Ruth

The story of Ruth, a loyal woman who becomes part of the Israelite community and the great-grandmother of King David.

Chapter 1

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.

*In the time when judges led, there was a food shortage. A man from Bethlehemjudah along with his wife and two sons left for Moab's land to live temporarily.

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.

*Elimelech was a man, and his wife's name was Naomi. They had two sons named Mahlon and Chilion. They were from Bethlehemjudah, but moved to Moab's land and lived there.

3 And Elimelech Naomi’s husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.

*Elimelech, Naomi's husband, passed away, leaving her and their two children alone.

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.

*So, they married women from Moab. One wife's name was Orpah, and the other's was Ruth. They lived there for around ten years.

5 And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.

*Mahlon and Chilion both passed away, leaving the woman with no sons or 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.

*Then she and her daughters-in-law got up to leave Moab's land because she heard that the LORD helped his people by providing food there.

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.

*So, she left the place she was in, along with her two daughters-in-law. They all traveled back towards 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.

*Naomi told her two daughters-in-law, "Go back to your mom's house. May God be kind to you, just like how you were kind to my deceased husband and 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.

*May the Lord give you peace, so you can feel at home with your spouses. She hugged them, and they cried together.

10 And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.

*They told her, "We will definitely go back with you to your 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?

*Naomi asked her daughters-in-law, "Why are you coming with me? Is there any more sons in my belly to 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;

*"Go back, my daughters, follow your path; I'm too old to have a spouse. If I said I still have hope, or could get a spouse tonight, and even have children, that would be true."

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.

*Should you wait for them until they grow up? Should you hold off from them getting married? No, my daughters; because I am very sad about this for your sake, that the Lord's hand has punished me.

14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.

*They shouted and cried again. Orpah said goodbye to her mother-in-law with a kiss, but Ruth stayed with 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.

*She said, "Your sister-in-law has returned to her own people and their gods. Now go find your 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:

*Ruth told Naomi, "Don't ask me to leave you or stop following you. Wherever you go, I'll go too; wherever you stay, I'll stay there as well. Your people will become my people, and your God will be 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.

*Wherever you die, I will die too and be buried there. May the Lord do this to me and even more if anything but death separates us.

18 When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.

*When she realized that she was determined to go with her, she stopped talking to 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?

*So, the two of them traveled until they reached Bethlehem. When they arrived, everyone in the town was surprised and asked, "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.

*She told them, "Don't call me Naomi; call me Mara, because God has treated me very badly."

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?

*I left with plenty, but the Lord brought me back with nothing. Why do you still call me Naomi when the Lord has testified against me and the All-Powerful has caused me pain?

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.

*Naomi and Ruth, her daughter-in-law, went back from Moab to Bethlehem during barley harvest's start.

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