1 Elimélech goeth with his wife and childrẽ into the lād of Moáb. 3 He and his ſonnes dye. 19 Naomí and Ruth come to Beth-lehem.

1.IN the time that the iudges ^" ruled , there was ^a dearth in the ^a land, and ^a mã of Beth-léhem ^b Iudáh went for to ſoiourne in the coũtrei of Moáb, he, and his wife, and his two ſonnes.

2.And the name of the mã was Elimélech, and the name of his wife, Naomí: and the names of his two ſonnes, Mahlón, & Chilión, Ephrathites of Beth-léhem Iudáh: and when they came into the land of Moáb, they continued there.

3.Then Elimélech the houſbãd of Naomí dyed, & ſhe remained with her two ſonnes,

4.Which toke them wiues of the ^c Moabites: the ones name was Orpáh, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten yeres.

5.And Mahlón and Chilión dyed alſo bothe twaine: ſo the woman was left deſtitute of her two ſonnes, & of her houſbãd.

6.¶ Then ſhe aroſe with her daughters in lawe, and returned from the countrey of Moáb: for ſhe had heard ſay in the countrei of Moáb, that the Lord had ^d viſited his people, and giuen them bread.

7.Wherefore ſhe departed out of the place where ſhe was, and her two daughters in lawe with her, and they wẽt on their way to returne vnto the land of Iudáh.

8.The Naomí ſaid vnto her two daughters in lawe, Go, returne eche of you vnto her owne mothers houſe: yͤ Lord ſhewe fauour vnto you, as ye haue done with the dead, and with me.

9.The Lord grante you, that you may finde ^e reſt, ether of you in the houſe of her houſband. And when ſhe kiſſed them, they lift vp their voyce and wept.

10.And they ſaid vnto her, Surely we wil returne with thee vnto thy people.

11.But Naomí ſaid, Turne againe, my daughters: for what cauſe wil you go with me? are there anie mo ſonnes in my wombe, that they may be your houſbands?

12.Turne againe, my daughters: go your way: for I am to olde to haue an houſbãd. if I ſhulde ſaie, I haue hope, & if I had an houſband this night: yea, if I had borne ſonnes,

13.Wolde ye tary for them, til they were of age? wolde ye be diſferred for them from taking of houſbands? nay my daughters: for it grieueth me ^" muche for your ſakes yͤ the hãd of yͤ Lord is gone out againſt me.

14.Then they lift vp their voyce, and wept againe, and Orpáh ^f kiſſed her mother in lawe, but Ruth abode ſtil with her.

15.And Naomí ſaid, Beholde, thy ſiſter in lawe is gone backe vnto her people & vnto her gods: returne ^g yͤ after thy ſiſter in law.

16.And Ruth anſwered, Intreat me not to leaue thee, nor to departe from thee: for whither thou goeſt, I wil go: and where thou dwelleſt, I wil dwel: thy people ſhalbe my people, and thy God my God.

17.Where yͤ dyeſt, wil I dye, and there wil I be buryed. the Lord do ſo to me & more alſo, if oght but death departe thee & me.

18.¶ When ſhe ſawe that ſhe was ſtedfaſtly minded to go with her, ſhe left ſpeaking vnto her.

19.So they went bothe vntil they came to Beth-léhé: & whẽ they were come to Beth-léhem, it was ^h noiſed of them through all the citie, and they ſaid, Is not this Naomí?

20.And ſhe anſwered thẽ, Call me not ^" Naomí, but call me ^" Mará: for the Almightie hathe giuen me muche bitternes.

21.I wẽt out ful, & yͤ Lord hathe cauſed me to returne empty: why call ye me Naomí, ſeing the Lord hath hũbled me, & the Almighty hathe broght me vnto aduerſitie.

22.So Naomí returned and Ruth yͤ Moabiteſſe her daughter in law with her, when ſhe came out of the countrei of Moáb: & they came to Beth-léhem in the begining of ⁱ barly harueſt.

Ruth 1

Notes