Ruth Chapter 1

Conversational Yahveh Covenant

Elimelech’s Family Moves to Moab

¹ Judges were ruling when a famine came over the country. A man from Bethlehem in Judah went with his wife and sons to stay in Moab. ² His name was Elimelech, his wife was Naomi, and his sons were Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites. ³ But Elimelech died and Naomi was left with her two sons. ⁴ They married Moabite wives Orpah and Ruth. They lived there about ten years, ⁵ and Mahlon and Chilion died too. So Naomi lost her husband and both sons.                                                                                                      

Ruth 1:1-5

Naomi and Ruth Return

^6-7 With her daughters-in-law she started to go back from Moab, because she’d heard that Yahveh had visited his people and given them food. ⁸ She told them,

“Both of you, go to your mother’s house. May Yahveh deal graciously with you, as you have with the dead and with me. ⁹ May he grant you to find a home in your husband’s house.”

She kissed them. They cried ¹⁰ and said to her, “No, we’ll go with you to your people.”

¹¹ But Naomi said, “Go back, my daughters. Why go with me? Can I still have sons to become your husbands? ¹² I’m too old to have a husband. If I said I have hope, even if I should have a husband tonight and have sons, ¹³ would you wait till they were grown? Would you hold back from marrying? No, it’s really bitter for me that Yahveh has worked against me.”

Ruth 1:6-13

¹⁴ Then they cried out loud again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. ¹⁵ Naomi said, “See, your-sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.”

¹⁶ But Ruth said,

“Don’t ask me not to follow you. I’ll stay where you stay. Your people will be my people. Your God will be my God. ¹⁷ I’ll die where you die and be buried there. Yahveh do so to me and more if even death separates me from you.” 

¹⁸ When Naomi saw she was determined to go with her, she didn’t say anything more.

¹⁹ The two of them went on to Bethlehem. When they got there, the whole town was stirred. The women said, “Is this Naomi?”

 ²⁰ “Don’t call me Naomi, call me Mara. The Almighty has dealt ‘bitterly’ with me. ²¹ I went away full; he brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? Yahveh has made me suffer; the Almighty has brought me misfortune.”

²² So Naomi came back, and Ruth came with her. They reached Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.    

Ruth 1:14-22