Ruth 1 – Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Naomi’s Husband and Sons Die

1 Now it happened ^H1961 in the days ^H3117 when the judges ^H8199 judged ^H8199, that there was a famine ^H7458 in the land ^H776. And a certain man ^H376 of Bethlehem ^H1035 in Judah ^H3063 went ^H1980 to sojourn ^H1481 in the fields ^H7704 of Moab ^H4124 [fn]with his wife ^H802 and his two ^H8147 sons ^H1121.

2 The name ^H8034 of the man ^H376 was Elimelech ^H458, and the name ^H8034 of his wife ^H802, Naomi ^H5281; and the names ^H8034 of his two ^H8147 sons ^H1121 were Mahlon ^H4248 and Chilion ^H3630, Ephrathites ^H673 of Bethlehem ^H1035 in Judah ^H3063. Now they came ^H935 to the fields ^H7704 of Moab ^H4124 and remained ^H1961 there ^H8033. 3 Then Elimelech ^H458, Naomi’s ^H5281 husband ^H376, died ^H4191; and she was left ^H7604 with her two ^H8147 sons ^H1121. 4 They took ^H5375 for themselves ^H1992 Moabite ^H4125 women ^H802 as wives ^H802; the name ^H8034 of the one ^H259 was Orpah ^H6204 and the name ^H8034 of the other ^H8145 Ruth ^H7327. And they lived ^H3427 there ^H8033 about ten ^H6235 years ^H8141. 5 Then [fn]both ^H8147 H1992 Mahlon ^H4248 and Chilion ^H3630 also ^H1571 died ^H4191, and the woman ^H802 was left ^H7604 without her two ^H8147 children ^H3206 and her husband ^H376.

Ruth Is Determined to Go with Naomi

6 Then she arose ^H6965 with her daughters-in-law ^H3618 and returned ^H7725 from the fields ^H7704 of Moab ^H4124, for she had heard ^H8085 in the fields ^H7704 of Moab ^H4124 that [fn]Yahweh ^H3068 had visited ^H6485 His people ^H5971 to give ^H5414 them [fn]food ^H3899.

7 So she went ^H3318 forth ^H3318 from the place ^H4725 where ^H834 H8033 she was, and her two ^H8147 daughters-in-law ^H3618 with her; and they went ^H1980 on the way ^H1870 to return ^H7725 to the land ^H776 of Judah ^H3063. 8 And Naomi ^H5281 said ^H559 to her two ^H8147 daughters-in-law ^H3618, “Go ^H1980, return ^H7725 each ^H802 of you to her mother’s ^H517 house ^H1004. May Yahweh ^H3068 [fn]show ^H6213 lovingkindness ^H2617 with you as you have [fn]shown ^H6213 with the dead ^H4191 and with me. 9 May Yahweh ^H3068 grant ^H5414 that you may find ^H4672 rest ^H4496, each ^H802 in the house ^H1004 of her husband ^H376.” Then she kissed ^H5401 them, and they lifted ^H5375 up ^H5375 their voices ^H6963 and wept ^H1058. 10 And they said ^H559 to her, “No, but we will return ^H7725 with you to your people ^H5971.” 11 But Naomi ^H5281 said ^H559, “Return ^H7725, my daughters ^H1323. Why ^H4100 should you go ^H1980 with me? Have I yet ^H5750 sons ^H1121 in my womb ^H4578, that they may be your husbands ^H376? 12 Return ^H7725, my daughters ^H1323! Go ^H1980, for I am ^H2204 too ^H4480 old ^H2204 to have ^H1961 a husband ^H376. If ^H3588 I said ^H559 I have ^H3426 hope ^H8615, if I should even ^H1571 have ^H1961 a husband ^H376 tonight ^H3915 and also ^H1571 bear ^H3205 sons ^H1121, 13 would you therefore ^H3860 wait ^H7663 until ^H5704 H834 they were grown ^H1431? Would you therefore ^H3860 refrain ^H5702 from marrying ^{H1115 H1961 H376}? No ^H408, my daughters ^H1323; for it is ^H4843 more ^H4480 bitter ^H3966 H4843 for me than ^H4480 for you, for the hand ^H3027 of Yahweh ^H3068 has gone ^H3318 forth ^H3318 against me.” 14 And they lifted ^H5375 up ^H5375 their voices ^H6963 and wept ^H1058 again ^H5750; and Orpah ^H6204 kissed ^H5401 her mother-in-law ^H2545, but Ruth ^H7327 clung ^H1692 to her.

15 Then she said ^H559, “Behold ^H2009, your sister-in-law ^H2994 has returned ^H7725 to her people ^H5971 and her gods ^H430; return ^H7725 after ^H310 your sister-in-law ^H2994.” 16 But Ruth ^H7327 said ^H559, “Do not press ^H6293 me to forsake ^H5800 you in turning ^H7725 back ^H7725 from following ^H310 you; for where ^H413 H834 you go ^H1980, I will go ^H1980, and where ^H834 you lodge ^H3885, I will lodge ^H3885. Your people ^H5971 shall be my people ^H5971, and your God ^H430, my God ^H430. 17 Where ^H834 you die ^H4191, I will die ^H4191, and there ^H8033 I will be buried ^H6912. Thus ^H3541 may Yahweh ^H3068 do ^H6213 to me, and more ^H3541 H3254, if ^H3588 anything but death ^H4194 separates ^H6504 you and me.” 18 So she saw ^H7200 that she was ^H553 determined ^H553 to go ^H1980 with her, and she [fn]said ^H1696 no ^H2308 more to her.

19 Then they both ^H8147 went ^H1980 until ^H5704 they came ^H935 to Bethlehem ^H1035. Now it happened ^H1961, when they had come ^H935 to Bethlehem ^H1035, all ^H3605 the city ^H5892 was stirred ^H1949 because ^H5921 of them, and [fn]the women said ^H559, “Is this ^H2088 Naomi ^H5281?” 20 She said ^H559 to them, “Do not call ^H7121 me [fn]Naomi ^H5281; call ^H7121 me [fn]Mara ^H4755, for [fn]the Almighty ^H7706 has dealt ^H4843 very ^H3966 bitterly ^H4843 with me. 21 I went ^H1980 out full ^H4392, but Yahweh ^H3068 has caused ^H7725 me to return ^H7725 empty ^H7387. Why ^H4100 do you call ^H7121 me Naomi ^H5281? Yahweh ^H3068 has answered ^H6030 against me, and [fn]the Almighty ^H7706 has brought calamity ^H7489 against me.”

22 So Naomi ^H5281 returned ^H7725, and with her Ruth ^H7327 the Moabitess ^H4125, her daughter-in-law ^H3618, who returned ^H7725 from the fields ^H7704 of Moab ^H4124. Now they came ^H935 to Bethlehem ^H1035 at the beginning ^H8462 of barley ^H8184 harvest ^H7105.