Naomi Widowed

1 Now it came about in the days ^(A)when the judges ^[a]governed, that there was ^(B)a famine in the land. And a man ^(C)of Bethlehem in Judah went to reside in the land of Moab ^[b]with his wife and his two sons. ² The name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife, Naomi; and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem in Judah. So they ^(D)entered the land of Moab and remained there.

¹⁹ So they both went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they had come to Bethlehem, ^(A)all the city was stirred because of them, and ^[a]the women said, “Is this Naomi?”

²² So Naomi returned, and with her Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, who returned from the land of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at ^(A)the beginning of barley harvest.

⁴ Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, “^(A)May the Lord be with you.” And they said to him, “May the Lord bless you.”

¹¹ And all the people who were ^[a]in the court, and the elders, said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home ^(A)like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel; and may you achieve ^[b]wealth in Ephrathah and ^[c]become famous in Bethlehem.