Ruth 1:4-17 ▼

4 They took wives from the Moabite women; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other was Ruth. They lived there about ten years;

5 and then both Mahlon and Chilion also died, so the woman [Naomi] was left without her two sons and her husband.

6 Then she set out with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in Moab how the LORD had taken care of His people [of Judah] in giving them food.

7 So she left the place where she was living, her two daughters-in-law with her, and they started on the way back to the land of Judah.

8 But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you return to your mother’s house. May the LORD show kindness to you as you have shown kindness to the dead and to me.

9 May the LORD grant that you find rest, each one in the home of her husband.” Then she kissed them [goodbye], and they wept aloud.

10 And they said to her, “No, we will go with you to your people [in Judah].”

11 But Naomi said, “Go back, my daughters, why should you go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb that may become your husbands?

12 Go back, my daughters, go, for I am too old to have a husband. If I said I have hope, and if I actually had a husband tonight and even gave birth to sons,

13 would you wait until they were grown? Would you go without marrying? No, my daughters; for it is much more difficult for me than for you, because the LORD’S hand has gone against me.”

14 Then they wept aloud again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law [goodbye], but Ruth clung to her.

15 Then Naomi said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; turn back and follow your sister-in-law.”

16 But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people will be my people, and your God, my God.

17 Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD do the same to me [as He has done to you], and more also, if anything but death separates me from you.”