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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.
02 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.
03 And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she
was left, and her two sons.
04 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.
05 And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them;
and the woman was left of her two sons and her
husband.
06 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.
07 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.
08 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.
09 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?
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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.
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