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AND IT came to pass in the days when the judges judged, that there was a famine in the land.
And a certain man of Beth-lehem in Judah went to sojourn in the field of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
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And 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 in Judah.
And they came into the field of Moab, and continued there.
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And Elimelech Naomi"s husband died;
and she was left, and her two sons.
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And 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 dwelt there about ten years.
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And Mahlon and Chilion died both of them;
and the woman was left of her two children and of her husband.
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Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, that she might return from the field of Moab;
for she had heard in the field of Moab how that the LORD had remembered His people in giving them bread.
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And 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.
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And Naomi said unto her two daughters-in-law: "Go, return each of you to her mother"s house;
the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.
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The 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.
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And they said unto her: "Nay, but we will return with thee unto thy people."
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And Naomi said: "Turn back, my daughters;
why will ye go with me?
have I yet sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
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Turn back, my daughters, go your way;
for I am too old to have a husband.
If I should say: I have hope, should I even have an husband to-night, and also bear sons;
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would ye tarry for them till they were grown?
would ye shut yourselves off for them and have no husbands?
nay, my daughters;
for it grieveth me much for your sakes, for the hand of the LORD is gone forth against me."
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And they lifted up their voice, and wept again;
and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law;
but Ruth cleaved unto her.
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And she said: "Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people, and unto her god;
return thou after thy sister-in-law."
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And Ruth said: "Entreat me not to leave thee, and 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;
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where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried;
the LORD do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me."
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And when she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, she left off speaking unto her.
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So 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 astir concerning them, and the women said: "Is this Naomi?"
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And she said unto them: "Call me not Naomi, call me Marah;
for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.
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I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me back home empty;
why call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?"
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So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned out of the field of Moab - and they came to Beth-lehem in the beginning of barley harvest.