Naomi Becomes a Widow
(1 Timothy 5:3–16)

1  וַיְהִ֗י (And it came to pass) בִּימֵי֙ (in the days) שְׁפֹ֣ט (of the judging) הַשֹּׁפְטִ֔ים (of the judges), וַיְהִ֥י (that there was) רָעָ֖ב (a famine) בָּאָ֑רֶץ (in the land). וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ (And went) אִ֜ישׁ (a certain man) מִבֵּ֧ית (from Beth-) לֶ֣חֶם (lehem) יְהוּדָ֗ה (in Judah) לָגוּר֙ (to dwell) בִּשְׂדֵ֣י (in the fields) מוֹאָ֔ב (of Moab), ה֥וּא (he) וְאִשְׁתּ֖וֹ (and his wife) וּשְׁנֵ֥י (and two) בָנָֽיו׃ (his sons). 2  וְשֵׁ֣ם (And the name) הָאִ֣ישׁ (of the man) אֱ‍ֽלִימֶ֡לֶךְ (was Elimelech), וְשֵׁם֩ (and the name) אִשְׁתּ֨וֹ (of his wife) נָעֳמִ֜י (was Naomi), וְשֵׁ֥ם (and the names) שְׁנֵֽי־ (of two) בָנָ֣יו׀ (his sons) מַחְל֤וֹן (were Mahlon) וְכִלְיוֹן֙ (and Chilion), אֶפְרָתִ֔ים (Ephrathites) מִבֵּ֥ית (from Beth-) לֶ֖חֶם (lehem) יְהוּדָ֑ה (in Judah), וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ (and they went out into) שְׂדֵי־ (the fields) מוֹאָ֖ב (of Moab) וַיִּֽהְיוּ־ (and were) שָֽׁם׃ (there).

3  וַיָּ֥מָת (And died) אֱלִימֶ֖לֶךְ (Elimelech) אִ֣ישׁ (the husband) נָעֳמִ֑י (of Naomi), וַתִּשָּׁאֵ֥ר (and was left) הִ֖יא (she) וּשְׁנֵ֥י (and two) בָנֶֽיהָ׃ (her sons). 4  וַיִּשְׂא֣וּ (And they took) לָהֶ֗ם (for them) נָשִׁים֙ (wives) מֹֽאֲבִיּ֔וֹת (of the Moabitesses): שֵׁ֤ם (The name) הָֽאַחַת֙ (of the one) עָרְפָּ֔ה (was Orpah), וְשֵׁ֥ם (and the name) הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית (of the second) ר֑וּת (was Ruth).

וַיֵּ֥שְׁבוּ (And they dwelt) שָׁ֖ם (there) כְּעֶ֥שֶׂר (about ten) שָׁנִֽים׃ (years). 5  וַיָּמ֥וּתוּ (And died) גַם־ (also) שְׁנֵיהֶ֖ם (the two of them), מַחְל֣וֹן (Mahlon) וְכִלְי֑וֹן (and Chilion). וַתִּשָּׁאֵר֙ (And was left) הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה (the woman) מִשְּׁנֵ֥י (from two) יְלָדֶ֖יהָ (her sons) וּמֵאִישָֽׁהּ׃ (and from her husband).

Ruth’s Loyalty to Naomi

6  וַתָּ֤קָם (And she rose), הִיא֙ (she) וְכַלֹּתֶ֔יהָ (and her daughters-in-law), וַתָּ֖שָׁב (and she returned) מִשְּׂדֵ֣י (from the fields) מוֹאָ֑ב (of Moab), כִּ֤י (for) שָֽׁמְעָה֙ (she had heard) בִּשְׂדֵ֣ה (in a field) מוֹאָ֔ב (of Moab) כִּֽי־ (that) פָקַ֤ד (had attended to) יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) אֶת־ (-) עַמּ֔וֹ (His people) לָתֵ֥ת (to give) לָהֶ֖ם (to them) לָֽחֶם׃ (bread). 7  וַתֵּצֵ֗א (And she went out) מִן־ (from) הַמָּקוֹם֙ (the place) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (where) הָיְתָה־ (she was) שָׁ֔מָּה (there), וּשְׁתֵּ֥י (and two) כַלֹּתֶ֖יהָ (her daughters-in-law) עִמָּ֑הּ (with her), וַתֵּלַ֣כְנָה (and they went) בַדֶּ֔רֶךְ (in the way) לָשׁ֖וּב (to return) אֶל־ (to) אֶ֥רֶץ (the land) יְהוּדָֽה׃ (of Judah).

8  וַתֹּ֤אמֶר (And said) נָעֳמִי֙ (Naomi) לִשְׁתֵּ֣י (to two) כַלֹּתֶ֔יהָ (her daughters-in-law), לֵ֣כְנָה (Go), שֹּׁ֔בְנָה (turn back), אִשָּׁ֖ה (each woman) לְבֵ֣ית (to the house) אִמָּ֑הּ (of her mother). יַעֲשֶׂה (May do) יְהוָ֤ה (YHWH) עִמָּכֶם֙ (with you⁺) חֶ֔סֶד (loving devotion), כַּאֲשֶׁ֧ר (as) עֲשִׂיתֶ֛ם (you⁺ have done) עִם־ (with) הַמֵּתִ֖ים (the dead) וְעִמָּדִֽי׃ (and with me). 9  יִתֵּ֤ן (May give) יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) לָכֶ֔ם (to you⁺) וּמְצֶ֣אןָ (and may you find) מְנוּחָ֔ה (rest), אִשָּׁ֖ה (each woman) בֵּ֣ית (in the house) אִישָׁ֑הּ (of her husband).

וַתִּשַּׁ֣ק (And she kissed) לָהֶ֔ן (them), וַתִּשֶּׂ֥אנָה (and they lifted up) קוֹלָ֖ן (their voice) וַתִּבְכֶּֽינָה׃ (and they wept). 10  וַתֹּאמַ֖רְנָה־ (And they said) לָּ֑הּ (to her), כִּי־ (Surely) אִתָּ֥ךְ (with you) נָשׁ֖וּב (we will return) לְעַמֵּֽךְ׃ (to your people).

11  וַתֹּ֤אמֶר (And said) נָעֳמִי֙ (Naomi), שֹׁ֣בְנָה (Turn back), בְנֹתַ֔י (my daughters). לָ֥מָּה (Why) תֵלַ֖כְנָה (would you⁺ go) עִמִּ֑י (with me)? הַֽעֽוֹד־ (Are there still) לִ֤י (unto me) בָנִים֙ (sons) בְּֽמֵעַ֔י (in my bowels), וְהָי֥וּ (that they may be) לָכֶ֖ם (your⁺) לַאֲנָשִֽׁים׃ (husbands)? 12  שֹׁ֤בְנָה (Turn back), בְנֹתַי֙ (my daughters), לֵ֔כְןָ (go), כִּ֥י (for) זָקַ֖נְתִּי (I am too old) מִהְי֣וֹת (to have) לְאִ֑ישׁ (a husband). כִּ֤י (If) אָמַ֙רְתִּי֙ (I should say) יֶשׁ־ (there is) לִ֣י (to me) תִקְוָ֔ה (hope), גַּ֣ם (and) הָיִ֤יתִי (if I should have) הַלַּ֙יְלָה֙ (tonight) לְאִ֔ישׁ (a husband) וְגַ֖ם (and also) יָלַ֥דְתִּי (should bear) בָנִֽים׃ (sons), 13  הֲלָהֵ֣ן׀ (for them) תְּשַׂבֵּ֗רְנָה (would you⁺ wait) עַ֚ד (until) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) יִגְדָּ֔לוּ (they were grown)? הֲלָהֵן֙ (Would) תֵּֽעָגֵ֔נָה (you⁺ shut yourselves off) לְבִלְתִּ֖י (from) הֱי֣וֹת (being wife) לְאִ֑ישׁ (to a man)? אַ֣ל (No), בְּנֹתַ֗י (my daughters), כִּֽי־ (for) מַר־ (it is bitter) לִ֤י (for me) מְאֹד֙ (exceedingly) מִכֶּ֔ם (from you⁺) כִּֽי־ (for) יָצְאָ֥ה (has gone out) בִ֖י (against me) יַד־ (the hand) יְהוָֽה׃ (of YHWH).

14  וַתִּשֶּׂ֣נָה (And they lifted up) קוֹלָ֔ן (their voice) וַתִּבְכֶּ֖ינָה (and they wept) ע֑וֹד (again). וַתִּשַּׁ֤ק (And kissed) עָרְפָּה֙ (Orpah) לַחֲמוֹתָ֔הּ (her mother-in-law), וְר֖וּת (and Ruth) דָּ֥בְקָה (clung) בָּֽהּ׃ (to her).

15  וַתֹּ֗אמֶר (And she said), הִנֵּה֙ (Behold), שָׁ֣בָה (has gone back) יְבִמְתֵּ֔ךְ (your sister-in-law) אֶל־ (to) עַמָּ֖הּ (her people) וְאֶל־ (and to) אֱלֹהֶ֑יהָ (her gods); שׁ֖וּבִי (return) אַחֲרֵ֥י (after) יְבִמְתֵּֽךְ׃ (your sister-in-law).

16  וַתֹּ֤אמֶר (And said) רוּת֙ (Ruth),

אַל־ (Not) תִּפְגְּעִי־ (do urge) בִ֔י (me) לְעָזְבֵ֖ךְ (to leave you)

לָשׁ֣וּב (to turn back) מֵאַחֲרָ֑יִךְ (from following after you).

כִּ֠י (For) אֶל־ (to) אֲשֶׁ֨ר (wherever) תֵּלְכִ֜י (you go), אֵלֵ֗ךְ (I will go),

וּבַאֲשֶׁ֤ר (and wherever) תָּלִ֙ינִי֙ (you lodge), אָלִ֔ין (I will lodge).

עַמֵּ֣ךְ (Your people) עַמִּ֔י (are my people),

וֵאלֹהַ֖יִךְ (and your God) אֱלֹהָֽי׃ (my God).

17  בַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר (Where) תָּמ֙וּתִי֙ (you die), אָמ֔וּת (I will die),

וְשָׁ֖ם (and there) אֶקָּבֵ֑ר (will I be buried).

כֹּה֩ (And) יַעֲשֶׂ֨ה (may do) יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH) לִי֙ (to me),

וְכֹ֣ה (and ever so) יֹסִ֔יף (more),

כִּ֣י (if) הַמָּ֔וֶת (death) יַפְרִ֖יד (does part)

בֵּינִ֥י (between you) וּבֵינֵֽךְ׃ (and between me).

18  וַתֵּ֕רֶא (And she saw) כִּֽי־ (that) מִתְאַמֶּ֥צֶת (was determined) הִ֖יא (she) לָלֶ֣כֶת (to go) אִתָּ֑הּ (with her), וַתֶּחְדַּ֖ל (and she stopped) לְדַבֵּ֥ר (speaking) אֵלֶֽיהָ׃ (to her).

The Return to Bethlehem

19  וַתֵּלַ֣כְנָה (And went on) שְׁתֵּיהֶ֔ם (the two of them) עַד־ (until) בֹּאָ֖נָה (they came) בֵּ֣ית (to Beth-) לָ֑חֶם (lehem). וַיְהִ֗י (And it came to pass), כְּבֹאָ֙נָה֙ (as they came) בֵּ֣ית (to Beth-) לֶ֔חֶם (lehem), וַתֵּהֹ֤ם (that was stirred) כָּל־ (all) הָעִיר֙ (the city) עֲלֵיהֶ֔ן (because of them), וַתֹּאמַ֖רְנָה (and the women said), הֲזֹ֥את (Is this) נָעֳמִֽי׃ (Naomi)?

20  וַתֹּ֣אמֶר (And she said) אֲלֵיהֶ֔ן (to them), אַל־ (Not) תִּקְרֶ֥אנָה (do call) לִ֖י (me) נָעֳמִ֑י (Naomi); קְרֶ֤אןָ (call) לִי֙ (me) מָרָ֔א (Mara), כִּי־ (for) הֵמַ֥ר (has dealt bitterly) שַׁדַּ֛י (Shaddai) לִ֖י (with me) מְאֹֽד׃ (exceedingly). 21  אֲנִי֙ (I) מְלֵאָ֣ה (full) הָלַ֔כְתִּי (went out), וְרֵיקָ֖ם (and empty) הֱשִׁיבַ֣נִי (has brought me back) יְהוָ֑ה (YHWH). לָ֣מָּה (Why) תִקְרֶ֤אנָה (do you⁺ call) לִי֙ (me) נָעֳמִ֔י (Naomi), וַֽיהוָה֙ (and since YHWH) עָ֣נָה (has testified) בִ֔י (against me) וְשַׁדַּ֖י (and Shaddai) הֵ֥רַֽע (has afflicted) לִֽי׃ (me)?

22  וַתָּ֣שָׁב (And turned back) נָעֳמִ֗י (Naomi) וְר֨וּת (and Ruth) הַמּוֹאֲבִיָּ֤ה (the Moabitess), כַלָּתָהּ֙ (her daughter-in-law), עִמָּ֔הּ (with her), הַשָּׁ֖בָה (who turned back) מִשְּׂדֵ֣י (from the fields) מוֹאָ֑ב (of Moab). וְהֵ֗מָּה (And they) בָּ֚אוּ (came) בֵּ֣ית (to Beth-) לֶ֔חֶם (lehem) בִּתְחִלַּ֖ת (at the beginning) קְצִ֥יר (of the harvest) שְׂעֹרִֽים׃ (barley).