Naomi

1Now 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.

Long ago, judges ruled Israel. Judges were leaders who settled fights and led the people. In those days the food ran out in the land. A man from Bethlehem, a town in Judah, went to live in Moab for a while. He took his wife and his two sons with him.

2And 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.

The man was named Elimelech. His wife was named Naomi. His two sons were named Mahlon and Chilion. They belonged to the Ephrathite families of Bethlehem in Judah. They came to Moab and made their home there.

3And Elimelech Naomi’s husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.

Then Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died. Naomi was left with her two sons.

4And 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.

The two sons married women from Moab. One was named Orpah. The other was named Ruth. The family lived in Moab about ten years.

5And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.

Then Mahlon and Chilion died too. Naomi was left with no sons and no husband.

6Then 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.

While she was in Moab, Naomi heard good news. The LORD had cared for his people and given them food again. So she got ready to leave Moab and go home. Her two sons' wives got ready to go with her.

7Wherefore 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.

She left the place where she had been living. Her two sons' wives walked with her. They set out on the road back to Judah.

8And 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.

Then Naomi said to the two young women, "Go back. Each of you go to your mother's house. May the LORD be as kind to you as you were to me. You were kind to my sons too, before they died."

9The 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.

"May the LORD give each of you a new husband and a settled home." Then she kissed them both. The two young women cried out loud.

10And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.

They said to her, "No. We will go with you to your people."

11And 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?

But Naomi said, "Go back home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? I have no more sons who could become your husbands."

12Turn 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;

"Go back home, my daughters. Go on. I am too old to have a husband. Suppose I still had hope. Suppose I married tonight and had sons."

13Would 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.

"Would you wait until those boys grew up? Would you stay without husbands that long? No, my daughters. I am very sad for your sake. The LORD's hand has turned against me."

14And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.

They cried out loud again. Then Orpah kissed her husband's mother goodbye. But Ruth held on to her and would not let go.

15And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.

Naomi said, "Look. Your sister-in-law has gone back to her own people and her own gods. Go back with her."

16And 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:

But Ruth said, "Do not beg me to leave you. Do not ask me to turn back. Wherever you go, I will go. Wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people. Your God will be my God."

17Where 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.

"Where you die, I will die. That is where I will be buried. May the LORD punish me if I break this promise. Only death will part you and me."

18When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.

Naomi saw that Ruth had made up her mind. So she stopped asking her to go back.

19So 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?

The two of them walked on until they reached Bethlehem. When they arrived, the whole town was stirred up. People said, "Can this really be Naomi?"

20And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.

She told them, "Do not call me Naomi. Call me Mara. The Almighty has made my life very bitter."

21I 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?

"I went away full, but the LORD brought me back empty. So why call me Naomi? The LORD has spoken against me. The Almighty has brought me trouble."

22So 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.

So Naomi came back from the land of Moab. Ruth, the young woman from Moab, came with her. They reached Bethlehem just as the barley harvest was starting.

1And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.

Naomi had a relative on her husband's side of the family. He was rich and well respected. He came from the same family as Elimelech, Naomi's husband. His name was Boaz.

2And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter.

Ruth came from the land of Moab. She said to Naomi, "Let me go out to the fields. I will pick up the grain the workers drop and leave behind. Maybe someone will be kind and let me do it." Naomi said, "Go ahead, my daughter."

3And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.

So Ruth went out and picked up grain behind the workers. It happened that she came to a field that belonged to Boaz. Boaz was part of Elimelech's family.

4And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee.

Just then Boaz came out from Bethlehem. He said to the workers, "May the LORD be with you." They answered, "May the LORD bless you."

5Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this?

Boaz asked the man in charge of the workers, "Who is that young woman?"

6And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab:

The man in charge said, "She is the young woman from Moab. She came back with Naomi from the land of Moab."

7And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house.

"She asked if she could pick up the grain left behind the workers. She has been working from morning until now. She only rested a short time in the shelter."

17So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley.

So Ruth gathered grain in the field until evening. Then she beat the grain loose from the stalks. She had about an ephah of barley.

18And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother in law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved after she was sufficed.

She carried the grain into the town. Her husband's mother saw how much she had gathered. Ruth also gave her the food she had saved from her meal.

19And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man’s name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz.

Naomi asked her, "Where did you gather grain today? Where did you work? May God bless the man who noticed you." So Ruth told her where she had worked. She said, "The man I worked with today is named Boaz."

20And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.

Naomi said to Ruth, "May the LORD bless him! He has kept on being kind to us. He is kind to the living and to those who have died." Then Naomi said, "That man is a close relative. He is one of the men who can help and protect our family."

21And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.

Ruth, the woman from Moab, said, "He told me something else too. He said, 'Stay close to my workers until they finish all my harvest.'"

22And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter in law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in any other field.

Naomi said to Ruth, "That is good, my daughter. Go out with his servant girls. Then no one will hurt you in some other field."

23So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law.

So Ruth stayed close to the servant girls of Boaz. She gathered grain until the barley harvest and the wheat harvest were over. And she lived with Naomi, her husband's mother.

1Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?

Naomi was the mother of Ruth's husband, who had died. She said, "My daughter, let me find you a safe home. Then life will be good for you."

2And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor.

"Boaz is part of our family. You worked with the young women who work for him. Tonight he is at the threshing floor. He is tossing barley in the air so the wind blows the husks away."

3Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.

"So wash yourself. Put on sweet-smelling oil. Put on your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor. Do not let Boaz know you are there. Wait until he has finished eating and drinking."

4And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.

"Watch where he lies down to sleep. Then go over, uncover his feet, and lie down there. He will tell you what to do next."

5And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do.

Ruth said to her, "I will do everything you say."

6And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her.

So she went down to the threshing floor. She did just what Naomi had told her.

14And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.

She lay at his feet until morning. She got up while it was still too dark to tell one person from another. Boaz said, "No one must know that a woman came to the threshing floor."

15Also he said, Bring the vail that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her: and she went into the city.

He also said, "Bring me the shawl you are wearing. Hold it open." She held it open. He poured six measures of barley into it and lifted it onto her. Then she went into the town.

16And when she came to her mother in law, she said, Who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her.

Ruth came back to Naomi. Naomi asked, "How did it go, my daughter?" Ruth told her everything Boaz had done for her.

17And she said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother in law.

She said, "He gave me these six measures of barley. He said, 'Do not go back to your mother-in-law with empty hands.'"

18Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.

Naomi said, "Wait, my daughter, until you know how this turns out. That man will not rest. He will settle it today."

1Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.

Boaz went to the town gate and sat down there. The close relative he had talked about came by. Boaz said, "Come over here, friend. Sit down." So the man came and sat down.

2And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.

Boaz called ten of the town's leaders. He said, "Sit down here." So they sat down.

3And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech’s:

Boaz said to the relative, "Naomi has come back from the land of Moab. She is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech.

4And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.

I thought I should tell you. You can buy it back here, in front of these people and leaders. If you want to buy it, buy it. If you do not, tell me so I know. You are first in line to buy it, and I come next." The man said, "I will buy it."

5Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.

Then Boaz said, "On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also take Ruth. Ruth came from Moab, and her husband died. Her first son will carry the dead man's name and keep his land."

6And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it.

The relative said, "Then I cannot buy it. It would hurt the land I leave to my own children. You take my turn and buy it. I cannot."

7Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a testimony in Israel.

Long ago in Israel, people did something to make a deal certain. A man pulled off his sandal and handed it to the other man. That showed everyone the deal was final.

8Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe.

So the relative said to Boaz, "Buy it yourself." And he pulled off his sandal.

9And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, of the hand of Naomi.

Boaz said to the leaders and all the people, "You all saw this today. I have bought from Naomi everything that belonged to Elimelech, Chilion, and Mahlon.

10Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.

I have also taken Ruth to be my wife. She came from Moab, and her husband Mahlon died. Her son will carry Mahlon's name and keep his land. So Mahlon's name will not be forgotten in his town. You all saw this today."

11And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem:

All the people at the gate and the leaders said, "We saw it. May the LORD make this woman like Rachel and Leah. Those two mothers built up the families of Israel. May you do well in Ephratah and be known in Bethlehem.

12And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman.

Long ago Tamar had a son named Pharez, and Judah was his father. May your family grow strong like that family. May the LORD give you children by this young woman."