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 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.
Ruth - Chapter 2
1. 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.
Ruth - Chapter 3
1. 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.
Ruth - Chapter 4
1. 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,
