1
Now it came to pass in the days[H3117] when the judges[H8199]ruled[H8199], that there was a famine[H7458] in the land[H776]. And a certain man[H376] of Bethlehemjudah[H1035]went[H3212] to sojourn[H1481] in the country[H7704] of Moab[H4124], he, and his wife[H802], and his two[H8147]sons[H1121].
2
And the name[H8034] of the man[H376] was Elimelech[H458], and the name[H8034] of his wife[H802]Naomi[H5281], and the name[H8034] of his two[H8147]sons[H1121]Mahlon[H4248] and Chilion[H3630], Ephrathites[H673] of Bethlehemjudah[H1035]. And they came[H935] into the country[H7704] of Moab[H4124], and continued there.
3
And Elimelech[H458] Naomi's husband[H376]died[H4191]; and she was left[H7604], and her two[H8147]sons[H1121].
4
And they took[H5375] them wives[H802] of the women[H802] of Moab[H4125]; the name[H8034] of the one[H259] was Orpah[H6204], and the name[H8034] of the other[H8145]Ruth[H7327]: and they dwelled[H3427] there about ten[H6235]years[H8141].
5
And Mahlon[H4248] and Chilion[H3630]died[H4191] also both[H8147] of them; and the woman[H802] was left[H7604] of her two[H8147]sons[H3206] and her husband[H376].
6
Then she arose[H6965] with her daughters in law[H3618], that she might return[H7725] from the country[H7704] of Moab[H4124]: for she had heard[H8085] in the country[H7704] of Moab[H4124] how that the LORD[H3068] had visited[H6485] his people[H5971] in giving[H5414] them bread[H3899].
7
Wherefore she went[H3212]forth[H3318] out of the place[H4725] where she was, and her two[H8147] daughters in law[H3618] with her; and they went[H3212] on the way[H1870] to return[H7725] unto the land[H776] of Judah[H3063].
8
And Naomi[H5281]said[H559] unto her two[H8147] daughters in law[H3618], Go[H3212], return[H7725]each[H802] to her mother's house[H1004]: the LORD[H3068]deal[H6213]kindly[H2617] with you, as ye have dealt[H6213] with the dead[H4191], and with me.
9
The LORD[H3068]grant[H5414] you that ye may find[H4672]rest[H4496], each[H802] of you in the house[H1004] of her husband[H376]. Then she kissed[H5401] them; and they lifted up[H5375] their voice[H6963], and wept[H1058].
10
And they said[H559] unto her, Surely we will return[H7725] with thee unto thy people[H5971].
11
And Naomi[H5281]said[H559], Turn again[H7725], my daughters[H1323]: why will ye go[H3212] with me? are there yet any more sons[H1121] in my womb[H4578], that they may be your husbands?[H582]
12
Turn again[H7725], my daughters[H1323], go[H3212] your way; for I am too old[H2204] to have[H3426] an husband[H376]. If I should say[H559], I have[H3426]hope[H8615], if I should have[H3426] an husband[H376] also to night[H3915], and should also bear[H3205]sons[H1121];
13
Would ye tarry[H7663] for them[H3860] till they were grown?[H1431] would ye stay[H5702] for them[H3860] from having husbands?[H376] nay, my daughters[H1323]; for it grieveth[H4843] me much[H3966] for your sakes that the hand[H3027] of the LORD[H3068] is gone out[H3318] against me.
14
And they lifted up[H5375] their voice[H6963], and wept again[H1058]: and Orpah[H6204]kissed[H5401] her mother in law[H2545]; but Ruth[H7327]clave[H1692] unto her.
15
And she said[H559], Behold, thy sister in law[H2994] is gone back[H7725] unto her people[H5971], and unto her gods[H430]: return[H7725] thou after[H310] thy sister in law[H2994].
16
And Ruth[H7327]said[H559], Intreat[H6293] me not to leave[H5800] thee, or to return[H7725] from following after[H310] thee: for whither thou goest[H3212], I will go[H3212]; and where thou lodgest[H3885], I will lodge[H3885]: thy people[H5971] shall be my people[H5971], and thy God[H430] my God[H430]:
17
Where thou diest[H4191], will I die[H4191], and there will I be buried[H6912]: the LORD[H3068]do[H6213] so to me, and more[H3254] also, if ought but death[H4194]part[H6504] thee and me.
18
When she saw[H7200] that she was stedfastly minded[H553] to go[H3212] with her, then she left[H2308]speaking[H1696] unto her.
19
So they two[H8147]went[H3212] until they came[H935] to Bethlehem[H1035]. And it came[H935] to pass, when they were come[H935] to Bethlehem[H1035], that all the city[H5892] was moved[H1949] about them, and they said[H559], Is this Naomi?[H5281]
20
And she said[H559] unto them, Call[H7121] me not Naomi[H5281], call[H7121] me Mara[H4755]: for the Almighty[H7706] hath dealt very[H3966]bitterly[H4843] with me.
21
I went out[H1980]full[H4392], and the LORD[H3068] hath brought me home again[H7725]empty[H7387]: why then call[H7121] ye me Naomi[H5281], seeing the LORD[H3068] hath testified[H6030] against me, and the Almighty[H7706] hath afflicted[H7489] me?
22
So Naomi[H5281]returned[H7725], and Ruth[H7327] the Moabitess[H4125], her daughter in law[H3618], with her, which returned[H7725] out of the country[H7704] of Moab[H4124]: and they came[H935] to Bethlehem[H1035] in the beginning[H8462] of barley[H8184]harvest[H7105].