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 Wherefore 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 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 unto her, Surely we will return with thee

unto thy people.

1:11 And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye 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 ye tarry for them till they were 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 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 clave unto her.

1:15 And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto

her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in

law.

1:16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, [or] 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:

the LORD do so to me, and more also, [if ought] but death part

thee and me.

1:18 When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her,

then she left 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 they 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 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, 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 unto 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 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 a part of the field

[belonging] unto Boaz, who [was] of the kindred of Elimelech.

2:4 And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the

reapers, The LORD [be] with you. And they answered him, The

LORD 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, 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 unto 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] 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 grace in thine eyes, that

thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I [am] a stranger?

2:11 And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been

shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since

the death of thine husband: and [how] thou hast left thy father

and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto

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 art come

to trust.

2:13 Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord;

for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken

friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of

thine handmaidens.

2:14 And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime 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 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 unto her, Where hast thou

gleaned to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that

did take knowledge of thee. And she shewed 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

the LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and

to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man [is] near of kin

unto us, one of our next kinsmen.

2:21 And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, 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, 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 dwelt with her

mother in law.

3:1 Then 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 of our kindred, with whose maidens

thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the

threshingfloor.

3:3 Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment

upon thee, and get thee down to the 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 unto me I will

do.

3:6 And she went down unto 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 [art] thou? And she answered, I [am] Ruth

thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid;

for thou [art] a near kinsman.

3:10 And he said, Blessed [be] thou of the LORD, my daughter:

[for] thou hast shewed 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 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: 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] the LORD liveth: 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 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 gave he me;

for he said to me, 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 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 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 kinsman, Naomi, that is 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] beside 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 mine 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 to confirm

all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave [it] to his

neighbour: and this [was] a testimony in Israel.

4:8 Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy [it] for thee. So

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. The LORD make the woman that is come

into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build

the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be

famous in Bethlehem:

4:12 And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar

bare unto 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 unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son.

4:14 And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed [be] the LORD, which

hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name

may be famous in Israel.

4:15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer of [thy] life, and a

nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which

loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born

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 neighbours 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.

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