Ruth Chapter 1

Naomi Becomes a Widow

(1 Timothy 5:3–16)

1In the daysH3117 when the judgesH8199 ruledH8199H1961, there wasH1961 a famineH7458 in the landH776. And a certain manH376 from BethlehemH1035 in JudahH3063, with his wifeH802 and twoH8147 sonsH1121, wentH1980 to resideH1481 in the landH7704 of MoabH4124. 2The man’sH376 nameH8034 was ElimelechH458, his wife’sH802 nameH8034 was NaomiH5281, and the namesH8034 of his twoH8147 sonsH1121 were MahlonH4248 and ChilionH3630. They were EphrathitesH673 fromH1035 BethlehemH1035 in JudahH3063, and they enteredH935 the landH7704 of MoabH4124 and settledH1961 thereH8033.

3Then Naomi’sH5281 husbandH376 ElimelechH458 diedH4191, and sheH1931 was leftH7604 with her twoH8147 sonsH1121, 4who tookH5375 MoabiteH4125 women as their wivesH802, oneH259 namedH8034 OrpahH6204 and the otherH8145 namedH8034 RuthH7327.

And after they had livedH3427 in MoabH8033 about tenH6235 yearsH8141, 5bothH8147 MahlonH4248 and ChilionH3630 alsoH1571 diedH4191, and NaomiH802 was leftH7604 without her twoH8147 sonsH3206 and without her husbandH376.

Ruth’s Loyalty to Naomi

6WhenH3588 Naomi heardH8085H7704 in MoabH4124 thatH3588 the LORDH3068 had attended toH6485 His peopleH5971 by providingH5414 them with foodH3899, sheH1931 and her daughters-in-lawH3618 preparedH6965 to leaveH7725 the landH7704 of MoabH4124. 7Accompanied byH5973 her twoH8147 daughters-in-lawH3618, she leftH3318H4480 the placeH4725 whereH834 she had beenH1961H8033 living and set outH1980 on the roadH1870 leading backH7725 toH413 the landH776 of JudahH3063.

8Then NaomiH5281 saidH559 to her twoH8147 daughters-in-lawH3618, “GoH1980 backH7725, each of youH802 to your mother’sH517 homeH1004. May the LORDH3068 showH6213 youH5973 loving devotionH2617,1 asH834 you have shownH6213 toH5973 your deadH4191 and to meH5973. 9May the LORDH3068 enableH5414 eachH802 of you to findH4672 restH4496 in the homeH1004 of your new husbandH376.”

And she kissedH5401 them as they weptH1058 aloudH5375H6963 10and saidH559, “SurelyH3588 we will returnH7725 with youH854 to your peopleH5971.”

11But NaomiH5281 repliedH559, “Return homeH7725, my daughtersH1323. WhyH4100 would you goH1980 with meH5973? Are there stillH5750 sonsH1121 in my wombH4578 to becomeH1961 your husbandsH582? 12Return homeH7725, my daughtersH1323. Go onH1980, forH3588 I am too oldH2204 to haveH1961 another husbandH376. Even ifH3588 I thoughtH559 there wasH3426 hopeH8615 for me to haveH1961 a husbandH376H1571 tonightH3915 andH1571 to bearH3205 sonsH1121, 13would you waitH7663 for themH3860 toH5704 grow upH1431H3860? Would you refrainH5702 fromH1115 havingH1961 husbandsH376? NoH408, my daughtersH1323, it is much more bitterH4843H3966 for me than for you, becauseH3588 the handH3027 of the LORDH3068 has gone outH3318 against me.”

14AgainH5750 they weptH1058 aloudH5375H6963, and OrpahH6204 kissedH5401 her mother-in-law goodbyeH2545, but RuthH7327 clungH1692 to her.

15“LookH2009,” said NaomiH559, “your sister-in-lawH2994 has gone backH7725 toH413 her peopleH5971 andH413 her godsH430; followH7725 her back homeH310H2994.”

16But RuthH7327 repliedH559:

18When Naomi sawH7200 thatH3588 RuthH1931 was determinedH553 to goH1980 with herH854, she stoppedH2308 trying to persuade herH1696H413.

The Return to Bethlehem

19SoH8147 Naomi and Ruth traveledH1980 untilH5704 they cameH935 toH1035 BethlehemH1035. When theyH1961 enteredH935 BethlehemH1035, the wholeH3605 townH5892 was stirredH1949 because of themH5921, and the women of the town exclaimedH559, “Can thisH2063 be NaomiH5281?”

20“Do notH408 callH7121 me NaomiH5281,2” she repliedH559H413. “CallH7121 me MaraH4755,3 becauseH3588 the AlmightyH77064 has dealt quite bitterlyH4843H3966 with me. 21IH589 went awayH1980 fullH4392, but the LORDH3068 has brought me backH7725 emptyH7387. WhyH4100 callH7121 me NaomiH5281? After all, the LORDH3068 has testifiedH6030 against me, and the AlmightyH7706 has afflictedH7489 me.”

22So NaomiH5281 returnedH7725 from the landH7704 of MoabH4124 withH5973H7725 her daughter-in-lawH3618 RuthH7327 the MoabitessH4125. And theyH1992 arrivedH935 in BethlehemH1035 at the beginningH8462 of the barleyH8184 harvestH7105.