
The Book of Ruth

   {1:1} And it came to pass in the days when the judges judged, that
there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem-judah
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 Bethlehem-judah. 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 dwelt there about ten years. {1:5} And Mahlon and
Chilion died both of them; and the woman was left of her two children
and of 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 Jehovah had visited his people in giving them bread.
{1:7} And 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. {1:8} And Naomi said unto her two daughters-in-law, Go,
return each of you to her mother's house: Jehovah deal kindly with you,
as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me. {1:9} Jehovah 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. {1:10} And
they said unto her, Nay, but we will return with thee unto thy people.
{1:11} And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with
me? have I yet 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 a
husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should even have a husband
to-night, and should also bear sons; {1:13} would ye therefore tarry
till they were grown? would ye therefore stay from having husbands?
nay, my daughters, for it grieveth me much for your sakes, for the hand
of Jehovah is gone forth against me. {1:14} And they lifted up their
voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth
clave unto her.

   {1:15} And she said, Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her
people, and unto her god: return thou after thy sister-in-law. {1:16}
And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, and 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; {1:17} where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried:
Jehovah do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and
me. {1:18} And when she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with
her, she left off speaking unto 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 [the women] said, Is this Naomi? {1:20} And she said
unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara; for the Almighty hath dealt
very bitterly with me. {1:21} I went out full, and Jehovah hath brought
me home again empty; why call ye me Naomi, seeing Jehovah hath
testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me? {1:22} So
Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her,
who 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 unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and
glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find
favor. And she said unto 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 the portion of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the
family of Elimelech. {2:4} And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and
said unto the reapers, Jehovah be with you. And they answered him,
Jehovah bless thee. {2:5} Then said Boaz unto 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,
Let me glean, I pray you, and gather after the reapers among the
sheaves. So she came, and hath continued even from the morning until
now, save that she tarried a little in the house.

   {2:8} Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go
not to glean in another field, neither pass from hence, but abide here
fast by my maidens. {2:9} Let thine eyes be on the field that they do
reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that
they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto 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 unto
him, Why have I found favor in thy sight, that thou shouldest take
knowledge of me, seeing I am a foreigner? {2:11} And Boaz answered and
said unto her, It hath fully been showed me, all that thou hast done
unto thy mother-in-law since the death of thy husband; and how thou
hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and
art come unto a people that thou knewest not heretofore. {2:12} Jehovah
recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of Jehovah, the
God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to take refuge. {2:13}
Then she said, Let me find favor in thy sight, my lord, for that thou
hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken kindly unto thy
handmaid, though I be not as one of thy handmaidens.

   {2:14} And at meal-time Boaz said unto her, Come hither, and eat of
the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the
reapers, and they reached her parched grain, and she did eat, and was
sufficed, and left thereof. {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 also pull out some for her
from the bundles, and leave it, and let her glean, and rebuke her not.

   {2:17} So she gleaned in the field until even; and she beat out that
which 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 which she
had left after she was sufficed. {2:19} And her mother-in-law said unto
her, Where hast thou gleaned to-day? and where hast thou wrought?
blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she showed her
mother-in-law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man's name with
whom I wrought to-day is Boaz. {2:20} And Naomi said unto her
daughter-in-law, Blessed be he of Jehovah, who hath not left off his
kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The
man is nigh of kin unto us, one of our near kinsmen. {2:21} And Ruth
the Moabitess said, Yea, he said unto me, Thou shalt keep fast by my
young men, until they have ended all my harvest. {2:22} And Naomi said
unto Ruth her daughter-in-law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go
out with his maidens, and that they meet thee not in any other field.
{2:23} So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz, to glean unto the end
of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and she dwelt with her
mother-in-law.



   {3:1} And Naomi her mother-in-law said unto her, My daughter, shall
I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee? {3:2} And now
is not Boaz our kinsman, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he
winnoweth barley to-night in the threshing-floor. {3:3} Wash thyself
therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee
down to the threshing-floor, but make not thyself known unto the man,
until he shall have done eating and drinking. {3:4} And it shall be,
when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie,
and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he
will tell thee what thou shalt do. {3:5} And she said unto her, All
that thou sayest I will do.

   {3:6} And she went down unto the threshing-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 grain: 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 art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thy handmaid:
spread therefore thy skirt over thy handmaid; for thou art a near
kinsman. {3:10} And he said, Blessed be thou of Jehovah, my daughter:
thou hast showed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning,
inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich. {3:11}
And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou sayest;
for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a worthy woman.
{3:12} And now it is true that I am a near kinsman; howbeit there is a
kinsman nearer than I. {3:13} Tarry this night, and it shall be in the
morning, that if he will perform unto thee 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 thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as
Jehovah liveth: lie down until the morning.

   {3:14} And she lay at his feet until the morning. And she rose up
before one could discern another. For he said, Let it not be known that
the woman came to the threshing-floor. {3:15} And he said, Bring the
mantle that is upon thee, and hold it; and she held it; and he measured
six [measures] of barley, and laid it on her: and he went into the
city. {3:16} And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, Who art
thou, 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, Go not empty unto thy mother-in-law. {3:18} Then said she, Sit
still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall; for the
man will not rest, until he have finished the thing this day.





   {4:1} Now Boaz went up to the gate, and sat him down there: and,
behold, the near kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto 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 ye down here. And they sat down. {4:3} And he said unto the near
kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth
the parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's: {4:4} And I
thought to disclose it unto thee, saying, Buy it before them that sit
here, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it,
redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may
know; for there is none to redeem it besides thee; and I am after thee.
And he said, I will redeem it. {4:5} Then said Boaz, What day thou
buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth
the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead
upon his inheritance. {4:6} And the near kinsman said, I cannot redeem
it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: take thou my right of
redemption on thee; for I cannot redeem it.

   {4:7} Now this was [the custom] in former time in Israel concerning
redeeming and concerning exchanging, to confirm all things: a man drew
off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbor; and this was the [manner of]
attestation in Israel. {4:8} So the near kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it
for thyself. And he drew off his shoe. {4:9} And Boaz said unto the
elders, and unto all the people, Ye 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 upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off
from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are
witnesses this day. {4:11} And all the people that were in the gate,
and the elders, said, We are witnesses. Jehovah make the woman that is
come into thy house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the
house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephrathah, and be famous in
Bethlehem: {4:12} and let thy house be like the house of Perez, whom
Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which Jehovah shall give thee of
this young woman.

   {4:13} So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife; and he went in
unto her, and Jehovah gave her conception, and she bare a son. {4:14}
And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be Jehovah, who hath not left
thee this day without a near kinsman; and let his name be famous in
Israel. {4:15} And he shall be unto thee a restorer of life, and a
nourisher of thine old age, for thy daughter-in-law, who loveth thee,
who is better to thee than seven sons, hath borne him. {4:16} And Naomi
took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto 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 Perez: Perez 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.




