1:1 During the time of the judges,¹ there was a famine in the land. A man from Bethlehem in Judah went to live temporarily in the region of Moab, along with his wife and two sons.² 1:2 The man’s name was Elimelech, his wife was Naomi,³ and his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion.⁴ They were Ephrathites⁵ from Bethlehem in Judah. They entered the region of Moab and settled there.⁶ 1:3 Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; she and her two sons were left alone. 1:4 Her sons married Moabite girls.⁷ (One was named Orpah and the other Ruth.)⁸ They lived there for about ten years. 1:5 Then Naomi’s two sons, Mahlon and Kilion, also died.⁹ The woman was left without her two children¹⁰ and her husband. 1:6 She started back home from the region of Moab, accompanied by her daughters-in-law,¹¹ because she heard in Moab¹² that the LORD had provided food for his people.¹³ 1:7 She and her two daughters-in-law left the place where she had been living and began the trip back to the land of Judah.¹⁴

1:8 Naomi said to her two daughters-in law, “Go! Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home!¹⁵ May the LORD show you¹⁶ the same kind of devotion that you have shown to the dead¹⁷ and to me!¹⁸ 1:9 May the LORD give each of you security in the home of a new husband!”¹⁹ Then she kissed them goodbye and they wept loudly.²⁰ 1:10 They said to her, “No!²¹ We will²² return with you to your people.” 1:11 But Naomi replied, “Go back, my daughters! Why would you want to come²³ with me? Am I still capable of having sons and supplying you with husbands?²⁴ 1:12 Go back, my daughters! Go! For I am too old to get married again.²⁵ Suppose I were to say, ‘I have hope!’ Suppose I got married this very night and had sons.²⁶ 1:13 Would you wait until they were grown?²⁷ Would you remain unmarried all that time?²⁸ No,²⁹ my daughters, you must not come with me.³⁰ For you should not have to experience my intense suffering.³¹ After all, the LORD has attacked me.”³²

1:14 They wept loudly³³ again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye,³⁴ but Ruth³⁵ hugged her tightly.³⁶ 1:15 Then Naomi³⁷ said, “Look, your sister-in-law has returned to her people and to her god.³⁸ Follow your sister-in-law back home!” 1:16 But Ruth replied, “Stop urging me to abandon you and to leave you!³⁹ For wherever you go, I will go. Wherever you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. 1:17 Wherever you die, I will die and I will be buried there. The LORD will punish me severely if I do not keep my promise. Nothing but death will separate you and me.”⁴⁰ 1:18 When Naomi⁴¹ saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more about it.⁴² 1:19 The two of them⁴³ went on their way until they arrived in Bethlehem.

When they entered⁴⁴ Bethlehem, the whole town was excited about their arrival.⁴⁵ The women of the town said,⁴⁶ “Can this be Naomi?”⁴⁷ 1:20 Naomi replied⁴⁸ to them,⁴⁹ “Don’t call me ‘Naomi’!⁵⁰ Call me ‘Mara’⁵¹ because the Sovereign One⁵² has treated me very harshly.⁵³ 1:21 I left here full,⁵⁴ but the LORD has caused me to return empty-handed.⁵⁵ Why do you call me ‘Naomi,’ seeing that⁵⁶ the LORD had opposed me⁵⁷ and the Sovereign One⁵⁸ has made me suffer?”⁵⁹ 1:22 So Naomi returned, accompanied by her daughter-in-law Ruth, the Moabite girl who returned with her from the region of Moab.⁶⁰ They⁶¹ arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.⁶²