Ruth 1
1NOW when the Judges ruled, there was a famine in the land, and a man went from Bethlehem Juda to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.
2The man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife’s name was Noemin, and the names of his two sons, Maalon and Chelaion. They were Ephrathites of Bethlehem Juda. They went to the country of Moab,
3and while they were there, Elimelech, the husband of Noemin, died, and she was left with her two sons.
4And they took for themselves wives of the daughters of Moab, the name of the one was Orpha, and the name of the other Ruth. And when they had dwelt there about ten years,
5both Maalon and Chelaion died, so that the woman was bereaved of her husband, and her two sons.
6Whereupon she arose with her two daughters-in-law, and set out on her return from the country of Moab; for she had heard, in the country of Moab, that the Lord had visited His people in giving them bread.
7So she set out from the place where she was with her two daughters-in-law.
8And when they had travelled some part of the way on their return to the land of Juda, Noemin said to her two daughters-in-law, Go, I pray you, return each to her mother’s house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have done with the dead, and with me.
9The Lord grant, that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband. So she kissed them, and they wept aloud,
10and said to her, We will go back with thee to thy people.
11But Noemin said, Return, I pray you, my daughters! for why should you go with me? Have I yet any more sons in my womb to be husbands for you?
12Return, I pray you, my daughters! For I am too old to have a husband—for should I say, I am in condition to marry, and should I bear sons,
13would you wait for them till they grow up; or should you be restrained by them from having husbands? No, my daughters. Indeed it grieveth me much for your sakes, that the hand of the Lord hath gone forth against me.
14And when they had raised their voice, and wept again, Orpha kissed her mother-in-law, and returned to her people; but Ruth followed her.
15Then Noemin said to Ruth: Behold thy sister-in-law is gone back to her people, and to her gods, return thou also, I pray thee, after thy sister-in-law.
16Whereupon Ruth said, Force me not to leave thee, nor to return from following thee; for whither soever thou goest, I will go; and wherever thou lodgest, I will lodge. Thy people shall be my people; and thy God, my God;
17and wherever thou diest, I will die, and there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me and more also, if any thing but death shall part me and thee.
18And when Noemin saw that she was steadfastly determined to go with her, she refrained from speaking to her anymore.
19So they both proceeded on till they came to Bethlehem. And when they arrived at Bethlehem, all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Noemin?
20But she said to them, Call me not, I pray you, “Noemin.” Call me, “Bitter”: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.
21I went out full; but the Lord hath brought me back empty. Why therefore do you call me Noemin, seeing the Lord hath brought me low, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?
22Thus Noemin returned, with Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law; and having returned from the country of Moab, they came to Bethlehem, at the beginning of the barley harvest.