RU-1:1  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.

RU-1:2  And 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.

RU-1:3  And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left,

and her two

sons.

RU-1:4  And 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.

RU-1:5  And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the

woman was left

of her two sons and her husband.

RU-1:6  Then 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.

RU-1:7  Wherefore 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.

RU-1:8  And 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.

RU-1:9  The 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.

RU-1:10  And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee

unto thy

people.

RU-1:11  And 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?

RU-1:12  Turn 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;

RU-1:13  Would 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.

RU-1:14  And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and

Orpah kissed her

mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.

RU-1:15  And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back

unto her people,

and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.

RU-1:16  And Ruth said, Entreat 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:

RU-1:17  Where 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.

RU-1:18  When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with

her, then she

left speaking unto her.

RU-1:19  So 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?

RU-1:20  And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara:

 for the

Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.

RU-1:21  I 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?

RU-1:22  So 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.

~~~~~~