1 Long|strong="H3117" ago|strong="H3117", during|strong="H3117" the|strong="H3117" time|strong="H3117" the|strong="H3117" judges|strong="H8199" ruled|strong="H8199", there|strong="H1961" was|strong="H1961" a|strong="H1961" famine|strong="H7458" in|strong="H0776" the|strong="H3117" land|strong="H0776", and|strong="H1121" a|strong="H1961" man|strong="H0376" named Elimelech left|strong="H1961" the|strong="H3117" town of|strong="H1121" Bethlehem|strong="H1035" in|strong="H0776" Judah|strong="H3063". He|strong="H1931", his|strong="H1961" wife|strong="H0802", and|strong="H1121" his|strong="H1961" two|strong="H8147" sons|strong="H1121" moved to|strong="H1961" the|strong="H3117" country|strong="H0776" of|strong="H1121" Moab|strong="H4124".
2 The|strong="H0935" man’s|strong="H0376" wife|strong="H0802" was|strong="H8034" named|strong="H8034" Naomi|strong="H5281", and|strong="H1121" his|strong="H1961" two|strong="H8147" sons|strong="H1121" were|strong="H1961" named|strong="H8034" Mahlon|strong="H4248" and|strong="H1121" Kilion|strong="H3630". They|strong="H8033" were|strong="H1961" from|strong="H0935" the|strong="H0935" Ephrathah family of|strong="H1121" Bethlehem|strong="H1035" in|strong="H0935" Judah|strong="H3063". The|strong="H0935" family traveled|strong="H0935" to|strong="H0935" the|strong="H0935" hill country|strong="H7704" of|strong="H1121" Moab|strong="H4124" and|strong="H1121" stayed there|strong="H8033".
3 Later, Naomi’s|strong="H5281" husband|strong="H0376", Elimelech|strong="H0458", died|strong="H4191", so|strong="H4191" only Naomi|strong="H5281" and|strong="H1121" her|strong="H5281" two|strong="H8147" sons|strong="H1121" were|strong="H1121" left|strong="H7604".
4 Her|strong="H0802" sons married|strong="H0802" women|strong="H0802" from|strong="H0802" the|strong="H5375" country of|strong="H8141" Moab|strong="H4125". One|strong="H0259" wife’s|strong="H0802" name|strong="H8034" was|strong="H8034" Orpah|strong="H6204", and|strong="H0802" the|strong="H5375" other|strong="H0259" wife’s|strong="H0802" name|strong="H8034" was|strong="H8034" Ruth|strong="H7327". They|strong="H8033" lived|strong="H3427" in|strong="H3427" Moab|strong="H4125" about|strong="H8033" ten|strong="H6235" years|strong="H8141";
5 then|strong="H1571" Mahlon|strong="H4248" and|strong="H0376" Kilion|strong="H3630" also|strong="H1571" died|strong="H4191". So|strong="H1571" Naomi was|strong="H0376" left|strong="H7604" alone without her|strong="H0802" husband|strong="H0376" or|strong="H1571" her|strong="H0802" two|strong="H8147" sons|strong="H3206".
6 While|strong="H1931" Naomi was|strong="H3068" in|strong="H3068" the|strong="H0853" country|strong="H7704" of|strong="H3068" Moab|strong="H4124", she|strong="H1931" heard|strong="H8085" that|strong="H3588" the|strong="H0853" LORD|strong="H3068" had|strong="H3068" helped his|strong="H5414" people|strong="H5971". He|strong="H1931" had|strong="H3068" given|strong="H5414" food|strong="H3899" to|strong="H7725" his|strong="H5414" people|strong="H5971" in|strong="H3068" Judah. So|strong="H5414" Naomi decided|strong="H6965" to|strong="H7725" leave the|strong="H0853" hill country|strong="H7704" of|strong="H3068" Moab|strong="H4124" and|strong="H6965" go|strong="H7725" back|strong="H7725" home|strong="H7725". Her|strong="H5414" daughters-in-law|strong="H3618" also|strong="H3068" decided|strong="H6965" to|strong="H7725" go|strong="H7725" with|strong="H3068" her|strong="H5414".
7 They|strong="H0834" left|strong="H3318" the|strong="H0834" place|strong="H4725" where|strong="H0834" they|strong="H0834" had|strong="H0834" been|strong="H1961" living|strong="H1870" and|strong="H3063" started|strong="H1961" walking back|strong="H7725" to|strong="H0413" the|strong="H0834" land|strong="H0776" of|strong="H0776" Judah|strong="H3063".
8 Then|strong="H6213" Naomi|strong="H5281" told|strong="H0559" her|strong="H0802" daughters-in-law|strong="H3618", “Each|strong="H0802" of|strong="H1004" you|strong="H0834" should|strong="H3068" go|strong="H7725" back|strong="H7725" home|strong="H1004" to|strong="H0559" your|strong="H3068" mother|strong="H0517". You|strong="H0834" have|strong="H0834" been|strong="H0834" very kind to|strong="H0559" me|strong="H7725" and|strong="H3068" my|strong="H3068" sons who|strong="H0834" are|strong="H0834" now|strong="H0802" dead|strong="H4191". So|strong="H6213" I|strong="H0834" pray that|strong="H0834" the|strong="H0559" LORD|strong="H3068" will|strong="H3068" be|strong="H4191" just|strong="H0834" as|strong="H0834" kind to|strong="H0559" you|strong="H0834".
9 I|strong="H5414" pray|strong="H5375" that|strong="H3068" the|strong="H5414" LORD|strong="H3068" will|strong="H3068" help each|strong="H0376" of|strong="H1004" you|strong="H5414" find|strong="H4672" a|strong="H5414" husband|strong="H0376" and|strong="H3068" a|strong="H5414" good home|strong="H1004".” Naomi kissed|strong="H5401" her|strong="H0802" daughters-in-law, and|strong="H3068" they|strong="H0376" all|strong="H0376" started crying|strong="H1058".
10 Then|strong="H0559" the|strong="H0559" daughters said|strong="H0559", “But|strong="H3588" we|strong="H3588" want to|strong="H0559" come|strong="H7725" with|strong="H0854" you|strong="H3588" and|strong="H7725" go|strong="H7725" to|strong="H0559" your|strong="H7725" family.”
11 But|strong="H1961" Naomi|strong="H5281" said|strong="H0559", “No, daughters|strong="H1323", go|strong="H7725" back|strong="H7725" to|strong="H0559" your|strong="H7725" own|strong="H1961" homes. Why|strong="H4100" should|strong="H4100" you|strong="H7725" go|strong="H7725" with|strong="H5973" me|strong="H7725"? I|strong="H0559" can’t have|strong="H1961" any|strong="H0376" more|strong="H5750" sons|strong="H1121" to|strong="H0559" be|strong="H1961" your|strong="H7725" husbands|strong="H0376".
12 Go|strong="H7725" back|strong="H7725" home|strong="H7725". I|strong="H3588" am|strong="H1961" too|strong="H1571" old|strong="H1121" to|strong="H0559" have|strong="H1961" a|strong="H1961" new husband|strong="H0376". Even|strong="H1571" if|strong="H3588" I|strong="H3588" thought|strong="H0559" I|strong="H3588" could|strong="H1571" be|strong="H1961" married again|strong="H7725", I|strong="H3588" could|strong="H1571" not|strong="H1961" help|strong="H1323" you|strong="H3588". If|strong="H3588" I|strong="H3588" became|strong="H3205" pregnant tonight|strong="H3915" and|strong="H1121" had|strong="H1961" two sons|strong="H1121",
13 you|strong="H0834" would|strong="H3068" have|strong="H1961" to|strong="H5704" wait until|strong="H5704" they|strong="H0834" grew|strong="H1431" to|strong="H5704" become|strong="H1961" men|strong="H0376" before|strong="H5704" you|strong="H0834" could|strong="H0376" marry them|strong="H3318". I|strong="H0834" cannot|strong="H4480" make|strong="H1431" you|strong="H0834" wait that|strong="H0834" long|strong="H5704" for|strong="H3588" husbands|strong="H0376". That|strong="H0834" would|strong="H3068" make|strong="H1431" me|strong="H4480" very|strong="H3966" sad. And|strong="H3068" I|strong="H0834" am|strong="H1961" already sad enough|strong="H3966"—the|strong="H0834" LORD|strong="H3068" has|strong="H3068" done|strong="H1961" many things|strong="H1431" to|strong="H5704" me|strong="H4480"!”
14 So|strong="H5375" again|strong="H5750" they|strong="H5375" cried|strong="H1058" very much. Then|strong="H5375" Orpah|strong="H6204" kissed|strong="H5401" Naomi goodbye, but Ruth|strong="H7327" hugged her|strong="H5375" and|strong="H6963" stayed|strong="H5750".
15 Naomi said|strong="H0559", “Look|strong="H2009", your|strong="H7725" sister-in-law|strong="H2994" has|strong="H0430" gone|strong="H7725" back|strong="H7725" to|strong="H0413" her|strong="H0413" own people|strong="H5971" and|strong="H0430" her|strong="H0413" own gods|strong="H0430". You|strong="H7725" should|strong="H0559" do the|strong="H0559" same.”
16 But|strong="H3588" Ruth|strong="H7327" said|strong="H0559", “Don’t|strong="H0408" force me|strong="H0413" to|strong="H0413" leave|strong="H5800" you|strong="H0834"! Don’t|strong="H0408" force me|strong="H0413" to|strong="H0413" go|strong="H7725" back|strong="H7725" to|strong="H0413" my|strong="H7725" own people|strong="H5971". Let|strong="H0408" me|strong="H0413" go|strong="H7725" with|strong="H0413" you|strong="H0834". Wherever|strong="H0834" you|strong="H0834" go|strong="H7725", I|strong="H0834" will|strong="H0430" go|strong="H7725". Wherever|strong="H0834" you|strong="H0834" sleep, I|strong="H0834" will|strong="H0430" sleep. Your|strong="H0834" people|strong="H5971" will|strong="H0430" be|strong="H0408" my|strong="H7725" people|strong="H5971". Your|strong="H0834" God|strong="H0430" will|strong="H0430" be|strong="H0408" my|strong="H7725" God|strong="H0430".
17 Where|strong="H0834" you|strong="H0834" die|strong="H4191", I|strong="H0834" will|strong="H3068" die|strong="H4191", and|strong="H3068" that|strong="H0834" is|strong="H0834" where|strong="H0834" I|strong="H0834" will|strong="H3068" be|strong="H4191" buried|strong="H6912". I|strong="H0834" ask the|strong="H0834" LORD|strong="H3068" to|strong="H4191" punish me|strong="H3254" if|strong="H3588" I|strong="H0834" don’t keep|strong="H6213" this|strong="H3541" promise|strong="H3068": Only death|strong="H4191" will|strong="H3068" separate|strong="H6504" us|strong="H3588".”
18 Naomi saw|strong="H7200" that|strong="H3588" Ruth|strong="H0553" wanted very much to|strong="H0413" go with|strong="H0854" her|strong="H0413". So|strong="H3588" Naomi stopped|strong="H2308" arguing with|strong="H0854" her|strong="H0413".
19 Naomi|strong="H5281" and|strong="H0935" Ruth traveled|strong="H0935" until|strong="H5704" they|strong="H5921" came|strong="H0935" to|strong="H0559" the|strong="H3605" town|strong="H5892" of|strong="H5921" Bethlehem|strong="H1035". When|strong="H1961" the|strong="H3605" two|strong="H8147" women entered|strong="H0935" Bethlehem|strong="H1035", all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" people were|strong="H1961" very|strong="H5704" excited. They|strong="H5921" said|strong="H0559", “Is|strong="H3605" this|strong="H2063" Naomi|strong="H5281"?”
20 But|strong="H3588" Naomi|strong="H5281" told|strong="H0559" the|strong="H0559" people|strong="H0408", “Don’t|strong="H0408" call|strong="H7121" me|strong="H0413" Naomi|strong="H5281"; call|strong="H7121" me|strong="H0413" Marah. Use this|strong="H3588" name|strong="H0559" because|strong="H3588" God|strong="H0559" All-Powerful has|strong="H3588" made|strong="H4843" my|strong="H3588" life very|strong="H3966" sad.
21 I|strong="H0589" had|strong="H3068" everything I|strong="H0589" wanted when|strong="H7725" I|strong="H0589" left|strong="H1980", but|strong="H6030" now|strong="H0589", the|strong="H0589" LORD|strong="H3068" brings me|strong="H7725" home|strong="H7725" with|strong="H1980" nothing|strong="H7387". The|strong="H0589" LORD|strong="H3068" has|strong="H3068" made|strong="H7725" me|strong="H7725" sad, so|strong="H1980" why|strong="H4100" should|strong="H4100" you|strong="H7725" call|strong="H7121" me|strong="H7725" ‘Happy’? God|strong="H3068" All-Powerful has|strong="H3068" given|strong="H7121" much|strong="H4100" trouble to|strong="H1980" me|strong="H7725".”
22 So|strong="H0935" Naomi|strong="H5281" and|strong="H0935" her|strong="H0935" daughter-in-law|strong="H3618" Ruth|strong="H7327", the|strong="H0935" Moabite|strong="H4125", came|strong="H0935" back|strong="H7725" from|strong="H7725" the|strong="H0935" hill country|strong="H7704" of|strong="H7704" Moab|strong="H4124". These|strong="H1992" two women came|strong="H0935" to|strong="H0935" Bethlehem|strong="H1035" at|strong="H7725" the|strong="H0935" beginning|strong="H8462" of|strong="H7704" the|strong="H0935" barley|strong="H8184" harvest|strong="H7105".