuagint (LXX) translates "but Ruth cleaved to her" as "but Ruth followed her" where the  verb followed is the Greek verb akoloutheo (190) (from "a" = expressing union or likeness + keleuthos = way, road) which literally pictures one (in this case Ruth) going in the same way or walking the same road and so to follow or accompany someone (in this case Naomi) who takes the lead. The first use of akoloutheo in the NT is instructive, Matthew writing that Peter and Andrew, upon hearing Jesus' call

"Follow Me!" (Mt 4:19), "immediately left the nets, and followed (akoloutheo) Him." (Mt 4:20)

In a similar way Ruth left her friends, family, familiar culture and foreign gods and followed Naomi even in face of Naomi's discouragement to do so! What great faith "Ruth the Moabitess" manifested.

Do I have the faith and willingness to commit to follow Jesus Who taught that

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow (akoloutheo) Me. For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's shall save it."  (Mk 8:34, 35)

Naomi’s well-being was Ruth's first concern, though that involved emigration from her homeland, leaving her parents who were still living (Ru 2:11-note), and settling among strangers. From this point on Naomi’s people would be her people, though Ruth had no certainty that she would find acceptance.

MacDonald has nicely summarized this dramatic scene describing

"the different attitudes of the three widows: Naomi was a grieving widow, stripped of the earthly joys of husband and family by divine judgment. Orpah , having soberly considered the words of her mother-in-law, proved to be a leaving widow, choosing the easiest and most convenient course. But Ruth was a cleaving widow, clinging to Naomi in spite of the latter’s discouragements. When Ruth chose a new life with Naomi, she knew that it wouldn’t be easy. There was hard work and poverty ahead since they were without a male provider. There was separation from home and loved ones, too." (MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. Believer's Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. Nashville: Thomas Nelson)

Wiersbe succinctly describes the scene as...

"Naomi was trying to cover up; Orpah had given up, but Ruth was prepared to stand up!"

><>><>><>

From Our Daily Bread...

THE first girl I ever kissed in public was named Ruth. Several hundred people watched as the Zeeland High School junior play reached the romantic moment between the leading man and woman. After the performance this comment filtered back to me from someone in the audience:

"That was rather a cool kiss."

The biblical book of Ruth, however, is anything but cool. The love and loyalty Ruth displayed for her mother-in-law, Naomi, bathes the story with warmth and tenderness. And the beauty of this Old Testament narrative is all the more striking set against the background of the time of the judges when moral debris clut­tered the landscape of Israel's early life in Canaan.

Ruth's love for her mother-in-law is only part of this love story, however. Boaz, Naomi's relative, exercises his right as kinsman-redeemer and takes Ruth to be his wife (Ruth 3-4). He brings into focus our Redeemer, Jesus, who purchases us with His blood, takes us into His family, and surrounds us with His unfailing love.

As objects of Christ's redeeming love, we sinners should never be reserved about expressing our love to Him. May it never be said of us in our relationship to Jesus that our love is cold and mechanical.- DJD (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

Both of them had an affection for Naomi, and therefore set out with her upon her return to the land of Judah. But the hour of test came; Naomi most unselfishly set before each of them the trials which awaited them, and bade them if they cared for ease and comfort to return to their Moabitish friends. At first both of them declared that they would cast in their lot with the Lord’s people; but upon still further consideration Orpah with much grief and a respectful kiss left her mother in law, and her people, and her God, and went back to her idolatrous friends, while Ruth with all her heart gave herself up to the God of her mother in law. It is one thing to love the ways of the Lord when all is fair, and quite another to cleave to them under all discouragements and difficulties. The kiss of outward profession is very cheap and easy, but the practical cleaving to the Lord, which must show itself in holy decision for truth and holiness, is not so small a matter.

How stands the case with us, is our heart fixed upon Jesus, is the sacrifice bound with cords to the horns of the altar? Have we counted the cost, and are we solemnly ready to suffer all worldly loss for the Master’s sake? The after gain will be an abundant recompense, for Egypt’s treasures are not to be compared with the glory to be revealed.