Ruth

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.

1Long 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.

2The 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.

Note"Ephrathites" means people from the family group tied to Ephrath, another name for the Bethlehem area. It is not a different town.

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

3Then 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.

4The 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.

5Then 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.

6While 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.

7She 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.

8Then 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.

9"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.

10They 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?

11But 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;

12"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.

13"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.

14They 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.

15Naomi 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:

16But 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.

17"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.

18Naomi 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?

19The 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.

20She told them, "Do not call me Naomi. Call me Mara. The Almighty has made my life very bitter."

NoteThe two names carry meanings. Naomi means "pleasant," and Mara means "bitter." "The Almighty" is a name for God that means he is stronger than anyone.

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?

21"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.

22So 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.

NoteThe barley harvest came in the spring, around March or April. So Naomi and Ruth arrive when the first food of the year is being cut.