| Berean Study Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. And a certain man from Bethlehem in Judah, with his wife and two sons, went to reside in the land of Moab. | 1During the time of the judges, there was a famine in the land. A man left Bethlehem in Judah with his wife and two sons to live in the land of Moab for a while. |
| 2The man’s name was Elimelech, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah, and they entered the land of Moab and settled there. | 2The man's name was Elimelech, and his wife's name was Naomi. The names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They entered the land of Moab and settled there. |
| 3Then Naomi’s husband Elimelech died, and she was left with her two sons, | 3Naomi's husband Elimelech died, and she was left with her two sons. |
| 4who took Moabite women as their wives, one named Orpah and the other named Ruth. And after they had lived in Moab about ten years, | 4Her sons took Moabite women as their wives: one was named Orpah and the second was named Ruth. After they lived in Moab about 10 years, |
| 5both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and without her husband. | 5both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two children and without her husband. |
| 6When Naomi heard in Moab that the LORD had attended to His people by providing them with food, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to leave the land of Moab. | 6She and her daughters-in-law prepared to leave the land of Moab, because she had heard in Moab that the LORD had paid attention to His people's need by providing them food. |
| 7Accompanied by her two daughters-in-law, she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road leading back to the land of Judah. | 7She left the place where she had been living, accompanied by her two daughters-in-law, and traveled along the road leading back to the land of Judah. |
| 8Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you to your mother’s home. May the LORD show you loving devotion, as you have shown to your dead and to me. | 8She said to them, "Each of you go back to your mother's home. May the LORD show faithful love to you as you have shown to the dead and to me. |
| 9May the LORD enable each of you to find rest in the home of your new husband.” And she kissed them as they wept aloud | 9May the LORD enable each of you to find security in the house of your new husband." She kissed them, and they wept loudly." |
| 10and said, “Surely we will return with you to your people.” | 10No," they said to her. "We will go with you to your people." |
| 11But Naomi replied, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you go with me? Are there still sons in my womb to become your husbands? | 11But Naomi replied, "Return home, my daughters. Why do you want to go with me? Am I able to have any more sons who could become your husbands? |
| 12Return home, my daughters. Go on, for I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was hope for me to have a husband tonight and to bear sons, | 12Return home, my daughters. Go on, for I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me to have a husband tonight and to bear sons, |
| 13would you wait for them to grow up? Would you refrain from having husbands? No, my daughters, it grieves me very much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me.” | 13would you be willing to wait for them to grow up? Would you restrain yourselves from remarrying? No, my daughters, my life is much too bitter for you to share, because the LORD's hand has turned against me." |
| 14Again they wept aloud, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her. | 14Again they wept loudly, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. |
| 15“Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her gods; follow her back home.” | 15Naomi said, "Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her god. Follow your sister-in-law." |
| 16But Ruth replied: “Do not urge me to leave you or to turn from following you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. | 16But Ruth replied: Do not persuade me to leave you or go back and not follow you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. |
| 17Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD punish me, and ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.” | 17Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May Yahweh punish me, and do so severely, if anything but death separates you and me. |
| 18When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped trying to persuade her. | 18When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped trying to persuade her. |
| 19So Naomi and Ruth traveled until they came to Bethlehem. When they entered Bethlehem, the whole city was stirred because of them, and the women of the city exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?” | 19The two of them traveled until they came to Bethlehem. When they entered Bethlehem, the whole town was excited about their arrival and the local women exclaimed, "Can this be Naomi?"" |
| 20“Do not call me Naomi,” she replied. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has dealt quite bitterly with me. | 20Don't call me Naomi. Call me Mara," she answered, "for the Almighty has made me very bitter. |
| 21I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? After all, the LORD has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me.” | 21I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the LORD has pronounced judgment on me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?" |
| 22So Naomi returned from the land of Moab with her daughter-in-law Ruth the Moabitess. And they arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest. | 22So Naomi came back from the land of Moab with her daughter-in-law Ruth the Moabitess. They arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest. |
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