The World English Bible (WEB): Ruth — Key Ideas to Explore

From www.ebible.org with slight reformatting by Martin Ward.

001:001 It happened in the days when the judges judged, that there

was a famine in the land. A certain man of Bethlehem Judah

went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife,

001:002 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

Bethlehem Judah. They came into the country of Moab,

001:003 Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died; and she was left,

001:004 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 lived there about ten years.

001:005 Mahlon and Chilion died both of them; and the woman was left

of her two children and of her husband.

001:006 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 Yahweh had visited his people in giving them bread.

001:007 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

to the land of Judah.

001:008 Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, Go, return each

of you to her mother's house: Yahweh deal kindly with you,

as you have dealt with the dead, and with me.

001:009 Yahweh grant you that you may find rest, each of you in the house

of her husband. Then she kissed them, and they lifted up

their voice, and wept.

001:010 They said to her, No, but we will return with you to your people.

001:011 Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will you go with me?

have I yet sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?

001:012 Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have

a husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should even

have a husband tonight, and should also bear sons;

001:013 would you therefore wait until they were grown? would you

therefore stay from having husbands? nay, my daughters,

for it grieves me much for your sakes, for the hand of Yahweh

is gone forth against me.

001:014 They lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed

her mother-in-law, but Ruth joined with her.

001:015 She said, Behold, your sister-in-law is gone back to her people,

and to her god: return you after your sister-in-law.

001:016 Ruth said, "Don't entreat me to leave you, and to return

from following after you, for where you go, I will go;

and where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people,

001:017 where you die, will I die, and there will I be buried:

Yahweh do so to me, and more also, if anything but death part

001:018 When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her,

she left off speaking to her.

001:019 So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. It happened,

when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved

about them, and [the women] said, Is this Naomi?

001:020 She said to them, "Don't call me Naomi, call me Mara;

for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.

001:021 I went out full, and Yahweh has brought me home again empty;

why do you call me Naomi, seeing Yahweh has testified against me,

and the Almighty has afflicted me?"

001:022 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law,

with her, who returned out of the country of Moab:

and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.

002:001 Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth,

of the family of Elimelech, and his name was Boaz.

002:002 Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, Let me now go to the field,

and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight

I shall find favor. She said to her, Go, my daughter.

002:003 She went, and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers:

and she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging

to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.

002:004 Behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers,

Yahweh be with you. They answered him, Yahweh bless you.

002:005 Then said Boaz to his servant who was set over the reapers,

Whose young lady is this?

002:006 The servant who was set over the reapers answered, It is the Moabite

lady who came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab:

002:007 She said, Please let me glean and gather after the reapers

among the sheaves. So she came, and has continued