Ruth 1

Ruth 1:1

In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. And a certain man from Bethlehem in Judah, with his wife and two sons, went to reside in the land of Moab.

Ruth 1:1 · BSB

ruled Heb. judged

Ruth 1:2

The man's name was Elimelech, his wife's name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah, and they entered the land of Moab and settled there.

Ruth 1:2 · BSB

Elimelech The Rabbins say , that Elimelech was the son of Salmon , who married Rahab; and that Naomi was his niece.

continued Heb. were

Ruth 1:3

Then Naomi's husband Elimelech died, and she was left with her two sons,

Ruth 1:3 · BSB

Ruth 1:4

who took Moabite women as their wives, one named Orpah and the other named Ruth. And after they had lived in Moab about ten years,

Ruth 1:4 · BSB

they took The Targum says , "they transgressed the decree of the word of the Lord , and took to them strange women."

Ruth 1:5

both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and without her husband.

Ruth 1:5 · BSB

am 2696 , bc 1308 , An , Ex , Is , 183

died The Targum adds , "And because they transgressed the decree of the word of the Lord , and joined affinity with strange people , therefore their days were cut off."

Ruth 1:6

When Naomi heard in Moab that the LORD had attended to His people by providing them with food, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to leave the land of Moab.

Ruth 1:6 · BSB

Ruth 1:7

Accompanied by her two daughters-in-law, she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road leading back to the land of Judah.

Ruth 1:7 · BSB

Ruth 1:8

Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go back, each of you to your mother's home. May the LORD show you loving devotion, as you have shown to your dead and to me.

Ruth 1:8 · BSB

Ruth 1:9

May the LORD enable each of you to find rest in the home of your new husband." And she kissed them as they wept aloud

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Ruth 1:10

and said, "Surely we will return with you to your people."

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Ruth 1:11

But Naomi replied, "Return home, my daughters. Why would you go with me? Are there still sons in my womb to become your husbands?

Ruth 1:11 · BSB

are there This alludes to the custom that when a married brother died , without leaving posterity , his brother should take his widow; and the children of such marriages were accounted those of the deceased brother. This address of Naomi to her daughter-in-law is exceedingly tender , persuasive , and affecting.

Ruth 1:12

Return home, my daughters. Go on, for I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was hope for me to have a husband tonight and to bear sons,

Ruth 1:12 · BSB

I should have or , I were with

Ruth 1:13

would you wait for them to grow up? Would you refrain from having husbands? No, my daughters, it grieves me very much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me."

Ruth 1:13 · BSB

tarry Heb. hope

it grieveth me much Heb. I have much bitterness

Ruth 1:14

Again they wept aloud, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.

Ruth 1:14 · BSB

Ruth 1:15

"Look," said Naomi, "your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her gods; follow her back home."

Ruth 1:15 · BSB

and unto They were probably both idolaters at this time. That they were proselytes is an unfounded conjecture; and the conversion of Ruth now only commenced.

Ruth 1:16

But Ruth replied: "Do not urge me to leave you or to turn from following you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.

Ruth 1:16 · BSB

Ruth A more perfect surrender of friendly feelings to a friend was never made. This was a most extraordinary and disinterested attachment.

Entreat me not or , Be not against me

Ruth 1:17

Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD punish me, and ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me."

Ruth 1:17 · BSB

Ruth 1:18

When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped trying to persuade her.

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Ruth 1:19

So Naomi and Ruth traveled until they came to Bethlehem. When they entered Bethlehem, the whole city was stirred because of them, and the women of the city exclaimed, "Can this be Naomi?"

Ruth 1:19 · BSB

Ruth 1:20

"Do not call me Naomi," she replied. "Call me Mara, because the Almighty has dealt quite bitterly with me.

Ruth 1:20 · BSB

Naomi that is , Pleasant

Mara that is , Bitter

Ruth 1:21

I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? After all, the LORD has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me."

Ruth 1:21 · BSB

Ruth 1:22

So Naomi returned from the land of Moab with her daughter-in-law Ruth the Moabitess. And they arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.

Ruth 1:22 · BSB