Naomi Becomes a Widow
Now it happened 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 sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
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.
And Elimelech Naomi’s husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.
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.
And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.
Ruth’s Loyalty to Naomi
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.
Therefore 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 to the land of Judah.
And Naomi said to her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother’s house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead, and with me.
The LORD grant you that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.
And they said to her, Surely we will return with you to your people.
And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will you go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
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;
Would you wait for them till they were grown? would you stay for them from having husbands? no, my daughters; for it grieves me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me.
And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clung to her.
And she said, Look, your sister in law is gone back to her people, and to her gods: return you after your sister in law.
And Ruth said, Urge me not to leave you, or to return from following after you: for where you go, I will go; and where you lodge, I will lodge: your people shall be my people, and your God my God:
Where you diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part you and me.
When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking to her.
The Return to Bethlehem
So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it happened, when they had come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?
And she said to them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.
I went out full, and the LORD has brought me home again empty: why then call you me Naomi, seeing the LORD has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?
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.