1 In the time that the Judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. And a man of Bethlehem Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab (he and his wife and his two sons).

² And 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 Judah). And when they came into the land of Moab, they continued there.

³ Then, Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died. And she remained with her two sons, who took wives of the Moabites. One’s name was Orpah; and the name of the other was Ruth. And they dwelled there about ten years.

⁴ And Mahlon and Chilion both died. So, the woman was left without her two sons or her husband.

⁵ Then, she arose with her daughters-in-law and returned from the country of Moab. For she had heard say in the country of Moab that the LORD had visited His people and given them bread.

⁶ So she left the place where she was (and her two daughters-in-law with her) and they went on their way, to return to the land of Judah.

⁷ Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in law, “Go. Each of you return to your own mother’s house. The LORD show favor to you, as you have done with the dead, and with me.

⁸ “The LORD grant you that you may find rest, either of you, in the house of her husband.” And when she kissed them, they lifted up their voices and wept.

⁹ And they said to her, “Surely we will return with you to your people.”

¹⁰ But Naomi said, “Turn back my daughters. For what reason would you go with me? Are there any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?

¹¹ “Turn back my daughters. Go your way. For I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, ‘I have hope,’ and if I had a husband this night (indeed, and if I had borne sons) would you wait for them until they were of age? Would you be deterred from the taking of husbands, for them?

¹² “No, my daughters. For it grieves me greatly for your sakes that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me.”

¹³ Then they lifted up their voices and wept again, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law. But Ruth stayed with her.

¹⁴ And Naomi said, “Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people, and to her gods. Return after your sister-in-law.”

¹⁵ And Ruth answered, “Do not urge me to leave you, or to depart from you. For where you go, I will go. And where you dwell, I will dwell. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.

¹⁶ Where you die, I will die. And there I will be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, if anything but death separates you and me.”

¹⁷ When she saw that she was steadfastly-minded to go with her, she stopped speaking to her.

¹⁸ So they both went, until they came to Bethlehem. And when they had come to Bethlehem, word spread throughout all the city. And they said, “Is not this Naomi?”

¹⁹ And she answered them, “Do not call me Naomi. But, call me ‘Mara’. For the Almighty has given me much bitterness.

²⁰ “I went out full, and the LORD has caused me to return empty. Why do you call me Naomi, seeing the LORD has humbled me, and the Almighty has brought me to adversity?”

²¹ So, when she came out of the country of Moab, Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess (her daughter-in-law) with her. And they came to Bethlehem, in the beginning of barley harvest.