Ruth 1:1-5

Evangelical Heritage Version

Ruth and Naomi Come to Bethlehem

1 During the days of the judges,^[a] a famine occurred in the land. So a man left Bethlehem in Judah to stay awhile^[b] in the territory^[c] of Moab—he, his wife, and his two sons. ² The man’s name was Elimelek, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were from the clan of Ephrath from Bethlehem in Judah. They entered the territory of Moab and remained there.

³ But Elimelek, Naomi’s husband, died, so she was left with her two sons. ⁴ They then married Moabite wives. The name of the first was Orpah, and the name of the second was Ruth. They lived there for about ten years. ⁵ But Naomi’s sons, Mahlon and Kilion, also died. So the woman was left without her two children and without her husband.