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路得记 1-4
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
路得记 1-4
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
拿俄米和路得
1 在士师执政的时代，犹大发生了饥荒。有一个人带着妻子和两个儿子从犹大的伯利恒迁到摩押境内寄居。 2 这个人名叫以利米勒，妻子叫拿俄米，两个儿子分别叫玛伦和基连。他们都是犹大 伯利恒的以法他人。他们来到摩押，就在那里住了下来。 3 后来，拿俄米的丈夫以利米勒去世了，留下她和两个儿子。 4 这两个儿子都娶了摩押的女子为妻，一个名叫俄珥巴，一个名叫路得。他们在那里住了大约十年后， 5 玛伦和基连二人也相继去世，只剩下拿俄米，没有了丈夫，也没有了儿子。
6 后来，拿俄米在摩押听说耶和华眷顾祂的子民，使他们五谷丰登，就带着两个儿媳妇准备回故乡。 7 她们离开所居住的地方，启程返回犹大。 8 拿俄米对两个儿媳妇说：“你们还是各回娘家去吧！愿耶和华恩待你们，就好像你们恩待死去的丈夫和我一样。 9 愿耶和华使你们都有机会再嫁，找到好归宿。”拿俄米说完了，就亲吻她们。她们都放声大哭， 10 说：“不！我们要跟你一起回你的家乡。” 11 拿俄米说：“我的女儿啊，回娘家去吧！为什么要跟我去呢？难道我还能生儿子做你们的丈夫吗？ 12 回去吧！我的女儿啊，走吧！我已经老了，不可能再嫁人了。就算我还有指望，今晚能再结婚生子， 13 难道你们能一直不嫁，等到他们长大吗？不要这样，我的女儿啊！这样你们会很苦，我就更苦了，因为耶和华伸手惩罚我。” 14 她们又放声大哭，俄珥巴就亲吻婆婆，向她道别。然而，路得却依依不舍，不肯离去。
15 拿俄米说：“你看，你嫂嫂已经回她家乡和她拜的神明那里去了，你也跟着嫂嫂回去吧！” 16 路得说：“不要逼我撇你而去。你往哪里去，我也要往哪里去；你住在哪里，我也要住在哪里；你的同胞就是我的同胞，你的上帝就是我的上帝； 17 你死在哪里，我也死在哪里、葬在哪里。只有死才能把我们分开。否则，愿耶和华重重地惩罚我！” 18 拿俄米见路得坚决要跟她走，就不再劝阻她了。
19 于是，二人便一同回到伯利恒。她们进了伯利恒，全城惊动。妇女们问：“这不是拿俄米吗？” 20 拿俄米对她们说：“不要再叫我拿俄米[a]了，叫我玛拉[b]吧！因为全能者叫我过得好苦啊！ 21 我曾满满地离开这里，现在耶和华却使我空空地回来。既然耶和华叫我受苦，全能者使我遭遇不幸，为何还叫我拿俄米呢？”
22 拿俄米带着她的儿媳妇——摩押女子路得从摩押回到了伯利恒，那时正是开始收割大麦的季节。
路得遇见波阿斯
2 拿俄米的丈夫以利米勒有个亲戚，名叫波阿斯，是个有名望的财主。 2 摩押女子路得对拿俄米说：“让我到田里去，跟在那些愿意恩待我的人后面，捡些麦穗回来。”拿俄米说：“去吧，我的女儿！” 3 于是，路得便去了。她恰巧来到以利米勒的亲戚波阿斯的田里，跟在收割的人后面捡麦穗。 4 当时，波阿斯刚好从伯利恒来到田间，向那些收割的工人问安说：“愿耶和华与你们同在。”他们回答说：“愿耶和华赐福与你。” 5 波阿斯问负责收割的工头说：“那是谁家的女子？” 6 工头回答说：“她是摩押女子，跟拿俄米刚从摩押回来。 7 她求我让她跟在收割的人后面，捡工人扎捆时遗落的麦穗。她一大早就来到这里，一直捡到现在，除了在凉棚里稍微坐了一会儿之外，几乎没有休息。”
8 波阿斯对路得说：“姑娘[c]，听我说，你不用到别人的田里去拾麦穗了，也不必离开这里，只管留下来跟我的女工在一起。 9 你看我的工人在哪一块田里收割，就跟着我的女工去，我已经吩咐工人不可欺负你。要是你渴了，就去水罐那里喝工人打回来的水。” 10 路得就俯伏在地叩谢他，说：“我不过是个外族人，你为什么这样恩待我、体恤我？” 11 波阿斯说：“自从你丈夫过世之后，你怎样善待婆婆，怎样离开父母和家乡来到素不相识的人当中，我都听说了。 12 愿耶和华照你所行的奖赏你！你来投靠在以色列的上帝耶和华的翅膀下，愿祂厚厚地赏赐你。” 13 路得说：“我主啊！我真是在你面前蒙恩，虽然我连你的婢女都不如，你还好言安慰我。”
14 吃饭的时候，波阿斯对路得说：“来，吃一点饼吧，可以蘸着醋吃。”路得便坐在那些收割工人旁边。波阿斯递给她一些烤好的麦穗。她吃饱了，还有剩余的。 15 当她起来又要去捡麦穗的时候，波阿斯就吩咐他的工人说：“你们要任由她捡，就算她在割下的麦子中捡麦穗，你们也不要为难她。 16 甚至要从麦捆中抽一些出来让她捡，不要责骂她。”
17 于是，路得便在田间继续捡麦穗，到了黄昏，她把捡到的麦穗打了，大约有十三公斤大麦。 18 她把捡来的麦子带回城里给婆婆拿俄米看，又把剩下来的食物给婆婆。 19 婆婆问她：“你今天在哪里拾麦穗？在哪里做工？愿那善待你的人蒙福！”她就告诉婆婆说：“今天我在一个名叫波阿斯的人那里工作。” 20 拿俄米说：“愿耶和华赐福给他，他对活着的和过世的都是那么有情有义。”拿俄米又对路得说：“这人是我们本族的人，是我们的一个近亲。” 21 摩押女子路得说：“他还对我说，‘你可以跟在我的工人后面捡麦穗，直到他们把我的庄稼都收完为止。’” 22 拿俄米对儿媳路得说：“我的女儿啊，你就跟他的女工一起到田里去，免得去别人的田里被欺负。” 23 因此，路得便常跟波阿斯的女工在一起捡麦穗，直到大麦小麦都收割完毕。路得就这样陪伴婆婆过日子。
路得麦场见波阿斯
3 一天，路得的婆婆拿俄米对她说：“我的女儿啊，我实在应该为你找个好归宿，使你生活幸福。 2 波阿斯不是我们的亲戚吗？而且你又常与他的女工在一起。今天晚上他会在麦场簸大麦。 3 你要梳洗打扮、抹上香膏、换件衣服，然后去麦场，但不要让他认出你是谁。等他吃饱喝足， 4 躺下睡觉的时候，你看准他躺卧的地方，去掀开盖在他脚上的被，躺在那里，到时他必定会告诉你该怎样做。” 5 路得说：“好，我一定照你的吩咐去做。”
6 于是，路得就到麦场去，照她婆婆吩咐的去做。 7 波阿斯吃过晚饭，心里舒畅，便躺在麦堆旁边睡着了。路得悄悄过去掀起盖在他脚上的被，躺在他脚旁。 8 到了半夜，波阿斯忽然惊醒，翻过身来，发现一个女子躺在他的脚旁， 9 便问道：“你是谁？”她答道：“我是你的婢女路得，请用你的衣襟遮盖我，因为你是我的近亲。” 10 波阿斯说：“姑娘，愿耶和华赐福给你，因为你一直对婆家情深义重，现在更是如此。你本来可以找一个或穷或富的年轻丈夫，然而你却没有这样做。 11 姑娘，不要怕，你所说的一切，我都会去为你安排，城里所有的人都知道你是个贤德的女子。 12 不错，我是你的近亲，可是有一个人比我更近。 13 你今晚就留在这里，明天早上，如果他答应尽亲属的义务，就由他照顾你；如果他不肯，我凭永活的耶和华起誓，我会尽我的本分。现在你只管安心睡觉吧。”
14 路得就躺在波阿斯的脚旁。天未亮，还看不清人的时候，路得就起来了。因为波阿斯曾对她说：“不可让别人知道有女人来过这里。” 15 离开的时候，波阿斯对她说：“把你的外衣拿来铺开。”路得就照做了。他用路得的外衣包了六簸箕大麦，帮她扛在肩上，她便回城了。 16 回到家中，婆婆问她：“女儿啊，怎么样了？”路得便将事情的经过都告诉了婆婆。 17 她又说：“那个人给了我六簸箕大麦，对我说，‘不要空手回去见你婆婆。’” 18 拿俄米说：“女儿啊！你只管安静等候，看这事怎样发展，因为那人今天不把事情办妥，是绝不会休息的。”
波阿斯娶路得
4 波阿斯来到城门口，坐在那里，恰巧看见他所说的那位至亲经过，便招呼他说：“某人啊，请过来坐一坐。”那人便走过来坐下。 2 波阿斯又邀请了城里的十位长老，对他们说：“请过来坐一坐。”他们都坐下以后， 3 波阿斯便对那位至亲说：“拿俄米从摩押回来了，现在要卖我们族兄以利米勒的那块地， 4 我想应该让你知道这件事。你最有权赎那块地，其次才是我，此外再没有别人了。如果你愿意赎回那块地，希望你当着在座各位长老的面表明。如果不愿意，请你让我知道。”那人说：“我愿意赎。” 5 波阿斯说：“那么，你从拿俄米手中买地的那天，也要娶已死之人的妻子摩押女子路得，好让死者继续在产业上留名。” 6 那位至亲说：“那我就不能赎了，免得损害到我的产业。你来赎吧，我不能赎。”
7 从前在以色列，买赎或交易有这样的规矩：一旦成交，一方要把鞋脱下来交给另一方，以色列人以此为成交的凭据。 8 那位至亲对波阿斯说：“你自己买吧！”他就把鞋子脱了下来。 9 波阿斯向长老和所有在场的人说：“请各位今天为我作证，所有属于以利米勒、基连和玛伦的产业，我都从拿俄米手上买了。 10 同时，我要娶玛伦的遗孀摩押女子路得为妻，好使死者继续在产业上留名，免得他的名在本族本乡中消失。今天，请各位作证。” 11 聚集在城门口的众人和长老都说：“我们愿意作证。愿耶和华使要进你家门的这女子，像建立以色列家的拉结和利亚一样。愿你在以法他家业兴隆，在伯利恒声名远播。 12 愿耶和华借着这年轻女子赐你后裔，使你家像先祖犹大和她玛的儿子法勒斯家一样。”
13 这样，波阿斯便娶了路得为妻，与她同房。耶和华使她怀孕生了一个儿子。 14 妇女们对拿俄米说：“耶和华当受称颂！因为今日祂赐给你一位至亲，使你后继有人，愿这孩子在以色列得享盛名！ 15 他必让你的生命重新得力，奉养你，使你安度晚年，因为他是爱你的儿媳妇所生的。有这儿媳妇比有七个儿子还要好！” 16 拿俄米接过婴孩抱在怀中，照顾他。 17 邻居的妇女们喊着说：“拿俄米有孩子了！”她们给孩子取名叫俄备得，这俄备得就是耶西的父亲，耶西是大卫的父亲。
18 以下是法勒斯的家谱：法勒斯生希斯仑， 19 希斯仑生兰，兰生亚米拿达， 20 亚米拿达生拿顺，拿顺生撒门， 21 撒门生波阿斯，波阿斯生俄备得， 22 俄备得生耶西，耶西生大卫。
Ruth 1-4
King James Version
Ruth 1-4
King James Version
1 Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
2 And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.
3 And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.
4 And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years.
5 And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.
6 Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread.
7 Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.
8 And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother's house: the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.
9 The Lord grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.
10 And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.
11 And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
12 Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons;
13 Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.
14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.
15 And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.
16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.
18 When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.
19 So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?
20 And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.
21 I went out full and the Lord hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?
22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.
2 And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.
2 And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter.
3 And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.
4 And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The Lord be with you. And they answered him, The Lord bless thee.
5 Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this?
6 And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab:
7 And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house.
8 Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens:
9 Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn.
10 Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?
11 And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore.
12 The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.
13 Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens.
14 And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left.
15 And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not:
16 And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.
17 So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley.
18 And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother in law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved after she was sufficed.
19 And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man's name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz.
20 And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the Lord, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.
21 And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.
22 And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter in law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in any other field.
23 So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law.
3 Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?
2 And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor.
3 Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.
4 And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.
5 And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do.
6 And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her.
7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.
8 And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.
9 And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.
10 And he said, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.
11 And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.
12 And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.
13 Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman's part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the Lord liveth: lie down until the morning.
14 And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.
15 Also he said, Bring the vail that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her: and she went into the city.
16 And when she came to her mother in law, she said, Who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her.
17 And she said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother in law.
18 Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.
4 Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.
2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.
3 And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's:
4 And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.
5 Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.
6 And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it.
7 Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a testimony in Israel.
8 Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe.
9 And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi.
10 Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.
11 And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem:
12 And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the Lord shall give thee of this young woman.
13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bare a son.
14 And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel.
15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.
16 And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.
17 And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
18 Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron,
19 And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab,
20 And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon,
21 And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,
22 And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.
Ruth 1-4
New International Version
Ruth 1-4
New International Version
Naomi Loses Her Husband and Sons
1 In the days when the judges ruled,[a](A) there was a famine in the land.(B) So a man from Bethlehem in Judah,(C) together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while(D) in the country of Moab.(E) 2 The man’s name was Elimelek,(F) his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion.(G) They were Ephrathites(H) from Bethlehem,(I) Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there.
3 Now Elimelek, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4 They married Moabite women,(J) one named Orpah and the other Ruth.(K) After they had lived there about ten years, 5 both Mahlon and Kilion(L) also died,(M) and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.
Naomi and Ruth Return to Bethlehem
6 When Naomi heard in Moab(N) that the Lord had come to the aid of his people(O) by providing food(P) for them, she and her daughters-in-law(Q) prepared to return home from there. 7 With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah.
8 Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home.(R) May the Lord show you kindness,(S) as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands(T) and to me. 9 May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest(U) in the home of another husband.”
Then she kissed(V) them goodbye and they wept aloud(W) 10 and said to her, “We will go back with you to your people.”
11 But Naomi said, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands?(X) 12 Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons— 13 would you wait until they grew up?(Y) Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter(Z) for me than for you, because the Lord’s hand has turned against me!(AA)”
14 At this they wept(AB) aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law(AC) goodbye,(AD) but Ruth clung to her.(AE)
15 “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law(AF) is going back to her people and her gods.(AG) Go back with her.”
16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you(AH) or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go,(AI) and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people(AJ) and your God my God.(AK) 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely,(AL) if even death separates you and me.”(AM) 18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.(AN)
19 So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem.(AO) When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred(AP) because of them, and the women exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”
20 “Don’t call me Naomi,[b]” she told them. “Call me Mara,[c] because the Almighty[d](AQ) has made my life very bitter.(AR) 21 I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty.(AS) Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted[e] me;(AT) the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.”
22 So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabite,(AU) her daughter-in-law,(AV) arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest(AW) was beginning.(AX)
Ruth Meets Boaz in the Grain Field
2 Now Naomi had a relative(AY) on her husband’s side, a man of standing(AZ) from the clan of Elimelek,(BA) whose name was Boaz.(BB)
2 And Ruth the Moabite(BC) said to Naomi, “Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain(BD) behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor.(BE)”
Naomi said to her, “Go ahead, my daughter.” 3 So she went out, entered a field and began to glean behind the harvesters.(BF) As it turned out, she was working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelek.(BG)
4 Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, “The Lord be with you!(BH)”
“The Lord bless you!(BI)” they answered.
5 Boaz asked the overseer of his harvesters, “Who does that young woman belong to?”
6 The overseer replied, “She is the Moabite(BJ) who came back from Moab with Naomi. 7 She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves(BK) behind the harvesters.’ She came into the field and has remained here from morning till now, except for a short rest(BL) in the shelter.”
8 So Boaz said to Ruth, “My daughter, listen to me. Don’t go and glean in another field and don’t go away from here. Stay here with the women who work for me. 9 Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the women. I have told the men not to lay a hand on you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled.”
10 At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground.(BM) She asked him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me(BN)—a foreigner?(BO)”
11 Boaz replied, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law(BP) since the death of your husband(BQ)—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know(BR) before.(BS) 12 May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord,(BT) the God of Israel,(BU) under whose wings(BV) you have come to take refuge.(BW)”
13 “May I continue to find favor in your eyes,(BX) my lord,” she said. “You have put me at ease by speaking kindly to your servant—though I do not have the standing of one of your servants.”
14 At mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come over here. Have some bread(BY) and dip it in the wine vinegar.”
When she sat down with the harvesters,(BZ) he offered her some roasted grain.(CA) She ate all she wanted and had some left over.(CB) 15 As she got up to glean, Boaz gave orders to his men, “Let her gather among the sheaves(CC) and don’t reprimand her. 16 Even pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and don’t rebuke(CD) her.”
17 So Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. Then she threshed(CE) the barley she had gathered, and it amounted to about an ephah.[f](CF) 18 She carried it back to town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gathered. Ruth also brought out and gave her what she had left over(CG) after she had eaten enough.
19 Her mother-in-law asked her, “Where did you glean today? Where did you work? Blessed be the man who took notice of you!(CH)”
Then Ruth told her mother-in-law about the one at whose place she had been working. “The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz,” she said.
20 “The Lord bless him!(CI)” Naomi said to her daughter-in-law.(CJ) “He has not stopped showing his kindness(CK) to the living and the dead.” She added, “That man is our close relative;(CL) he is one of our guardian-redeemers.[g](CM)”
21 Then Ruth the Moabite(CN) said, “He even said to me, ‘Stay with my workers until they finish harvesting all my grain.’”
22 Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It will be good for you, my daughter, to go with the women who work for him, because in someone else’s field you might be harmed.”
23 So Ruth stayed close to the women of Boaz to glean until the barley(CO) and wheat harvests(CP) were finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law.
Ruth and Boaz at the Threshing Floor
3 One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi(CQ) said to her, “My daughter, I must find a home[h](CR) for you, where you will be well provided for. 2 Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relative(CS) of ours. Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor.(CT) 3 Wash,(CU) put on perfume,(CV) and get dressed in your best clothes.(CW) Then go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking.(CX) 4 When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.”
5 “I will do whatever you say,”(CY) Ruth answered. 6 So she went down to the threshing floor(CZ) and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do.
7 When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits,(DA) he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile.(DB) Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down. 8 In the middle of the night something startled the man; he turned—and there was a woman lying at his feet!
9 “Who are you?” he asked.
“I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment(DC) over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer[i](DD) of our family.”
10 “The Lord bless you,(DE) my daughter,” he replied. “This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier:(DF) You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. 11 And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character.(DG) 12 Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family,(DH) there is another who is more closely related than(DI) I. 13 Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer,(DJ) good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the Lord lives(DK) I will do it.(DL) Lie here until morning.”
14 So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before anyone could be recognized; and he said, “No one must know that a woman came to the threshing floor.(DM)”(DN)
15 He also said, “Bring me the shawl(DO) you are wearing and hold it out.” When she did so, he poured into it six measures of barley and placed the bundle on her. Then he[j] went back to town.
16 When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, “How did it go, my daughter?”
Then she told her everything Boaz had done for her 17 and added, “He gave me these six measures of barley, saying, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”
18 Then Naomi said, “Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today.”(DP)
Boaz Marries Ruth
4 Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate(DQ) and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer[k](DR) he had mentioned(DS) came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down.
2 Boaz took ten of the elders(DT) of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so.(DU) 3 Then he said to the guardian-redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek.(DV) 4 I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you[l] will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you,(DW) and I am next in line.”
“I will redeem it,” he said.
5 Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite,(DX) the[m] dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.”(DY)
6 At this, the guardian-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem(DZ) it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.”(EA)
7 (Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption(EB) and transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandal(EC) and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalizing transactions(ED) in Israel.)(EE)
8 So the guardian-redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it yourself.” And he removed his sandal.(EF)
9 Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses(EG) that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon. 10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite,(EH) Mahlon’s widow, as my wife,(EI) in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from his hometown.(EJ) Today you are witnesses!(EK)”
11 Then the elders and all the people at the gate(EL) said, “We are witnesses.(EM) May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah,(EN) who together built up the family of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah(EO) and be famous in Bethlehem.(EP) 12 Through the offspring the Lord gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez,(EQ) whom Tamar(ER) bore to Judah.”
Naomi Gains a Son
13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive,(ES) and she gave birth to a son.(ET) 14 The women(EU) said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord,(EV) who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer.(EW) May he become famous throughout Israel! 15 He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law,(EX) who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons,(EY) has given him birth.”
16 Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. 17 The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse,(EZ) the father of David.(FA)
The Genealogy of David(FB)
18 This, then, is the family line of Perez(FC):
Footnotes
- Ruth 1:1 Traditionally judged
- Ruth 1:20 Naomi means pleasant.
- Ruth 1:20 Mara means bitter.
- Ruth 1:20 Hebrew Shaddai; also in verse 21
- Ruth 1:21 Or has testified against
- Ruth 2:17 That is, probably about 30 pounds or about 13 kilograms
- Ruth 2:20 The Hebrew word for guardian-redeemer is a legal term for one who has the obligation to redeem a relative in serious difficulty (see Lev. 25:25-55).
- Ruth 3:1 Hebrew find rest (see 1:9)
- Ruth 3:9 The Hebrew word for guardian-redeemer is a legal term for one who has the obligation to redeem a relative in serious difficulty (see Lev. 25:25-55); also in verses 12 and 13.
- Ruth 3:15 Most Hebrew manuscripts; many Hebrew manuscripts, Vulgate and Syriac she
- Ruth 4:1 The Hebrew word for guardian-redeemer is a legal term for one who has the obligation to redeem a relative in serious difficulty (see Lev. 25:25-55); also in verses 3, 6, 8 and 14.
- Ruth 4:4 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts he
- Ruth 4:5 Vulgate and Syriac; Hebrew (see also Septuagint) Naomi and from Ruth the Moabite, you acquire the
- Ruth 4:20 A few Hebrew manuscripts, some Septuagint manuscripts and Vulgate (see also verse 21 and Septuagint of 1 Chron. 2:11); most Hebrew manuscripts Salma
Ruth 1-4
New King James Version
Ruth 1-4
New King James Version
Elimelech’s Family Goes to Moab
1 Now it came to pass, in the days when (A)the judges [a]ruled, that there was (B)a famine in the land. And a certain man of (C)Bethlehem, Judah, went to [b]dwell in the country of (D)Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. 2 The name of the man was Elimelech, the name of his wife was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion—(E)Ephrathites of Bethlehem, Judah. And they went (F)to the country of Moab and remained there. 3 Then Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons. 4 Now they took wives of the women of Moab: the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth. And they [c]dwelt there about ten years. 5 Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died; so the woman survived her two sons and her husband.
Naomi Returns with Ruth
6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the Lord had (G)visited[d] His people by (H)giving them bread. 7 Therefore she went out from the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. 8 And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, (I)“Go, return each to her mother’s house. (J)The Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt (K)with the dead and with me. 9 The Lord grant that you may find (L)rest, each in the house of her husband.”
So she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. 10 And they said to her, “Surely we will return with you to your people.”
11 But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Are there still sons in my womb, (M)that they may be your husbands? 12 Turn back, my daughters, go—for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, if I should have a husband tonight and should also bear sons, 13 would you wait for them till they were grown? Would you restrain yourselves from having husbands? No, my daughters; for it grieves me very much for your sakes that (N)the hand of the Lord has gone out against me!”
14 Then they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth (O)clung to her.
15 And she said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to (P)her people and to her gods; (Q)return after your sister-in-law.”
16 But Ruth said:
(R)“Entreat[e] me not to leave you,
Or to turn back from following after you;
For wherever you go, I will go;
And wherever you lodge, I will lodge;
(S)Your people shall be my people,
And your God, my God.
17 Where you die, I will die,
And there will I be buried.
(T)The Lord do so to me, and more also,
If anything but death parts you and me.”
18 (U)When she saw that she [f]was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her.
19 Now the two of them went until they came to Bethlehem. And it happened, when they had come to Bethlehem, that (V)all the city was excited because of them; and the women said, (W)“Is this Naomi?”
20 But she said to them, “Do not call me [g]Naomi; call me [h]Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I went out full, (X)and the Lord has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has testified against me, and [i]the Almighty has afflicted me?”
22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. Now they came to Bethlehem (Y)at the beginning of barley harvest.
Ruth Meets Boaz
2 There was a (Z)relative of Naomi’s husband, a man of great wealth, of the family of (AA)Elimelech. His name was (AB)Boaz. 2 So Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the (AC)field, and glean heads of grain after him in whose sight I may find favor.”
And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.”
3 Then she left, and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers. And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.
4 Now behold, Boaz came from (AD)Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, (AE)“The Lord be with you!”
And they answered him, “The Lord bless you!”
5 Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?”
6 So the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered and said, “It is the young Moabite woman (AF)who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. 7 And she said, ‘Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.’ So she came and has continued from morning until now, though she rested a little in the house.”
8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “You will listen, my daughter, will you not? Do not go to glean in another field, nor go from here, but stay close by my young women. 9 Let your eyes be on the field which they reap, and go after them. Have I not commanded the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn.”
10 So she (AG)fell on her face, bowed down to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found (AH)favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?”
11 And Boaz answered and said to her, “It has been fully reported to me, (AI)all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before. 12 (AJ)The Lord repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the Lord God of Israel, (AK)under whose wings you have come for refuge.”
13 Then she said, (AL)“Let me find favor in your sight, my lord; for you have comforted me, and have spoken [j]kindly to your maidservant, (AM)though I am not like one of your maidservants.”
14 Now Boaz said to her at mealtime, “Come here, and eat of the bread, and dip your piece of bread in the vinegar.” So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed parched grain to her; and she ate and (AN)was satisfied, and kept some back. 15 And when she rose up to [k]glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not [l]reproach her. 16 Also let grain from the bundles fall purposely for her; leave it that she may glean, and do not rebuke her.”
17 So she gleaned in the field until evening, and beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of (AO)barley. 18 Then she took it up and went into the city, and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. So she brought out and gave to her (AP)what she had kept back after she had been satisfied.
19 And her mother-in-law said to her, “Where have you gleaned today? And where did you work? Blessed be the one who (AQ)took notice of you.”
So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and said, “The man’s name with whom I worked today is Boaz.”
20 Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, (AR)“Blessed be he of the Lord, who (AS)has not forsaken His kindness to the living and the dead!” And Naomi said to her, “This man is a relation of ours, (AT)one of [m]our close relatives.”
21 Ruth the Moabitess said, “He also said to me, ‘You shall stay close by my young men until they have finished all my harvest.’ ”
22 And Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, and that people do not [n]meet you in any other field.” 23 So she stayed close by the young women of Boaz, to glean until the end of barley harvest and wheat harvest; and she dwelt with her mother-in-law.
Ruth’s Redemption Assured
3 Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, (AU)shall I not seek (AV)security[o] for you, that it may be well with you? 2 Now Boaz, (AW)whose young women you were with, is he not our relative? In fact, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. 3 Therefore wash yourself and (AX)anoint yourself, put on your best garment and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 Then it shall be, when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies; and you shall go in, uncover his feet, and lie down; and he will tell you what you should do.”
5 And she said to her, “All that you say to me I will do.”
6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law instructed her. 7 And after Boaz had eaten and drunk, and (AY)his heart was cheerful, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain; and she came softly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.
8 Now it happened at midnight that the man was startled, and turned himself; and there, a woman was lying at his feet. 9 And he said, “Who are you?”
So she answered, “I am Ruth, your maidservant. (AZ)Take[p] your maidservant under your wing, for you are (BA)a [q]close relative.”
10 Then he said, (BB)“Blessed are you of the Lord, my daughter! For you have shown more kindness at the end than (BC)at the beginning, in that you did not go after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you request, for all the people of my town know that you are a (BD)virtuous woman. 12 Now it is true that I am a (BE)close relative; however, (BF)there is a relative closer than I. 13 Stay this night, and in the morning it shall be that if he will (BG)perform the duty of a close relative for you—good; let him do it. But if he does not want to perform the duty for you, then I will perform the duty for you, (BH)as the Lord lives! Lie down until morning.”
14 So she lay at his feet until morning, and she arose before one could recognize another. Then he said, (BI)“Do not let it be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” 15 Also he said, “Bring the [r]shawl that is on you and hold it.” And when she held it, he measured six ephahs of barley, and laid it on her. Then [s]she went into the city.
16 When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, [t]“Is that you, my daughter?”
Then she told her all that the man had done for her. 17 And she said, “These six ephahs of barley he gave me; for he said to me, ‘Do not go empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’ ”
18 Then she said, (BJ)“Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out; for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day.”
Boaz Redeems Ruth
4 Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there; and behold, (BK)the close relative of whom Boaz had spoken came by. So Boaz said, “Come aside, [u]friend, sit down here.” So he came aside and sat down. 2 And he took ten men of (BL)the elders of the city, and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down. 3 Then he said to the close relative, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, sold the piece of land (BM)which belonged to our brother Elimelech. 4 And I thought to [v]inform you, saying, (BN)‘Buy it back (BO)in the presence of the inhabitants and the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if [w]you will not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know; (BP)for there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am next after you.’ ”
And he said, “I will redeem it.”
5 Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also buy it from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, (BQ)to [x]perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance.”
6 (BR)And the close relative said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I ruin my own inheritance. You redeem my right of redemption for yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”
7 (BS)Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging, to confirm anything: one man took off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was a confirmation in Israel.
8 Therefore the close relative said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself.” So he took off his sandal. 9 And Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, from the hand of Naomi. 10 Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, I have acquired as my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance, (BT)that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren and from [y]his position at the gate. You are witnesses this day.”
11 And all the people who were at the gate, and the elders, said, “We are witnesses. (BU)The Lord make the woman who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah, the two who (BV)built the house of Israel; and may you prosper in (BW)Ephrathah and be famous in (BX)Bethlehem. 12 May your house be like the house of (BY)Perez, (BZ)whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of (CA)the offspring which the Lord will give you from this young woman.”
Descendants of Boaz and Ruth(CB)
13 So Boaz (CC)took Ruth and she became his wife; and when he went in to her, (CD)the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. 14 Then (CE)the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a [z]close relative; and may his name be famous in Israel! 15 And may he be to you a restorer of life and a [aa]nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is (CF)better to you than seven sons, has borne him.” 16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her bosom, and became a nurse to him. 17 (CG)Also the neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “There is a son born to Naomi.” And they called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
18 (CH)Now this is the genealogy of Perez: (CI)Perez begot Hezron; 19 Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab; 20 Amminadab begot (CJ)Nahshon, and Nahshon begot (CK)Salmon;[ab] 21 Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed; 22 Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot (CL)David.
Footnotes
- Ruth 1:1 Lit. judged
- Ruth 1:1 As a resident alien
- Ruth 1:4 lived
- Ruth 1:6 attended to
- Ruth 1:16 Urge me not
- Ruth 1:18 Lit. made herself strong to go
- Ruth 1:20 Lit. Pleasant
- Ruth 1:20 Lit. Bitter
- Ruth 1:21 Heb. Shaddai
- Ruth 2:13 Lit. to the heart of
- Ruth 2:15 Gather after the reapers
- Ruth 2:15 rebuke
- Ruth 2:20 our redeemers, Heb. goalenu
- Ruth 2:22 encounter
- Ruth 3:1 Lit. rest
- Ruth 3:9 Or Spread the corner of your garment over your maidservant
- Ruth 3:9 redeemer, Heb. goel
- Ruth 3:15 cloak
- Ruth 3:15 Many Heb. mss., Syr., Vg. she; MT, LXX, Tg. he
- Ruth 3:16 Or How are you,
- Ruth 4:1 Heb. peloni almoni, lit. so and so
- Ruth 4:4 Lit. uncover your ear
- Ruth 4:4 So with many Heb. mss., LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg.; MT he
- Ruth 4:5 Lit. raise up
- Ruth 4:10 Probably his civic office
- Ruth 4:14 redeemer, Heb. goel
- Ruth 4:15 sustainer
- Ruth 4:20 Heb. Salmah
Ruth 1-4
English Standard Version
Ruth 1-4
English Standard Version
Naomi Widowed
1 In the days (A)when the judges ruled there was (B)a famine in the land, and a man of (C)Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. 2 The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were (D)Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there. 3 But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4 These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. They lived there about ten years, 5 and both Mahlon and Chilion died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.
Ruth's Loyalty to Naomi
6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the fields of Moab that (E)the Lord had visited his people and (F)given them food. 7 So she set out from the place where she was with her two daughters-in-law, and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. 8 But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother's house. May the Lord (G)deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with (H)the dead and with me. 9 The Lord grant that you may find (I)rest, each of you in the house of her husband!” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. 10 And they said to her, “No, we will return with you to your people.” 11 But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb (J)that they may become your husbands? 12 Turn back, my daughters; go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, even if I should have a husband this night and should bear sons, 13 would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that (K)the hand of the Lord has gone out against me.” 14 Then they lifted up their voices and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.
15 And she said, “See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to (L)her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” 16 But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. (M)Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. (N)May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” 18 (O)And when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more.
Naomi and Ruth Return
19 So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they came to Bethlehem, (P)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 (Q)Mara,[b] for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 21 (R)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 (S)at the beginning of barley harvest.
Ruth Meets Boaz
2 Now Naomi had (T)a relative of her husband's, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was (U)Boaz. 2 And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the field and (V)glean among the ears of grain after him (W)in whose sight I shall find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” 3 So she set out and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers, and she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the clan of Elimelech. 4 And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem. And he said to the reapers, (X)“The Lord be with you!” And they answered, “The Lord bless you.” 5 Then Boaz said to his young man who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” 6 And the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, “She is the young Moabite woman, (Y)who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. 7 She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers.’ So she came, and she has continued from early morning until now, except for a short rest.”[c]
8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Now, listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women. 9 Let your eyes be on the field that they are reaping, and go after them. Have I not charged the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn.” 10 Then (Z)she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should (AA)take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?” 11 But Boaz answered her, (AB)“All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. 12 (AC)The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” 13 Then she said, (AD)“I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, though I am not one of your servants.”
14 And at mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come here and eat some bread and dip your morsel in the wine.” So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed to her roasted grain. And she ate until (AE)she was satisfied, and she had some left over. 15 When she rose to glean, Boaz instructed his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. 16 And also pull out some from the bundles for her and leave it for her to glean, and do not rebuke her.”
17 So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah[d] of barley. 18 And she took it up and went into the city. Her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She also brought out and gave her what food she had left over (AF)after being satisfied. 19 And her mother-in-law said to her, “Where did you glean today? And where have you worked? Blessed be the man (AG)who took notice of you.” So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked and said, “The man's name with whom I worked today is Boaz.” 20 And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, (AH)“May he be blessed by the Lord, whose kindness has not forsaken (AI)the living or the dead!” Naomi also said to her, “The man is a close relative of ours, one of (AJ)our redeemers.” 21 And Ruth the Moabite said, “Besides, he said to me, ‘You shall keep close by my young men until they have finished all my harvest.’” 22 And Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, lest in another field you be assaulted.” 23 So she kept close to the young women of Boaz, gleaning until the end of the barley and wheat harvests. And she lived with her mother-in-law.
Ruth and Boaz at the Threshing Floor
3 Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek (AK)rest for you, that it may be well with you? 2 Is not Boaz (AL)our relative, (AM)with whose young women you were? See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. 3 (AN)Wash therefore and anoint yourself, and put on your cloak and go down to the threshing floor, but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 But when he lies down, observe the place where he lies. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down, and he will tell you what to do.” 5 And she replied, “All that you say I will do.”
6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her. 7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and (AO)his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down. 8 At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet! 9 He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. (AP)Spread your wings[e] over your servant, for you are (AQ)a redeemer.” 10 And he said, (AR)“May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter. You have made this last kindness greater than (AS)the first in that you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for all my fellow townsmen know that you are (AT)a worthy woman. 12 And now it is true that I am (AU)a redeemer. Yet there is a redeemer nearer than I. 13 Remain tonight, and in the morning, if he will (AV)redeem you, good; let him do it. But if he is not willing to redeem you, then, (AW)as the Lord lives, I will redeem you. Lie down until the morning.”
14 So she lay at his feet until the morning, but arose before one could recognize another. And he said, “Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” 15 And he said, “Bring the garment you are wearing and hold it out.” So she held it, and he measured out six measures of barley and put it on her. Then she went into the city. 16 And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “How did you fare, my daughter?” Then she told her all that the man had done for her, 17 saying, “These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said to me, ‘You must not go back empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’” 18 She replied, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.”
Boaz Redeems Ruth
4 Now Boaz had gone up to (AX)the gate and sat down there. And behold, (AY)the redeemer, of whom Boaz had spoken, came by. So Boaz said, “Turn aside, friend; sit down here.” And he turned aside and sat down. 2 And he took ten men (AZ)of the elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down. 3 Then he said to the redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech. 4 So I thought I would tell you of it and say, (BA)‘Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people.’ If you will redeem it, redeem it. But if you[f] will not, tell me, that I may know, for there is no one besides you to redeem it, and I come after you.” And he said, “I will redeem it.” 5 Then Boaz said, “The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth[g] the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order (BB)to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance.” 6 (BC)Then the redeemer said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”
7 (BD)Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging: to confirm a transaction, the one drew off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was the manner of attesting in Israel. 8 So when the redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself,” he drew off his sandal. 9 Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to (BE)Chilion and to Mahlon. 10 Also Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, I have bought to be my wife, (BF)to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his native place. You are witnesses this day.” 11 Then all the people who were (BG)at the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman, who is coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, (BH)who together (BI)built up the house of Israel. May you act worthily in (BJ)Ephrathah and (BK)be renowned in Bethlehem, 12 and may your house be like the house of Perez, (BL)whom Tamar bore to Judah, because (BM)of the offspring that the Lord will give you by this young woman.”
Ruth and Boaz Marry
13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, (BN)and the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. 14 (BO)Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without (BP)a redeemer, and may his name (BQ)be renowned in Israel! 15 He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, (BR)who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” 16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. 17 (BS)And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
The Genealogy of David
18 Now these are the generations of Perez: (BT)Perez fathered Hezron, 19 Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab, 20 (BU)Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon, 21 Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed, 22 Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David.
Footnotes
- Ruth 1:20 Naomi means pleasant
- Ruth 1:20 Mara means bitter
- Ruth 2:7 Compare Septuagint, Vulgate; the meaning of the Hebrew phrase is uncertain
- Ruth 2:17 An ephah was about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters
- Ruth 3:9 Compare 2:12; the word for wings can also mean corners of a garment
- Ruth 4:4 Hebrew he
- Ruth 4:5 Masoretic Text you also buy it from Ruth
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified) (CCB)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.