Chapters: 1,2,3,4
Chapter 1 [Top]
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.
Chapter 2 [Top]
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.
Chapter 3 [Top]
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.
Chapter 4 [Top]
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,
21: And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,
22: And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.
|
