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¹ And it came to pass when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land: and a man went from Bethleem Juda to sojourn in the land of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. ² And the man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife’s name Noemin, and the names of his two sons Maalon and Chelaion, Ephrathites of Bethleem of Juda: and they came to the land of Moab, and remained there. ³ And Elimelech the husband of Noemin died; and she was left, and her two sons. ⁴ And they took to themselves wives, women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpha, and the name of the second Ruth; and they dwelt there about ten years. ⁵ And both Maalon and Chelaion died also; and the woman was left of her husband and her two sons.

⁶ And she rose up and her two daughters-in-law, and they returned out of the country of Moab, for she heard in the country of Moab that the Lord had visited his people to give them bread. ⁷ And she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her: and they went by the way to return to the land of Juda. ⁸ And Noemin said to her daughter-in-law, Go now, return each to the house of her mother: the Lord deal mercifully 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: and she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept. ¹⁰ And they said to her, We will return with thee to thy people. ¹¹ And Noemin said, Return now, my daughters; and why do ye go with me? have I yet sons in my womb to be your husbands? ¹² Turn now, my daughters, for I am too old to be married: for I said, Suppose I were married, and should bear sons; ¹³ would ye wait for them till they should be grown? or would ye refrain from being married for their sakes? Not so, my daughters; for I am grieved for you, that the hand of the Lord has gone forth against me. ¹⁴ And they lifted up their voice, and wept again; and Orpha kissed her mother-in-law and returned to her people; but Ruth followed her. ¹⁵ And Noemin said to Ruth, Behold, thy sister-in-law has returned to her people and to her gods; turn now thou also after thy sister-in-law. ¹⁶ And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following thee; for whithersoever thou goest, I will go, and wheresoever thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God. ¹⁷ And wherever thou diest, I will die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if I leave thee, for death only shall divide between me and thee. ¹⁸ And Noemin seeing that she was determined to go with her, ceased to speak to her any more.

¹⁹ And they went both of them until they came to Bethleem: and it came to pass, when they arrived at Bethleem, that all the city rang with them, and they said, Is this Noemin? ²⁰ And she said to them, Nay, do not call me Noemin; call me ‘Bitter,’ for the Mighty One has dealt very bitterly with me. ²¹ I went out full, and the Lord has brought me back empty: and why call ye me Noemin, whereas the Lord has humbled me and the Mighty One has afflicted me? ²² So Noemin and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, returned from the country of Moab; and they came to Bethleem in the beginning of barley harvest.