Ruth 1
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1In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home and went to live in the country of Moab, taking his wife and two sons with him.1Now there came a time of famine while judges were ruling in the land of Israel. A man from Bethlehem of Judah, his wife, and his two sons left to live in the country of Moab.
2The man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife was Naomi. Their two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. And when they reached Moab, they settled there.2The man's name was Elimelech, his wife's name was Naomi, and their two sons were named Mahlon and Chilion—Ephrathites from Bethlehem of Judah. They journeyed to the country of Moab and lived there for some time.
3Then Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with her two sons.3Then Naomi's husband Elimelech died, and she was left with her two sons.
4The two sons married Moabite women. One married a woman named Orpah, and the other a woman named Ruth. But about ten years later,4Each of her sons married Moabite women: one named Orpah and the other named Ruth. After they lived there about ten years,
5both Mahlon and Kilion died. This left Naomi alone, without her two sons or her husband. Naomi and Ruth Return5both Mahlon and Chilion died, leaving Naomi alone with neither her husband nor her two sons.
6Then Naomi heard in Moab that the LORD had blessed his people in Judah by giving them good crops again. So Naomi and her daughters-in-law got ready to leave Moab to return to her homeland.6She and her daughters-in-law prepared to return from the country of Moab, because she had heard while living there how the LORD had come to the aid of his people, giving them relief.
7With her two daughters-in-law she set out from the place where she had been living, and they took the road that would lead them back to Judah.7So she left the place where she had been, along with her two daughters-in-law, and they traveled along the return road to the land of Judah.
8But on the way, Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back to your mothers’ homes. And may the LORD reward you for your kindness to your husbands and to me.8But along the way, Naomi told her two daughters-in-law, "Each of you go back home. Return to your mother's house. May the LORD show his gracious love to you, as you have shown me and our loved ones who have died.
9May the LORD bless you with the security of another marriage.” Then she kissed them good-bye, and they all broke down and wept.9May the LORD grant each of you security in your new husbands' households." Then she kissed them good-bye, and they cried loudly.
10“No,” they said. “We want to go with you to your people.”10They both replied to her, "No! We'll go back with you to your people."
11But Naomi replied, “Why should you go on with me? Can I still give birth to other sons who could grow up to be your husbands?11But Naomi responded, "Go back, my daughters. Why go with me? Are there still sons to be born to me as future husbands for you?
12No, my daughters, return to your parents’ homes, for I am too old to marry again. And even if it were possible, and I were to get married tonight and bear sons, then what?12So go on back, my daughters! Be on your way! I'm too old to remarry. If I were to say that I'm hoping for a husband tonight and then also bore sons this very night,
13Would you wait for them to grow up and refuse to marry someone else? No, of course not, my daughters! Things are far more bitter for me than for you, because the LORD himself has raised his fist against me.”13would you wait for them until they were grown? Would you refrain from marriage for them? No, my daughters! I'm more deeply grieved than you, because the LORD is working against me!"
14And again they wept together, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye. But Ruth clung tightly to Naomi.14They began to cry loudly again. So Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye, but Ruth remained with her.
15“Look,” Naomi said to her, “your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. You should do the same.”15Naomi told Ruth, "Look, your sister-in-law has returned to her people and to her gods. Follow your sister-in-law!"
16But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.16But Ruth answered, "Stop urging me to abandon you and to turn back from following you. Because wherever you go, I'll go. Wherever you live, I'll live. Your people will be my people, and your God, my God.
17Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!”17Where you die, I'll die and be buried. May the LORD do this to me—and more—if anything except death comes between you and me."
18When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she said nothing more.18When Naomi observed Ruth's determination to travel with her, she ended the conversation.
19So the two of them continued on their journey. When they came to Bethlehem, the entire town was excited by their arrival. “Is it really Naomi?” the women asked.19So they continued on until they reached Bethlehem. Now when the two of them arrived in Bethlehem, the entire town got excited at the news of their arrival and they asked one another, "Can this be Naomi?"
20“Don’t call me Naomi,” she responded. “Instead, call me Mara, for the Almighty has made life very bitter for me.20But Naomi replied, "Don't call me 'Naomi'! Call me 'Mara'! That's because the Almighty has dealt bitterly with me.
21I went away full, but the LORD has brought me home empty. Why call me Naomi when the LORD has caused me to suffer and the Almighty has sent such tragedy upon me?”21I left here full, but the LORD brought me back empty. So why call me 'Naomi'? After all, the LORD is against me, and the Almighty has broken me."
22So Naomi returned from Moab, accompanied by her daughter-in-law Ruth, the young Moabite woman. They arrived in Bethlehem in late spring, at the beginning of the barley harvest.22So Naomi returned to Bethlehem from the country of Moab, along with her daughter-in-law Ruth the Moabite woman. And they arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
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Judges 21
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