Naomi’s Family in Moab

1 During the time^[a] of the judges,^(A) there was a famine in the land.^(B) A man left Bethlehem^(C) in Judah with his wife and two sons to stay in the territory of Moab for a while. ² The man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife’s name was Naomi.^[b] The names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites^(D) from Bethlehem in Judah. They entered the fields of Moab and settled there. ³ Naomi’s husband, Elimelech, died, and she was left with her two sons. ⁴ Her sons took Moabite women as their wives: one was named Orpah and the second was named Ruth. After they lived in Moab about ten years, ⁵ both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and the woman was left without her two children and without her husband.

¹¹ The Israelites did what was evil in the Lord’s sight.^(A) They worshiped the Baals^{(B) 12} and abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed other gods from the surrounding peoples^(C) and bowed down to them. They angered the Lord,^{(D) 13} for they abandoned him and worshiped Baal and the Ashtoreths.^(E)

¹⁴ The Lord’s anger burned against Israel, and he handed them over to marauders who raided them. He sold^(F) them to the enemies around them, and they could no longer resist their enemies. ¹⁵ Whenever the Israelites went out, the Lord was against them^(G) and brought disaster on them, just as he had promised and sworn to them.^(H) So they suffered greatly.

¹⁶ The Lord raised up^(I) judges, who saved them from the power of their marauders, ¹⁷ but they did not listen to their judges. Instead, they prostituted^(J) themselves with other gods, bowing down to them. They quickly turned from the way^(K) of their ancestors, who had walked in obedience to the Lord’s commands. They did not do as their ancestors did. ¹⁸ Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for the Israelites, the Lord was with^(L) him and saved the people from the power of their enemies while the judge was still alive. The Lord was moved to pity whenever they groaned because of those who were oppressing and afflicting them. ¹⁹ Whenever the judge died, the Israelites would act even more corruptly^(M) than their ancestors, following other gods to serve them and bow in worship to them. They did not turn from their evil practices or their obstinate^(N) ways.

²⁵ In those days there was no king in Israel;^(A) everyone did whatever seemed right to him.

⁴ But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them learn to practice godliness toward their own family first and to repay their parents, for this pleases God. ⁵ The widow who is truly in need and left all alone has put her hope in God^(A) and continues night and day in her petitions and prayers; ⁶ however, she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives.^{(B) 7} Command this also, so that they will be above reproach. ⁸ But if anyone does not provide^(C) for his own family, especially for his own household, he has denied the faith^(D) and is worse than an unbeliever.