THE BOOK OF
RUTH
Ruth 1 ©
Elimelech removes, by reason of the famine, from Bethlehem unto the land of the Moabites, and dies there, v. 1, etc. His two sons marry Moabitish wives, and die likewise, 4. Naomi, widow of Elimelech, hearing that the famine ceased, travels with her two daughters in law, Orpah and Ruth, towards Bethlehem, 6. Naomi exhorts both her daughters in law to return back to their own country, 8. Orpah is persuaded, and returns to her country, but Ruth will by no means forsake Naomi, 14. So both come to Bethlehem, 19.
NOW it came to pass in the days when the 1judges ruled, that there was a famine in the 2land. And a certain man of 3Beth-lehem-judah went to sojourn in the 4country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife 5Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, 6Ephrathites of Beth-lehem-judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and 7continued there.
And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.
And they took them wives of the 8women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years.
And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and 9the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.
¶Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return 10from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the LORD had 11visited his people in giving them 12bread.
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 13return unto the land of Judah.
And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her 14mother’s house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the 15dead, and with me.
The LORD grant you that ye may find 16rest, each of you in the house of her 17husband. Then she 18kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.
And they said unto her, Surely we will 19return with thee unto thy people.
And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my 20womb, that they may be your 21husbands?
Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too 22old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an 23husband also to night, and should also bear sons;
Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having 24husbands? nay, my daughters; for 25it grieveth me much for your sakes that the 26hand of the LORD is gone out against me.
And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her 27mother in law; but Ruth 28clavea unto her.
And 29she said, Behold, thy 30sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto 31her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.
And Ruth said, Intreat 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: 32thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: 33the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.
When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.
¶So they two went until they came to Beth-lehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Beth-lehem, that all the city was moved about them, and 34they said, Is this Naomi?
And she said unto them, Call me not 35Naomi, call me 36Mara: for the 37Almighty hath dealt 38very bitterly with me.
I went out 39full, and the LORD hath brought me home again 40empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath 41testified against me, and the Almighty hath 42afflicted me?
So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which 43returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Beth-lehem in the beginning of barley harvest.