King James VersionRuth1

Ruth

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.