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 The two of them traveled until they came to Bethlehem. When they entered Bethlehem, the whole town was excited about their arrival[a](A) and the local women exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”

20 “Don’t call me Naomi. Call me Mara,”[b] she answered, “for the Almighty(B) has made me very bitter.(C) 21 I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty.(D) Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has opposed[c] me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?”

22 So Naomi came back from the territory of Moab with her daughter-in-law Ruth the Moabitess. They arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.(E)

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Footnotes

  1. 1:19 Lit excited because of them
  2. 1:20 = Bitter; see v. 2
  3. 1:21 LXX, Syr, Vg read has humiliated