1 It happened in the days when the judges judged, that there was a
famine in the land. A certain man of Bethlehem Judah went to sojourn in the
country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. 2 The name of the man
was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons
Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem Judah. They came into the
country of Moab, and continued there. 3 Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died;
and she was left, and her two sons. 4 They took them wives of the women of
Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they
lived there about ten years. 5 Mahlon and Chilion died both of them; and
the woman was left of her two children and of her husband. 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 Yahweh had visited
his people in giving them bread. 7 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 to the land of Judah. 8 Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, Go,
return each of you to her mother’s house: Yahweh deal kindly with you, as
you have dealt with the dead, and with me. 9 Yahweh grant you that
you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she
kissed them, and they lifted up their voice, and wept. 10 They said to
her, No, but we will return with you to your people. 11 Naomi said, Turn
again, my daughters: why will you go with me? have I yet sons in my
womb, that they may be your husbands? 12 Turn again, my daughters, go your
way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I
should even have a husband tonight, and should also bear sons; 13 would
you therefore wait until they were grown? would you therefore stay
from having husbands? nay, my daughters, for it grieves me much for your
sakes, for the hand of Yahweh is gone forth against me. 14 They lifted up
their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth
joined with her. 15 She said, Behold, your sister-in-law is gone back to
her people, and to her god: return you after your sister-in-law. 16 Ruth
said, “Don’t entreat me to leave you, and to return from following after you,
for where you go, I will go; and where you lodge, I will lodge; your people
shall be my people, and your God my God; 17 where you die, will I die, and
there will I be buried: Yahweh do so to me, and more also, if anything but
death part you and me.” 18 When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to
go with her, she left off speaking to her. 19 So they two went until they
came to Bethlehem. It happened, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all
the city was moved about them, and the women said, Is this Naomi?
20 She said to them, “Don’t call me Naomi, call me Mara; for the Almighty
has dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I went out full, and Yahweh has
brought me home again empty; why do you call me Naomi, seeing Yahweh has
testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?” 22 So Naomi
returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned
out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of
barley harvest.
World English Bible - Public Domain |
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