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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 Beth-lehem-judah went to dwell 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 Beth-lehem-judah. 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 to themselves wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one [was] Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelt there about ten years.⁵ And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left by 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 from the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah.⁸ And Naomi said to 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 to her, surely we will return with thee to thy people.¹¹ And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? shall I bear more sons, that they may be your husbands?¹² Turn again, my daughters, go [your way]; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, I have hope, [if] I should have a husband also to-night, and should also bear sons;¹³ Would ye wait for them till they should be 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 has gone out against me.¹⁴ And they lifted up their voice, and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law; but Ruth cleaved to her.¹⁵ And she said, Behold, thy sister-in-law hath gone back to her people, and to her gods: return thou after thy sister-in-law.¹⁶ And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, [or] to return from following 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 aught] but death shall part thee and me.¹⁸ When she saw that she was steadfastly resolved to go with her, then she left speaking to her.

¹⁹ So they two went until they came to Beth-lehem. And it came to pass, when they had come to Beth-lehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, [Is] this Naomi?²⁰ And she said to 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, who returned from the country of Moab: and they came to Beth-lehem in the beginning of barley-harvest.