Ruth 1
1 2
3 4
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, 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: 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.
Return to Bible Index Page
|