1:1
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 Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country
of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
1:2
And 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 Bethlehemjudah. And they
came into the country of Moab, and continued there.
1:3
And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.
1:4
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 dwelled there about ten years.
1:5
And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two
sons and her husband.
1:6
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.
1:7
Why 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.
1:8
And Naomi said to her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother's
house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead, and with
me.
1:9
The LORD 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.
1:10
And they said to her, Surely we will return with you to your people.
1:11
And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will you go with me? are there yet
any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
1:12
Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I
should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should
also bear sons;
1:13
Would you tarry for them till they were grown? would you stay for them from
having husbands? no, my daughters; for it grieves me much for your sakes that
the hand of the LORD is gone out against me.
1:14
And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in
law; but Ruth joined to her.
1:15
And she said, Behold, your sister in law is gone back to her people, and to her
gods: return you after your sister in law.
1:16
And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave you, or 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, and your God my God:
1:17
Where you die, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and
more also, if ought but death part you and me.
1:18
When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, then she left
speaking to her.
1:19
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 Naomi?
1:20
And she said to them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty has
dealt very bitterly with me.
1:21
I went out full and the LORD has brought me home again empty: why then call you
me Naomi, seeing the LORD has testified against me, and the Almighty has
afflicted me?
1:22
So Naomi 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.
2:1
And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family
of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.
2:2
And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears
of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace.
And she said to her, Go, my daughter.
2:3
And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap
was to light on a part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the kindred of
Elimelech.
2:4
And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, The LORD be with
you. And they answered him, The LORD bless you.
2:5
Then said Boaz to his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is
this?
2:6
And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the
Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab:
2:7
And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the
sheaves: so she came, and has continued even from the morning until now, that
she tarried a little in the house.
2:8
Then said Boaz to Ruth, Hear you not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another
field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens:
2:9
Let your eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go you after them: have I
not charged the young men that they shall not touch you? and when you are
thirsty, go to the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn.
2:10
Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said to him, Why
have I found grace in your eyes, that you should take knowledge of me, seeing I
am a stranger?
2:11
And Boaz answered and said to her, It has fully been showed me, all that you
have done to your mother in law since the death of your husband: and how you
have left your father and your mother, and the land of your nativity, and are
come to a people which you knew not heretofore.
2:12
The LORD recompense your work, and a full reward be given you of the LORD God of
Israel, under whose wings you are come to trust.
2:13
Then she said, Let me find favor in your sight, my lord; for that you have
comforted me, and for that you have spoken friendly to your handmaid, though I
be not like to one of your handmaidens.
2:14
And Boaz said to her, At mealtime come you here, and eat of the bread, and dip
your morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her
parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left.
2:15
And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let
her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not:
2:16
And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that
she may glean them, and rebuke her not.
2:17
So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and
it was about an ephah of barley.
2:18
And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother in law saw what she
had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved after
she was sufficed.
2:19
And her mother in law said to her, Where have you gleaned to day?
and where worked you? blessed be he that did take knowledge of you. And
she showed her mother in law with whom she had worked, and said, The man's name
with whom I worked to day is Boaz.
2:20
And Naomi said to her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the LORD, who has not
left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said to her, The
man is near of kin to us, one of our next kinsmen.
2:21
And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said to me also, You shall keep fast by my young
men, until they have ended all my harvest.
2:22
And Naomi said to Ruth her daughter in law, It is good, my daughter, that you go
out with his maidens, that they meet you not in any other field.
2:23
So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean to the end of barley harvest
and of wheat harvest; and dwelled with her mother in law.
3:1
Then Naomi her mother in law said to her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for
you, that it may be well with you?
3:2
And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens you were?
Behold, he winnows barley to night in the threshing floor.
3:3
Wash yourself therefore, and anoint you, and put your raiment on you, and get
you down to the floor: but make not yourself known to the man, until he shall
have done eating and drinking.
3:4
And it shall be, when he lies down, that you shall mark the place where he shall
lie, and you shall go in, and uncover his feet, and lay you down; and he will
tell you what you shall do.
3:5
And she said to her, All that you say to me I will do.
3:6
And she went down to the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law
bade her.
3:7
And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down
at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and
laid her down.
3:8
And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself:
and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.
3:9
And he said, Who are you? And she answered, I am Ruth your handmaid: spread
therefore your skirt over your handmaid; for you are a near kinsman.
3:10
And he said, Blessed be you of the LORD, my daughter: for you have showed more
kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as you followed not
young men, whether poor or rich.
3:11
And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to you all that you require: for all
the city of my people does know that you are a virtuous woman.
3:12
And now it is true that I am your near kinsman: however, there is a kinsman
nearer than I.
3:13
Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform to you
the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman's part: but if he will not
do the part of a kinsman to you, then will I do the part of a kinsman to you, as
the LORD lives: lie down until the morning.
3:14
And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one could know
another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.
3:15
Also he said, Bring the veil that you have on you, and hold it.
And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on
her: and she went into the city.
3:16
And when she came to her mother in law, she said, Who are you, my daughter? And
she told her all that the man had done to her.
3:17
And she said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not
empty to your mother in law.
3:18
Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will fall:
for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.
4:1
Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman
of whom Boaz spoke came by; to whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit
down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.
4:2
And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit you down here. And
they sat down.
4:3
And he said to the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of
Moab, sells a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's:
4:4
And I thought to advertise you, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and
before the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it: but if you
will not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem
it beside you; and I am after you. And he said, I will redeem it.
4:5
Then said Boaz, What day you buy the field of the hand of Naomi, you must buy it
also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the
dead on his inheritance.
4:6
And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar my own
inheritance: redeem you my right to yourself; for I cannot redeem it.
4:7
Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and
concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and
gave it to his neighbor: and this was a testimony in Israel.
4:8
Therefore the kinsman said to Boaz, Buy it for you. So he drew off his shoe.
4:9
And Boaz said to the elders, and to all the people, You are witnesses this day,
that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and
Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi.
4:10
Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife,
to raise up the name of the dead on his inheritance, that the name of the dead
be not cut off from among his brothers, and from the gate of his place: you are
witnesses this day.
4:11
And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are
witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into your house like Rachel and
like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do you worthily in
Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem:
4:12
And let your house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, of the
seed which the LORD shall give you of this young woman.
4:13
So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in to her, the LORD
gave her conception, and she bore a son.
4:14
And the women said to Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which has not left you this
day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel.
4:15
And he shall be to you a restorer of your life, and a nourisher of your old age:
for your daughter in law, which loves you, which is better to you than seven
sons, has born him.
4:16
And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse to it.
4:17
And the women her neighbors gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to
Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of
David.
4:18
Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron,
4:19
And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab,
4:20
And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon,
4:21
And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,
4:22
And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.