1Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to live in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. 2And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem in Judah. And they came to the fields of Moab and stayed there. 3And Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died. And she was left, and her two sons. 4And they took wives for themselves from the women of Moab. The name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth. And they lived there about ten years. 5And Mahlon and Chilion also died, both of them. And the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.

6Then she arose with her daughters-inlaw so that she might return from the country of Moab. For she had heard in the country of Moab how the LORD had visited His people in giving them bread. 7And she went out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her, and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. 8And Naomi said to her two daughtersin- law, "Go, return each one to your mother's house. May the LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. 9May the LORD grant you that you may find rest, each in the house of your husband." Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. 10And they said to her, "Surely we will return with you to your people." 11And Naomi said, "Turn again, my daughters. Why will you go with me? Are there yet sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? 12Turn again, my daughters, go. For I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, 'I have hope,' if I should have a husband also tonight, and should also bear sons, 13Would you wait for them until they were grown? Would you shut yourselves up, and not have husbands until then? No, my daughters, for it makes me very sad for your sakes that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me."

14And they lifted up their voices and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law. But Ruth clung to her.

15And she said, "Behold, your sister-inlaw has gone back to her people and to her gods. Return back with your sister-inlaw." 16And Ruth said, "Do not beg me to leave you, to return from following after you. For where you go, I will go. Where you stay, I will stay. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. 17Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me." 18When she saw that she was determined to go with her, then she quit speaking to her.

19And both of them went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they had come to Bethlehem, all the city was moved concerning them, and they said, "Is this Naomi?" 20And she said to them, "Do not call me Naomi, call me Mara. For the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 21I went out full, and the LORD has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the LORD has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?"

22So Naomi returned; and Ruth, the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, was with her, returning out of the fields of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.