Ruth

Ruth 1

1Elimelech driven by famine into Moab dieth there, as do also his sons Mahlon and Chilion, who had married Moabitish wives. 6Naomi the wife of Elimelech prepareth to return, but dissuadeth her daughters in law from going with her; of whom Orpah leaveth her, but Ruth with great constancy accompanieth her. 19They two come to Bethlehem, where the inhabitants flock around with enquiries concerning them.

1NOW it came to pass ^ain the days when the judges ¹ruled, that there ^bwas a famine in the land. And a certain man of ^cBeth-lehem-judah ^dwent to ^*sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.

a Ju. 3; 2.16. b Ge. 12.10; 43.1. Ju. 6.4-6. 2Ki. 8.1. Ps. 33.18,19; 107.34. De. 28.23,24. c Ju. 17.8. d Ps. 120.5. v.4.

2And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, ^eEphrathites of Beth-lehem-judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and ²continued there.

e Ge. 35.19. Mi. 5.2. Ju. 17.7,8; 19.1,2,18. 1Sa. 17.12. 1Ch. 4.4.

3And ^fElimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.

f Ps. 34.19. 2Ki. 4.1.

4And they ^gtook them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was ^hOrpah, and the name of the other ⁱRuth: and they dwelled there about ten years.

g De. 7.3; 23.3. Ne. 13.1. 1Ki. 11.1,2. h v.14. i Mat. 1.5. ch. 2-4.

5And ^jMahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.

j Le. 26.16. De. 32.35,36,39. Ps. 34.19; 89.30-32. Je. 2.19.

6¶Then ^kshe 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 ^lvisited his ^mpeople in giving them bread.

k Ho. 2.6-14; 5.15; 14.1-3. Ps. 73.27,28; 68.5. l Ge. 21.1. Ex. 3.16. 1Sa. 2.21. Lu. 1.68. Ps. 103.8,9. m Mat. 6.11. Pr. 30.8. 1Ti. 6.8. Ps. 132.15.

7Wherefore she ⁿwent 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.

n Ex. 18.27. v.10,14. Pr. 17.17.

8And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, ^oreturn each to her mother's house: ^pthe LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with ^qthe dead, and with me.

o ch. 2.11. Phi. 4.8. p 2Ti. 1.17,18. Ep. 5.22. Col. 3.18. Jos. 2.12,14. Ju. 1.24. q v.5. ch. 2.20.

9The LORD grant you that ye ^rmay find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then ^sshe kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.

r ch. 3.1. Ep. 5.22. s Ge. 29.11; 31.28,55. v.14.

10And they said unto her, Surely we will ^treturn with thee unto thy people.

t Ps. 16.3; 119.63.

11And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, ^uthat they may be your husbands?

u De. 25.5. Ge. 38.11.

12Turn again, my daughters, go your way ; for I am ^vtoo old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, ³if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons;

v 1Ti. 5.9. Ge. 17.17; 18.11,12.

13Would ye ⁴tarry for them till they were grown? would ye ^*stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for ⁵it grieveth me much for your sakes ^wthat the hand of the LORD is gone out against me.

w Job 19.21. Ps. 32.4; 38.2; 39.9,10.

14And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah ^xkissed her mother in law; but Ruth ^y*clave unto her.

x v.9. Ge. 31.28. 1Ki. 19.20. 2Ti. 4.10. Phi. 3.19. He. 10.38. y Pr. 17.17. He. 10.39. Mat. 16.24; 10.37; 19.27,29. 1Ki. 19.20.

15And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: ^zreturn thou after thy sister in law.

z Jos. 24.15. 2Ki. 2.2-6. Lu. 24.28.

16And Ruth ^asaid, ⁶Intreat 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: ^bthy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:

a Ac. 21.13. Mat. 16.23,24. 1Th. 1.6,9. 2Co. 6.14-18. b ch. 2.11,12.

17Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: ^cthe LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.

c 1Sa. 3.17; 14.44; 20.13; 25.22. 2Sa. 3.9,35; 19.13. 1Ki. 2.23; 19.2; 20.10. 2Ki. 6.31. Ga. 2.20. Ac. 11.23.

18When she saw that she ⁷was stedfastly minded to go with her, ^dthen she left speaking unto her.

d Ac. 21.14.

19¶So they two went until they came to ^eBeth-lehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Beth-lehem, that ^fall the city was moved about them, and they said, ^gIs this Naomi?

e v.1,2. Ge. 35.19. Ju. 12.8; 17.7-9. 1Sa. 16.1,4. 2Ch. 11.6. Mi. 5.2. Mat. 2.1,16. Jn. 7.42. f Mat. 21.10. g La. 2.15. Job 2.12.

20And she said unto them, Call me not ⁸Naomi, call me ⁹Mara: for the Almighty hath ^hdealt very bitterly with me.

h He. 12.11. La. 3.1-20. Ps. 73.14; 88.1-18. Job 19; 27.2; 30.

21I went out full, ⁱand the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath ^jtestified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?

i Job 1.21. j Job 10.17; 13.26; 16.8. Mal. 3.5. Ja. 5.3. De. 19.15.

22So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and ^kthey came to Beth-lehem ^lin the beginning of barley harvest.

k Ps. 91.11. Le. 23.10. Ge. 22.14. De. 32.36. 1Co. 10.13. l 2Sa. 21.9. ch. 2.23.