Ruth 1
1 During the time before kings ruled Israel, (there was a famine/the people there had nothing to eat). There was a man who lived there whose name was Elimelech. His wife’s name was Naomi, and his sons’ names were Mahlon and Chilion. They were all from Bethlehem [town], from the Ephrath [clan] in Judah [region].
In the time when the judges ruled, there was once a famine in the land. A man from Bethlehem in Judah took his wife and two sons to live in the territory of Moab.
2 Because of the famine, they left Bethlehem and went east to [live for a while in] Moab [region].
His name was Elimelech and his wife’s was Naomi, and his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. After they had been living in Moab for some time,
3 While they were there, Elimelech died, and Naomi had only her two sons with her.
Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with her two sons,
4 They married women from Moab. One of them was named Orpah, and the other one was named Ruth. But after they had lived in that area for about ten years,
who married Moabite women named Orpah and Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years,
5 Mahlon and Chilion died. So then Naomi had no husband and no sons.
Mahlon and Chilion both died, and Naomi was left alone, without husband or sons.
6 One day while Naomi was in Moab, she heard someone say that Yahweh had helped his people in Israel and that now there was plenty of food to eat. So she prepared to return [to Bethlehem].
So she set out with her daughters-in-law to return from the land of Moab, for she had heard that the Lord had remembered his people and given them food.
7 She left the place where she had been living and started to walk [with her daughters-in-law] along the road back to Judah.
As they were setting out together on the journey to Judah,
8 Then as the three of them were walking, Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Each of you should turn around and go back to your mother’s home. You treated [your husbands] kindly [before] they died, and you have treated me kindly.
Naomi said to her daughters-in-law, ‘Go, return both of you to the home of your mother. May the Lord be kind to you as you have been kind to the dead and to me.
9 Now I desire that Yahweh will enable each of you to have another husband in whose home you will [feel] secure.” Then she kissed both of them, and they cried aloud.
The Lord grant that each of you may find peace and happiness in the house of a new husband.’ Then she kissed them; but they began to weep aloud
10 They each said, “No, we want to go with you as you return to your relatives.”
and said to her, ‘No, we will return with you to your people.’
11 But Naomi said, “No, my daughters, return home. (It will not do any good for you to come with me!/What good will it do for you to come with me?) [RHQ] Do you think I will get married again and have more sons who could become your husbands?
But Naomi said, ‘Go back, my daughters. Why should you go with me? Can I still bear sons who might become your husbands?
12 Even if I thought I could have another husband, and even if I got married today and became pregnant [EUP] tonight and later gave birth to sons,
Go back, my daughters, go your own way, because I am too old to have a husband. Even if I should say, “I have hope,” even if I should have a husband tonight and should bear sons,
13 would you remain single/unmarried until they grew up [and became old enough] for you to marry? No, my daughters, [you would not do that]. Your situations are bad [because your husbands have died, but it is possible that you will each marry again]. My situation is much worse, because Yahweh [SYN] has opposed me, [and now I am too old to get married again].”
would you wait for them until they were grown up? Would you remain single for them? No, my daughters! My heart grieves for you, for the Lord has sent me adversity.’
14 Then Ruth and Orpah cried again [because of what Naomi said]. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, [and left], but Ruth clung to Naomi.
Then they again wept aloud, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth stayed with her.
15 Naomi said to her, “Look! Your sister-in-law is going back to her relatives and to her gods! Go back with her!”
‘Look,’ said Naomi, ‘your sister-in-law is going back to her own people and to her own gods. Go along with her!’
16 But Ruth replied, “No! Don’t urge me to leave you! I [want to] go with you. Where you go, I will go. Where you stay, I will stay. Your relatives will be my relatives, and the God you [worship] will be the God I [worship].
But Ruth answered, ‘Do not urge me to leave you or to go back. I will go where you go, and I will stay wherever you stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God;
17 Where you die, I will die. Where you are buried, I will be buried. May Yahweh punish me severely if I separate from you. I will be separated from you only [when one of us] dies.”
I will die where you die, and be buried there. May the Lord bring a curse upon me, if anything but death separate you and me.’
18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was very determined to go with her, she stopped urging her [to return home].
When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she ceased urging her to return.
19 So the two women continued walking until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived there, everyone in town was excited [to see] them. The women [of the town] exclaimed, “(Can this be Naomi?/It is difficult to believe that this is Naomi!)” [RHQ]
So they journeyed on until they came to Bethlehem. Their arrival stirred the whole town, and the women said, ‘Can this be Naomi?’
20 Naomi said to them, “Don’t call me Naomi, [which means ‘pleasant’]. Instead, call me Mara, [which means ‘bitter’], because God Almighty has made my life very unpleasant.
‘Do not call me Naomi,’ she said to them, ‘call me Mara, for the Almighty has given me a bitter lot.
21 When I left here, I [felt] rich, [because I had a family]. But Yahweh has brought me back here and now I [feel] poor, [because I have no family]. Do not call me Naomi [RHQ]. [I feel as though] Yahweh has spoken against (OR, afflicted) me. Almighty [God] has caused me to experience a great tragedy.”
I had plenty when I left, but the Lord has brought me back empty handed. Why should you call me Naomi, now that the Lord has afflicted me, and the Almighty has brought misfortune on me?’
22 That [summarizes the account] of Naomi returning home along with her daughter-in-law Ruth, the woman from Moab. And [it happened that] when they arrived in Bethlehem, the barley [grain] harvest was just beginning.
So Naomi and Ruth, her Moabite daughter-in-law, returned from Moab. They reached Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.
