⁴ They married Moabite women,^(A) one named Orpah and the other Ruth.^(B) After they had lived there about ten years, ⁵ both Mahlon and Kilion^(C) also died,^(D) and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.

Naomi and Ruth Return to Bethlehem

⁶ When Naomi heard in Moab^(E) that the Lord had come to the aid of his people^(F) by providing food^(G) for them, she and her daughters-in-law^(H) prepared to return home from there. ⁷ With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah.

⁸ Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home.^(I) May the Lord show you kindness,^(J) as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands^(K) and to me.

¹⁴ At this they wept^(A) aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law^(B) goodbye,^(C) but Ruth clung to her.^(D)

¹⁶ But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you^(A) or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go,^(B) and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people^(C) and your God my God.^(D)

¹⁸ When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.^(A)