Ruth 1:6-18

6Then she set out with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in Moab how the Lord had taken care of His people [of Judah] in giving them food.

7So she left the place where she was living, her two daughters-in-law with her, and they started on the way back to the land of Judah.

8But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you return to your mother’s house. May the Lord show kindness to you as you have shown kindness to the dead and to me.

9May the Lord grant that you find rest, each one in the home of her husband.” Then she kissed them [goodbye], and they wept aloud.

10And they said to her, “No, we will go with you to your people [in Judah].”

11But Naomi said, “Go back, my daughters, why should you go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb that may become your husbands?

12Go back, my daughters, go, for I am too old to have a husband. If I said I have hope, and if I actually had a husband tonight and even gave birth to sons,

13would you wait until they were grown? Would you go without marrying? No, my daughters; for it is much more difficult for me than for you, because the Lord’s hand has gone against me.”

14Then they wept aloud again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law [goodbye], but Ruth clung to her.

15Then Naomi said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; turn back and follow your sister-in-law.”

16But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people will be my people, and your God, my God.

17Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord do the same to me [as He has done to you], and more also, if anything but death separates me from you.”

18When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she said nothing more.