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 Beth-lehem-judah went to dwell 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 Beth-lehem-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 to themselves 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 also both of them; and the woman was left by 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 Wherefore she went forth from 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 ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.
1:9 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.
1:10 And they said to her, surely we will return with thee to thy people.
1:11 And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? shall I bear more sons, 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 have a husband also to-night, and should also bear sons;
1:13 Would ye wait for them till they should be 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 has gone out against me.
1:14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law; but Ruth cleaved to her.
1:15 And she said, Behold, thy sister-in-law hath gone back to her people, and to her gods: return thou after thy sister-in-law.
1:16 And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, [or] to return from following 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: the LORD do so to me, and more also, [if aught] but death shall part thee and me.
1:18 When she saw that she was steadfastly resolved to go with her, then she left speaking to her.
1:19 So they two went until they came to Beth-lehem. And it came to pass, when they had come to Beth-lehem, 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 hath dealt very bitterly with me.
1:21 I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why [then] call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD 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 from the country of Moab: and they came to Beth-lehem 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 lot 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 Beth-lehem, and said to the reapers, The LORD [be] with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee.
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 from 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 hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house.
2:8 Then said Boaz to Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens:
2:9 [Let] thy eyes [be] on the field that they are reaping, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art 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 thy eyes, that thou shouldst take knowledge of me, seeing I [am] a stranger?
2:11 And Boaz answered and said to her, It hath fully been shown to me, all that thou hast done to 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 hast come to a people which thou knewest not heretofore.
2:12 The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou hast come to trust.
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 to thy handmaid, though I am not like to one of thy handmaidens.
2:14 And Boaz said to her, At meal-time come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched [corn], and she ate, and was satisfied, and left.
2:15 And when she had risen 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 evening, and beat out that which she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley.
2:18 And she took [it], and went into the city: and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her what she had reserved after she was satisfied.
2:19 And her mother-in-law said to her, Where hast thou gleaned to-day? and where hast thou labored? blessed be he that took 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 to her daughter-in-law, Blessed [be] he of the LORD, who hath 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, Thou shalt 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 thou shouldst go out with his maidens, that they meet thee 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 dwelt with her mother-in-law.
3:1 Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?
3:2 And now [is] not Boaz of our kindred, 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 go down to the floor: [but] make not thyself known to 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 to her, All that thou sayest 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 drank, 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 herself 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 the LORD, my daughter: [for] thou hast shown more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou didst not follow young men, whether poor or rich.
3:11 And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou [art] a virtuous woman.
3:12 And now it is true that I [am thy] near kinsman: yet 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 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] the LORD liveth: lie down until the morning.
3:14 And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came to the floor.
3:15 Also he said, Bring the vail that [thou hast] upon thee, 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 [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 he gave me; for he said to me, Go not empty to thy mother-in-law.
3:18 Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou knowest how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he hath finished the thing this day.
4:1 Then Boaz went up to the gate, and sat 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 ye down here. And they sat down.
4:3 And he said to the kinsman, Naomi, that has come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which [was] our brother Elimelech's:
4:4 And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy [it] before the inhabitants, 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 kinsman said, I cannot redeem [it] for myself, lest I mar my own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem [it].
4:7 Now this [was the manner] in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for confirming 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 thyself. So he drew off his shoe.
4:9 And Boaz said to the elders, and [to] 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. The LORD make the woman that hath come into thy house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Beth-lehem:
4:12 And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee 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, who hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel.
4:15 And he shall be to thee a restorer of [thy] life, and a nourisher of thy 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 its nurse.
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.