Ruth — Chapter 1

Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. A certain man of Bethlehem Judah went to live in the country of Moab with his wife and his two sons.

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.

Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died; and she was left with her two sons.

They took for themselves wives of the women of Moab. The name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other was Ruth. They lived there about ten years.

Mahlon and Chilion both died, and the woman was bereaved of her two children and of her husband.

Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab how Yahweh had visited his people in giving them food.

She went out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her. They went on the way to return to the land of Judah.

Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go, return each of you to her mother's house. May Yahweh deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead, and with me."

May 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 voices and wept.

They said to her, "No, but we will return with you to your people."

Naomi said, "Return, my daughters. Why would you go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?"

"Return, 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;"

"would you wait for them until they were grown? Would you refrain from having husbands for their sake? No, my daughters, for it is more bitter for me than for you, for the hand of Yahweh has gone out against me."

They lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth stayed with her.

She said, "Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people, and to her god. Return after your sister-in-law."

Ruth said, "Don't urge 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;"

"where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May Yahweh do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me."

When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.

So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. When they had come to Bethlehem, all the city was moved about them, and the women said, "Is this Naomi?"

She said to them, "Don't call me Naomi. Call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me."

"I went out full, and Yahweh has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since Yahweh has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?"

So Naomi returned, and with her Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, from the country of Moab. They came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.