Ruth 1:6-14

Evangelical Heritage Version

⁶ Then Naomi set out with her daughters-in-law to return from the territory of Moab, because while she was in the territory of Moab, she had heard that the Lord had graciously visited^[a] his people by providing them with food. ⁷ So she left the place where she had been, and her two daughters-in-law left with her. They set out on the road to return to the land of Judah.

⁸ But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back. Both of you return to your mother’s house. May the Lord show you kindness^[b] as you have shown kindness to the dead and to me. ⁹ May the Lord grant that each of you finds security^[c] in the house of a husband.” Then she kissed them, and they wept loudly.

¹⁰ But they said to her, “No, we will return with you to your people.”

¹¹ Then Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters. Why should you go with me? Am I going to give birth to any more sons^[d] who could become your husbands? ¹² Turn back, my daughters. Go! For I am too old to be married to another husband. Suppose I say, ‘I have hope, and I will be married to another husband tonight, and I will even give birth to sons.’ ¹³ Would you wait for them until they grow up? On the basis of that hope would you give up the chance to marry another husband? No, my daughters. It is much more bitter for me than for you, because the hand of the Lord has reached out against me.”

¹⁴ They once again wept loudly. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth would not let her go.