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Ruth 1
1599 Geneva Bible
Ruth 1
1599 Geneva Bible
The Book of Ruth
1 1 Elimelech goeth with his wife and children into the land of Moab. 3 He and his sons die. 19 Naomi and Ruth come to Bethlehem.
1 In the time that the Judges [a]ruled, there was a dearth in the [b]land, and a man of Bethlehem [c]Judah went for 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 names of his two sons, Mahlon, and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem Judah: and when they came into the land of Moab, they continued there.
3 Then Elimelech the husband of Naomi died, and she remained with her two sons,
4 Which took them wives of the [d]Moabites: the one’s name was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years.
5 And Mahlon and Chilion dieth also both twain: so the woman was left, destitute of her two sons, and of her husband.
6 ¶ Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, and returned from the country of Moab: for she had heard say in the country of Moab, that the Lord had [e]visited his people, and given them bread.
7 Wherefore she departed out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her, and they went on their way to return unto the land of Judah.
8 Then Naomi said unto her two daughters-in-law, Go, return each of you unto her own mother’s house: the Lord show favor unto you, as ye have done with the dead, and with me.
9 The Lord grant you, that you may find [f]rest, either of you in the house of her husband. And when she kissed them, they lift up their voice and wept.
10 And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.
11 But Naomi said, Turn again my daughters: for what cause will ye go with me? are there 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, and if I had an husband this night: yea, and if I had borne sons,
13 Would ye tarry for them, till they were of age? would ye be deferred for them from taking of husbands? nay my daughters: for it grieveth me [g]much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.
14 Then they lift up their voice and wept again, and Orpah [h]kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth abode still with her.
15 And Naomi said, Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: [i]return thou after thy sister-in-law.
16 And Ruth answered, Entreat me not to leave thee, nor to depart from thee: for whither thou goest, I will go: and where thou dwellest, I will dwell: 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 depart thee and me.
18 ¶ When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, she left speaking unto her.
19 So they went both until they came to Bethlehem: and when they were come to Bethlehem, it was [j]noised of them through all the city, and they said, Is not this Naomi?
20 And she answered them, Call me not [k]Naomi, but call me [l]Mara: for the Almighty hath given me much bitterness.
21 I went out full, and the Lord hath caused me to return empty: why call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath humbled me, and the Almighty hath brought me unto adversity?
22 So Naomi returned and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her, when she came out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of [m]barley harvest.
Footnotes
- Ruth 1:1 Hebrew, judged.
- Ruth 1:1 In the land of Canaan.
- Ruth 1:1 In the tribe of Judah, which was also called Bethlehem Ephrathah, because there was another city so called in the tribe of Zebulun.
- Ruth 1:4 By this wonderful providence of God Ruth became one of God’s household, of whom Christ came.
- Ruth 1:6 By sending them plenty again.
- Ruth 1:9 Hereby it appeareth that Naomi by dwelling among idolaters, was waxen cold in the true zeal of God, which rather hath respect to the ease of the body, than to the comfort of the soul.
- Ruth 1:13 Or, more than you.
- Ruth 1:14 When she took leave and departed.
- Ruth 1:15 No persuasions can prevail to turn them back from God, whom he hath chosen to be his.
- Ruth 1:19 Whereby appeareth that she was of a great family of good reputation.
- Ruth 1:20 Or, beautiful.
- Ruth 1:20 Or, bitter.
- Ruth 1:22 Which was in the month Nisan, that containeth part of March and part of April.
Ruth 1
New International Version
Ruth 1
New International Version
Naomi Loses Her Husband and Sons
1 In the days when the judges ruled,[a](A) there was a famine in the land.(B) So a man from Bethlehem in Judah,(C) together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while(D) in the country of Moab.(E) 2 The man’s name was Elimelek,(F) his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion.(G) They were Ephrathites(H) from Bethlehem,(I) Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there.
3 Now Elimelek, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4 They married Moabite women,(J) one named Orpah and the other Ruth.(K) After they had lived there about ten years, 5 both Mahlon and Kilion(L) also died,(M) and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.
Naomi and Ruth Return to Bethlehem
6 When Naomi heard in Moab(N) that the Lord had come to the aid of his people(O) by providing food(P) for them, she and her daughters-in-law(Q) prepared to return home from there. 7 With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah.
8 Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home.(R) May the Lord show you kindness,(S) as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands(T) and to me. 9 May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest(U) in the home of another husband.”
Then she kissed(V) them goodbye and they wept aloud(W) 10 and said to her, “We will go back with you to your people.”
11 But Naomi said, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands?(X) 12 Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons— 13 would you wait until they grew up?(Y) Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter(Z) for me than for you, because the Lord’s hand has turned against me!(AA)”
14 At this they wept(AB) aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law(AC) goodbye,(AD) but Ruth clung to her.(AE)
15 “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law(AF) is going back to her people and her gods.(AG) Go back with her.”
16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you(AH) or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go,(AI) and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people(AJ) and your God my God.(AK) 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely,(AL) if even death separates you and me.”(AM) 18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.(AN)
19 So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem.(AO) When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred(AP) because of them, and the women exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”
20 “Don’t call me Naomi,[b]” she told them. “Call me Mara,[c] because the Almighty[d](AQ) has made my life very bitter.(AR) 21 I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty.(AS) Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted[e] me;(AT) the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.”
22 So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabite,(AU) her daughter-in-law,(AV) arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest(AW) was beginning.(AX)
1599 Geneva Bible (GNV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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