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?” 20 But she said to them, “Do not call me [b]Naomi; call me [c]Mara, for [d](B)the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I went away full, but (C)the Lord has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has testified against me and [e]the Almighty has afflicted me?”

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 (D)the beginning of barley harvest.

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Footnotes

  1. Ruth 1:19 Lit they
  2. Ruth 1:20 I.e., pleasant
  3. Ruth 1:20 I.e., bitter
  4. Ruth 1:20 Heb Shaddai
  5. Ruth 1:21 Heb Shaddai

19 So both of them went along until they arrived at Bethlehem. When they arrived at Bethlehem, the whole town was excited on account of them, and the women of the town asked, “Can this be Naomi?”

20 She replied to them, “Don’t call me Naomi,[a] but call me Mara,[b] for the Almighty[c] has made me very bitter. 21 I went away full, but the Lord has returned me empty. Why would you call me Naomi, when the Lord has testified against me, and the Almighty has deemed me guilty?”

22 Thus Naomi returned. And Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, returned with her from the territory of Moab. They arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.

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Footnotes

  1. Ruth 1:20 Naomi means pleasant.
  2. Ruth 1:20 Mara means bitter.
  3. Ruth 1:20 Heb El Shaddai or God of the Mountain