Ruth:1

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* In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land , and a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab , he and his wife and his two sons . * The name of the man was Elim 'elech and the name of his wife Na 'omi , and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chil 'ion ; they were Eph 'rathites from Bethlehem in Judah . They went into the country of Moab and remained there . * But Elim 'elech , the husband of Na 'omi , died , and she was left with her two sons . * These took Moabite wives ; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth . They lived there about ten years ; * and both Mahlon and Chil 'ion died , so that the woman was bereft of her two sons and her husband . * Then she started with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab , for she had heard in the country of Moab that the LORD had visited his people and given them food . * So she set out from the place where she was , with her two daughters-in-law , and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah . * But Na 'omi said to her two daughters-in-law , "Go , return each of you to her mother 's house . May the LORD deal kindly with you , as you have dealt with the dead and with me . * The LORD grant that you may find a home , each of you in the house of her husband !" Then she kissed them , and they lifted up their voices and wept . * And they said to her , "No , we will return with you to your people ." * But Na 'omi said , "Turn back , my daughters , why will you go with me ? Have I yet sons in my womb that they may become your husbands ? * Turn back , my daughters , go your way , for I am too old to have a husband . If I should say I have hope , even if I should have a husband this night and should bear sons , * would you therefore wait till they were grown ? Would you therefore refrain from marrying ? No , my daughters , for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the LORD has gone forth against me ." * Then they lifted up their voices and wept again ; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law , but Ruth clung to her . * And she said , "See , your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods ; return after your sister-in-law ." * But Ruth said , "Entreat me not to leave you or to return from following you ; for where you go I will go , and where you lodge I will lodge ; your people shall be my people , and your God my God ; * where you die I will die , and there will I be buried . May the LORD do so to me and more also if even death parts me from you ." * And when Na 'omi saw that she was determined to go with her , she said no more . * So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem . And when they came to Bethlehem , the whole town was stirred because of them ; and the women said , "Is this Na 'omi ?" * She said to them , "Do not call me Na 'omi , call me Mara , for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me . * I went away full , and the LORD has brought me back empty . Why call me Na 'omi , when the LORD has afflicted me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me ?" * So Na 'omi returned , and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her , who returned from the country of Moab . And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest .

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