Ruth 1
1
Now it came to pass, in the days when a the judges ruled, that there was b a famine in the land. And a certain man of c Bethlehem, Judah, went to dwell in the country of d Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.
2
The name of the man was Elimelech, the name of his wife was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion - e Ephrathites of Bethlehem, Judah. And they went f to the country of Moab and remained there.
3
Then Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons.
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Now they took wives of the women of Moab: the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth. And they dwelt there about ten years.
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Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died; so the woman survived her two sons and her husband.
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Then 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 that the LORD had g visited His people by h giving them bread.
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Therefore she went out from the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah.
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And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, i "Go, return each to her mother's house. j The LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt k with the dead and with me.
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"The LORD grant that you may find l rest, each in the house of her husband." So she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept.
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And they said to her, "Surely we will return with you to your people."
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But Naomi said, "Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Are there still sons in my womb, m that they may be your husbands?
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"Turn back, my daughters, go - for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, if I should have a husband tonight and should also bear sons,
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"would you wait for them till they were grown? Would you restrain yourselves from having husbands? No, my daughters; for it grieves me very much for your sakes that n the hand of the LORD has gone out against me!"
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Then they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth o clung to her.
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And she said, "Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to p her people and to her gods; q return after your sister-in-law."
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But Ruth said:
r "Entreat me not to leave you,
Or to turn back from following after you;
For wherever you go, I will go;
And wherever you lodge, I will lodge;
s Your people shall be my people,
And your God, my God.
17
Where you die, I will die,
And there will I be buried.
t The LORD do so to me, and more also,
If anything but death parts you and me."
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u When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her.
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Now the two of them went until they came to Bethlehem. And it happened, when they had come to Bethlehem, that v all the city was excited because of them; and the women said, w "Is this Naomi?"
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But she said to them, "Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.
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"I went out full, x and the LORD has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the LORD has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?"
22
So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. Now they came to Bethlehem y at the beginning of barley harvest.
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Cross References
Judges 2:16 - 18
Nevertheless, the LORD raised up judges who delivered them out of the hand of those who plundered them.
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Cross References
Genesis 12:10
Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine was severe in the land.
Genesis 26:1
There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, in Gerar.
2 Kings 8:1
Then Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, "Arise and go, you and your household, and stay wherever you can; for the LORD has called for a famine, and furthermore, it will come upon the land for seven years.
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Cross References
Judges 17:8
The man departed from the city of Bethlehem in Judah to stay wherever he could find a place. Then he came to the mountains of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.
Micah 5:2
"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting."
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Cross References
Genesis 19:37
The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab; he is the father of the Moabites to this day.
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Cross References
Genesis 35:19
So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).
1 Samuel 1:1
Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the mountains of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.
1 Kings 11:26
Then Solomon's servant, Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite from Zereda, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow, also rebelled against the king.
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Cross References
Judges 3:30
So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest for eighty years.
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Cross References
Exodus 3:16
Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, 'The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared to me, saying, "I have surely visited you and seen what is done to you in Egypt.
Exodus 4:31
So the people believed; and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped.
Jeremiah 29:10
For thus says the LORD: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place.
Zephaniah 2:7
The coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; They shall feed their flocks there; In the houses of Ashkelon they shall lie down at evening. For the LORD their God will intervene for them, And return their captives.
Luke 1:68
Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people.
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Cross References
Psalms 132:15
I will abundantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her poor with bread.
Matthew 6:11
Give us this day our daily bread.
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Cross References
Joshua 24:15
"And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
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Cross References
2 Timothy 1:16 - 18
The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain.
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Cross References
Ruth 2:20
Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, "Blessed be he of the LORD, who has not forsaken His kindness to the living and the dead!" And Naomi said to her, "This man is a relation of ours, one of our close relatives.
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Cross References
Ruth 3:1
Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, "My daughter, shall I not seek security for you, that it may be well with you?
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Cross References
Genesis 38:11
Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, "Remain a widow in your father's house till my son Shelah is grown." For he said, "Lest he also die like his brothers." And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house.
Deuteronomy 25:5
If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the widow of the dead man shall not be married to a stranger outside the family; her husband's brother shall go in to her, take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her.
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Cross References
Judges 2:15
Wherever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for calamity, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn to them. And they were greatly distressed.
Job 19:21
Have pity on me, have pity on me, O you my friends, For the hand of God has struck me!
Psalms 32:4
For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah
Psalms 38:2
For Your arrows pierce me deeply, And Your hand presses me down.
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Cross References
Proverbs 17:17
A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.
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Cross References
Judges 11:24
Will you not possess whatever Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whatever the LORD our God takes possession of before us, we will possess.
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Cross References
Joshua 1:15
"until the LORD has given your brethren rest, as He gave you, and they also have taken possession of the land which the LORD your God is giving them. Then you shall return to the land of your possession and enjoy it, which Moses the LORD's servant gave you on this side of the Jordan toward the sunrise."
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Cross References
2 Kings 2:2
Then Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here, please, for the LORD has sent me on to Bethel." But Elisha said, " As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!" So they went down to Bethel.
2 Kings 2:4
Then Elijah said to him, "Elisha, stay here, please, for the LORD has sent me on to Jericho." But he said, " As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!" So they came to Jericho.
2 Kings 2:6
Then Elijah said to him, "Stay here, please, for the LORD has sent me on to the Jordan." But he said, " As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!" So the two of them went on.
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Cross References
Ruth 2:11
And Boaz answered and said to her, "It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before.
Ruth 2:12
"The LORD repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge."
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Cross References
1 Samuel 3:17
And he said, "What is the word that the LORD spoke to you? Please do not hide it from me. God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that He said to you.
2 Samuel 19:13
"And say to Amasa, ' Are you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you are not commander of the army before me continually in place of Joab.'"
2 Kings 6:31
Then he said, "God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains on him today!
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Cross References
Acts 21:14
So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, "The will of the Lord be done.
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Cross References
Matthew 21:10
And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, "Who is this?
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Cross References
Isaiah 23:7
Is this your joyous city, Whose antiquity is from ancient days, Whose feet carried her far off to dwell?
Lamentations 2:15
All who pass by clap their hands at you; They hiss and shake their heads At the daughter of Jerusalem: " Is this the city that is called 'The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth'?
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Cross References
Job 1:21
And he said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD.
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Cross References
Ruth 2:23
So she stayed close by the young women of Boaz, to glean until the end of barley harvest and wheat harvest; and she dwelt with her mother-in-law.
2 Samuel 21:9
And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the hill before the LORD. So they fell, all seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley harvest.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.