John Gill Commentary Ruth 1:20

"And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara; for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me." — Ruth 1:20 (ASV)

And she said, call me not Naomi, call me Mara
The one signifying "prosperity", according to Josephus ^F13 , and the other "grief"; but he is not always correct in his interpretation of Hebrew words, or to be depended on; by this indeed her different states are well enough expressed, and he rightly observes, that she might more justly be called the one than the other; but the words signify, the one "sweet" and pleasant, and the other "bitter", see (Exodus 15:23) , and the reason she gives confirms it:

for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me ;
had wrote bitter things against her, brought bitter afflictions on her, which were very disagreeable to the flesh, as the loss of her husband, her children, and her substance; see (Lamentations 3:15Lamentations 3:19) .

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FOOTNOTES:

• F13: Antiqu. l. 5. c. 9. sect. 2.