| 1:1 |
In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land and a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab he and his wife and his two sons |
| 1:2 |
The name of the man was Elim′elechElimelech and the name of his wife Na′omiNaomi and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chil′ion;Chilion theyThey were Eph′rathitesEphrathites from Bethlehem in Judah They went into the country of Moab and remained there |
| 1:3 |
But Elim′elechElimelech the husband of Na′omiNaomi died and she was left with her two sons |
| 1:4 |
These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth They lived there about ten years; |
| 1:5 |
and both Mahlon and Chil′ionChilion died so that the woman was bereftleft ofwithout her two sons and her husband |
| 1:6 |
Then she startedarose with her daughters in law to return from the country of Moab for she had heard in the countryfields of Moab that the Lord had visited his people and given them food |
| 1:8 |
But Na′omiNaomi said to her two daughters in law Go return each of you to her mothers house May the Lord deal kindly with you as you have dealt with the dead and with me |
| 1:9 |
The Lord grant that you may find arest home each of you in the house of her husband Then she kissed them and they lifted up their voices and wept |
| 1:11 |
But Na′omiNaomi said Turn back my daughters; why will you go with me Have I yet sons in my womb that they may become your husbands |
| 1:12 |
Turn back my daughters; go your way for I am too old to have a husband If I should say I have hope even if I should have a husband this night and should bear sons |
| 1:13 |
would you therefore wait till they were grown Would you therefore refrain from marrying No my daughters for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the Lord has gone forthout against me |
| 1:14 |
Then they lifted up their voices and wept again; andAnd Orpah kissed her mother in law but Ruth clung to her |
| 1:16 |
But Ruth said EntreatDo not urge me not to leave you or to return from following you; forFor where you go I will go and where you lodge I will lodge; yourYour people shall be my people and your God my God; |
| 1:17 |
whereWhere you die I will die and there will I be buried May the Lord do so to me and more also if evenanything but death parts me from you |
| 1:18 |
And when Na′omiNaomi saw that she was determined to go with her she said no more |
| 1:19 |
So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem And when they came to Bethlehem the whole town was stirred because of them; andAnd the women said Is this Na′omi Naomi |
| 1:20 |
She said to them Do not call me Na′omiNaomi; call me Mara for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me |
| 1:21 |
I went away full and the Lord has brought me back empty Why call me Na′omiNaomi when the Lord has afflictedtestified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me |
| 1:22 |
So Na′omiNaomi returned and Ruth the MoabitessMoabite her daughter in law with her who returned from the country of Moab And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest |
| 2:1 |
Now Na′omiNaomi had a kinsmanrelative of her husbands a worthy man of wealth of the familyclan of Elim′elechElimelech whose name was Bo′az Boaz |
| 2:2 |
And Ruth the MoabitessMoabite said to Na′omiNaomi Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor And she said to her Go my daughter |
| 2:3 |
So she set forthout and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Bo′azBoaz who was of the familyclan of Elim′elech Elimelech |
| 2:4 |
And behold Bo′azBoaz came from Bethlehem; andAnd he said to the reapers The Lord be with you And they answered The Lord bless you |
| 2:5 |
Then Bo′azBoaz said to his servantyoung man who was in charge of the reapers Whose maidenyoung woman is this |
| 2:6 |
And the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered ItShe is the young Moabite maidenwoman who came back with Na′omiNaomi from the country of Moab |
| 2:7 |
She said PrayPlease let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers So she came and she has continued from early morning until now withoutexcept resting even for a momentshort rest |
| 2:8 |
Then Bo′azBoaz said to Ruth Now listen my daughter do not go to glean in another field or leave this one but keep close to my maidensyoung women |
| 2:9 |
Let your eyes be uponon the field whichthat they are reaping and go after them Have I not charged the young men not to molesttouch you And when you are thirsty go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn |
| 2:10 |
Then she fell on her face bowing to the ground and said to him Why have I found favor in your eyes that you should take notice of me whensince I am a foreigner |
| 2:11 |
But Bo′azBoaz answered her All that you have done for your mother in law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before |
| 2:12 |
The Lord recompenserepay you for what you have done and a full reward be given you by the Lord the God of Israel under whose wings you have come to take refuge |
| 2:13 |
Then she said YouI arehave mostfound graciousfavor toin meyour eyes my lord for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your maidservantservant though I am not one of your maidservantsservants |
| 2:14 |
And at mealtime Bo′azBoaz said to her Come here and eat some bread and dip your morsel in the wine So she sat beside the reapers and he passed to her parchedroasted grain; andAnd she ate until she was satisfied and she had some left over |
| 2:15 |
When she rose to glean Bo′azBoaz instructed his young men saying Let her glean even among the sheaves and do not reproach her |
| 2:17 |
So she gleaned in the field until evening; thenThen she beat out what she had gleaned and it was about an ephah of barley |
| 2:18 |
And she took it up and went into the city; sheHer showed her mother in law saw what she had gleaned andShe she also brought out and gave her what food she had left over after being satisfied |
| 2:19 |
And her mother in law said to her Where did you glean today And where have you worked Blessed be the man who took notice of you So she told her mother in law with whom she had worked and said The mans name with whom I worked today is Bo′az Boaz |
| 2:20 |
And Na′omiNaomi said to her daughter in law BlessedMay he be heblessed by the Lord whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead Na′omiNaomi also said to her The man is a close relative of ours one of our nearest kin redeemers |
| 2:21 |
And Ruth the MoabitessMoabite said Besides he said to me You shall keep close by my servantsyoung tillmen until they have finished all my harvest |
| 2:22 |
And Na′omiNaomi said to Ruth her daughter in law It is wellgood my daughter that you go out with his maidensyoung women lest in another field you be molested assaulted |
| 2:23 |
So she kept close to the maidensyoung women of Bo′azBoaz gleaning until the end of the barley and wheat harvests; andAnd she lived with her mother in law |
| 3:1 |
Then Na′omiNaomi her mother in law said to her My daughter should I not seek arest home for you that it may be well with you |
| 3:2 |
NowIs is not Bo′azBoaz our kinsmanrelative with whose maidensyoung women you were See he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor |
| 3:3 |
Wash therefore and anoint yourself and put on your bestcloak clothes and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking |
| 3:4 |
But when he lies down observe the place where he lies; thenThen go and uncover his feet and lie down; and he will tell you what to do |
| 3:6 |
So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother in law had toldcommanded her |
| 3:7 |
And when Bo′azBoaz had eaten and drunk and his heart was merry he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain Then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down |
| 3:9 |
He said Who are you And she answered I am Ruth your maidservant;servant spreadSpread your skirtwings over your maidservantservant for you are nexta of kin redeemer |
| 3:10 |
And he said May you be blessed by the Lord my daughter; youYou have made this last kindness greater than the first in that you have not gone after young men whether poor or rich |
| 3:11 |
And now my daughter do not fear I will do for you all that you ask for all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman of worth |
| 3:12 |
And now it is true that I am a nearredeemer kinsmanYet yet there is a kinsmanredeemer nearer than I |
| 3:13 |
Remain thistonight night and in the morning if he will doredeem the part of the next of kin for you wellgood; let him do it; butBut if he is not willing to doredeem the part of the next of kin for you then as the Lord lives I will doredeem the part of the next of kin for you Lie down until the morning |
| 3:14 |
So she lay at his feet until the morning but arose before one could recognize another; andAnd he said Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor |
| 3:15 |
And he said Bring the mantlegarment you are wearing and hold it out So she held it and he measured out six measures of barley and laidput it uponon her; thenThen she went into the city |
| 3:17 |
saying These six measures of barley he gave to me for he said to me You must not go back empty handed to your mother in law |
| 4:1 |
AndNow Bo′azBoaz wenthad gone up to the gate and sat down there; andAnd behold the nextredeemer of kin of whom Bo′azBoaz had spoken came by So Bo′azBoaz said Turn aside friend; sit down here; andAnd he turned aside and sat down |
| 4:2 |
And he took ten men of the elders of the city and said Sit down here; soSo they sat down |
| 4:3 |
Then he said to the nextredeemer ofNaomi kin Na′omi who has come back from the country of Moab is selling the parcel of land whichthat belonged to our kinsmanrelative Elim′elech Elimelech |
| 4:4 |
So I thought I would tell you of it and say Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people If you will redeem it redeem it; butBut if you will not tell me that I may know for there is no one besides you to redeem it and I come after you And he said I will redeem it |
| 4:5 |
Then Bo′azBoaz said The day you buy the field from the hand of Na′omiNaomi you are also buyingacquire Ruth the MoabitessMoabite the widow of the dead in order to restoreperpetuate the name of the dead toin his inheritance |
| 4:6 |
Then the nextredeemer of kin said I cannot redeem it for myself lest I impair my own inheritance Take my right of redemption yourself for I cannot redeem it |
| 4:8 |
So when the nextredeemer of kin said to Bo′azBoaz Buy it for yourself he drew off his sandal |
| 4:9 |
Then Bo′azBoaz said to the elders and all the people You are witnesses this day that I have bought from the hand of Na′omiNaomi all that belonged to Elim′elechElimelech and all that belonged to Chil′ionChilion and to Mahlon |
| 4:10 |
Also Ruth the MoabitessMoabite the widow of Mahlon I have bought to be my wife to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethrenbrothers and from the gate of his native place; youYou are witnesses this day |
| 4:11 |
Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said We are witnesses May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah who together built up the house of Israel May you prosperact worthily in Eph′rathahEphrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem; |
| 4:12 |
and may your house be like the house of Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah because of the childrenoffspring that the Lord will give you by this young woman |
| 4:13 |
So Bo′azBoaz took Ruth and she became his wife; andAnd he went in to her and the Lord gave her conception and she bore a son |
| 4:14 |
Then the women said to Na′omiNaomi Blessed be the Lord who has not left you this day without nexta ofredeemer kin; and may his name be renowned in Israel |
| 4:15 |
He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter in law who loves you who is more to you than seven sons has bornegiven birth to him |
| 4:16 |
Then Na′omiNaomi took the child and laid him inon her bosomlap and became his nurse |
| 4:17 |
And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name saying A son has been born to Na′omiNaomi They named him Obed; heHe was the father of Jesse the father of David |
| 4:18 |
Now these are the descendantsgenerations of Perez: Perez wasfathered the father of Hezron |
| 4:19 |
Hezron offathered Ram Ram offathered Ammin′adab Amminadab |
| 4:20 |
Ammin′adabAmminadab offathered Nahshon Nahshon offathered Salmon |
| 4:21 |
Salmon offathered Bo′azBoaz Bo′azBoaz offathered Obed |
| 4:22 |
Obed offathered Jesse and Jesse offathered David |