| 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. |
