Ruth 1
Ruth and
Naomi |
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 Beth-lehem-judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and
his wife, and his two sons.
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2 |
And the name of the man was Elim'elech, and the name of his wife Na-o'mi, and the name of his
two sons Mahlon and Chil'i-on, Eph'rathites of Beth-lehem-judah. And
they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.
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3 |
And Elim'elech Na-o'mi's husband died;
and she was left, and her two sons.
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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 dwelt there about ten years.
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5 |
And Mahlon and Chil'i-on died also both
of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her
husband.
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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.
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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.
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8 |
And Na-o'mi 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.
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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.
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10 |
And they said unto her, Surely we will
return with thee unto thy people.
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11 |
And Na-o'mi 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?
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12 |
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 have a husband also tonight, and should
also bear sons;
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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.
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14 |
And they lifted up their voice, and wept
again: and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law; but Ruth clave unto
her.
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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.
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16 |
And Ruth said, Entreat 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:
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17 |
where thou diest, will I die, and there
will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and
more also, if aught but death part thee and me.
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18 |
When she saw that she was steadfastly
minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.
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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 Na-o'mi?
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20 |
And she said unto them, Call me not
Na-o'mi, 1 call me
Mara: 2 for the
Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.
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21 |
I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Na-o'mi, seeing the LORD hath
testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?
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22 |
So Na-o'mi 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.
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