Naomi and Ruth Return

19 So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they came to Bethlehem, (A)the whole town was stirred because of them. And the women said, “Is this Naomi?” 20 She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi;[a] call me (B)Mara,[b] for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 21 (C)I went away full, and the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the Lord has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?”

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

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Footnotes

  1. Ruth 1:20 Naomi means pleasant
  2. Ruth 1:20 Mara means bitter

19 So the two of them continued on their journey. When they came to Bethlehem, the entire town was excited by their arrival. “Is it really Naomi?” the women asked.

20 “Don’t call me Naomi,” she responded. “Instead, call me Mara,[a] for the Almighty has made life very bitter for me. 21 I went away full, but the Lord has brought me home empty. Why call me Naomi when the Lord has caused me to suffer[b] and the Almighty has sent such tragedy upon me?”

22 So Naomi returned from Moab, accompanied by her daughter-in-law Ruth, the young Moabite woman. They arrived in Bethlehem in late spring, at the beginning of the barley harvest.

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Footnotes

  1. 1:20 Naomi means “pleasant”; Mara means “bitter.”
  2. 1:21 Or has testified against me.