| Chapter 1 |
| 1 | Now it came to pass in the days
when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man
of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and
his two sons. |
|
2 | And 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 Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued
there. |
| 3 |
And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her
two sons. |
| 4
| And 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 dwelled there
about ten years. |
|
5 | And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and
the woman was left of her two sons and 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 the LORD had visited his people
in giving them bread. |
| 7 | Wherefore 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 unto the land of Judah. |
| 8 | And Naomi said unto her two
daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother's house: the LORD deal kindly
with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me. |
| 9 | The LORD grant
you that ye 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 | And they
said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people. |
| 11 | And
Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any
more 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 an husband. If I should
say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also
bear sons; |
| 13
| Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye
stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much
for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me. |
| 14 |
And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in
law; but Ruth clave unto her. |
|
15 | And she said, Behold, thy sister in
law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy
sister in law. |
|
16 | And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to
return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where
thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my
God: |
| 17 |
Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the
LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.
|
| 18 | When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she
left speaking unto her. |
| 19 | So they two went until they came to
Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the
city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi? |
| 20 | And she
said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt
very bitterly with me. |
| 21 | I went out full and the LORD hath brought me
home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified
against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me? |
| 22 | So Naomi
returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned
out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of
barley harvest. |
