1:1 | During the time of the judges* there was a famine in the land of Judah.* So a man from Bethlehem* in Judah went to live as a resident foreigner* in the region of Moab, along with his wife and two sons.* |
1:2 | (Now the man’s name was Elimelech,* his wife was Naomi,* and his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion.* They were of the clan of Ephrath* from Bethlehem in Judah.) They entered the region of Moab and settled there.* |
1:3 | Sometime later* Naomi’s husband Elimelech died, so she and her two sons were left alone. |
1:4 | So her sons* married* Moabite women. (One was named Orpah and the other Ruth.)* And they continued to live there about ten years. |
1:5 | Then Naomi’s two sons, Mahlon and Kilion, also died.* So the woman was left all alone – bereaved of her two children* as well as her husband! |
1:6 | So she decided to return home from the region of Moab, accompanied by her daughters-in-law,* because while she was living in Moab* she had heard that the Lord had shown concern* for his people, reversing the famine by providing abundant crops.* |
1:7 | Now as she and her two daughters-in-law began to leave the place where she had been living to return to the land of Judah,* |
1:8 | Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Listen to me! Each of you should return to your mother’s home!* May the Lord show* you* the same kind of devotion that you have shown to your deceased husbands* and to me!* |
1:9 | May the Lord enable each of you to find* security* in the home of a new husband!”* Then she kissed them goodbye and they wept loudly.* |
1:10 | But they said to her, “No!* We will* return with you to your people.” |
1:11 | But Naomi replied, “Go back home, my daughters! There is no reason for you to return to Judah with me!* I am no longer capable of giving birth to sons who might become your husbands!* |
1:12 | Go back home, my daughters! For I am too old to get married again.* Even if I thought that there was hope that I could get married tonight and conceive sons,* |
1:13 | surely you would not want to wait until they were old enough to marry!* Surely you would not remain unmarried all that time!* No,* my daughters, you must not return with me.* For my intense suffering* is too much for you to bear.* For the Lord is afflicting me!”* |
1:14 | Again they wept loudly.* Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye,* but Ruth* clung tightly to her.* |
1:15 | So Naomi* said, “Look, your sister-in-law is returning to her people and to her god.* Follow your sister-in-law back home!” |
1:16 | But Ruth replied, “Stop urging me to abandon you!* For wherever you go, I will go. Wherever you live, I will live. Your people will become my people, and your God will become my God. |
1:17 | Wherever you die, I will die – and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I do not keep my promise!* Only death will be able to separate me from you!”* |
1:18 | When Naomi* realized that Ruth* was determined to go with her, she stopped trying to dissuade her.* |
1:19 | So the two of them* journeyed together until they arrived in Bethlehem.*When they entered* Bethlehem,* the whole village was excited about their arrival.* The women of the village said,* “Can this be Naomi?”* |
1:20 | But she replied* to them,* “Don’t call me ‘Naomi’!* Call me ‘Mara’* because the Sovereign One* has treated me very harshly.* |
1:21 | I left here full,* but the Lord has caused me to return empty-handed.* Why do you call me ‘Naomi,’ seeing that* the Lord has opposed me,* and the Sovereign One* has caused me to suffer?”* |
1:22 | So Naomi returned, accompanied by her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, who came back with her from the region of Moab.* (Now they* arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.)* |