1Now 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 sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.[ † ]Judges 2:16-18Genesis 12:10Genesis 26:12 Kings 8:1Judges 17:8Micah 5:2Genesis 19:37 2And 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.[ † ]Genesis 35:191 Samuel 1:11 Kings 11:26Judges 3:30 3And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons. 4And 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. 5And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.
6Then 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.[ † ]Exodus 3:16Exodus 4:31Jeremiah 29:10Zephaniah 2:7Luke 1:68Psalms 132:15Matthew 6:11 7Wherefore 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. 8And 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.[ † ]Joshua 24:152 Timothy 1:16-18Ruth 2:20 9The 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.[ † ]Ruth 3:1 10And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people. 11And 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?[ † ]Genesis 38:11Deuteronomy 25:5 12Turn 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; 13would 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.[ † ]Judges 2:15Job 19:21Psalms 32:4Psalms 38:2 14And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.[ † ]Proverbs 17:17
15And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.[ † ]Judges 11:24Joshua 1:15 16And 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:[ † ]2 Kings 2:2-4, 6Ruth 2:11-12 17where 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 Samuel 3:172 Samuel 19:132 Kings 6:31 18When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.[ † ]Acts 21:14
19So they two went until they came to Beth-lehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Beth-lehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?[ † ]Matthew 21:10Isaiah 23:7Lamentations 2:15 20And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. 21I 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?[ † ]Job 1:21 22So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Beth-lehem in the beginning of barley harvest.[ † ]Ruth 2:232 Samuel 21:9