Ruth 1:1-21

During the era when champion-deliverers ruled in Israel, a severe famine overtook the land. Elimelech, a man of importance, left Bethlehem and immigrated to the country of Moab. He took with him his wife Naomi and their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion. They belonged to the clan of Ephrath from Bethlehem in Judah. While residing in Moab, Elimelech died and left his widow Naomi alone with her two sons. The two sons both married Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. About ten years later, Mahlon and Chilion also died and left Naomi all alone without husband or sons. Sometime later, Naomi heard that YAHWEH had visited his people and blessed them with an abundant harvest; so she decided to leave Moab with her daughters-in-law. With Orpah and Ruth at her side, Naomi began her journey to return to the land of Judah. But soon Naomi said to them, “Each of you, go back to your mother’s home. May YAHWEH show his loyal love and kindness to you—the same loyal love and kindness you’ve shown to me and to those who have died. And may YAHWEH give you another husband and cause you to find rest in a happy home.” Then Naomi tenderly embraced Orpah and Ruth and kissed them goodbye, but they wailed and sobbed. Through their tears, they said to her, “No! We want to be with you and go with you to your people.” “My daughters, you must go back,” Naomi answered. “Why do you want to come with me? Do you think I could have sons again to give you new husbands? Turn around my daughters and go back home, for I’m too old to marry again. Even if I thought there was still hope for me, and married today and gave birth to sons, would you wait until they had grown up? Should you live for so many years without husbands? No, my daughters, you must not return with me. My life is too bitter for you to share it with me because YAHWEH has brought calamity to my life!” When they heard Naomi’s words, Orpah and Ruth wailed and sobbed again. Then Orpah embraced and kissed her mother-in-law goodbye and went back home, but Ruth clung tightly to Naomi and refused to let go of her. Naomi said, “Ruth, listen. Your sister-in-law is going back to Moab to her people and to her gods. Now go with her.” But tearfully, Ruth insisted, “Please don’t ask me again to leave you! I want to go with you and stay with you. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will now be my people, and your God will now be my God. Wherever you die, I will die there, too; that’s where your people will bury me—next to you. Nothing but death itself will separate me from you, so help me God!” When Naomi realized that Ruth’s heart was set on going with her, she said nothing more. Naomi and Ruth traveled together from Moab until they came to Bethlehem. The entire town was buzzing when they heard they had arrived! Astounded, the women of the town said to one another, “Is this really Naomi, who left us so long ago?” “Please don’t call me Naomi anymore,” she insisted. “Instead, call me Marah, because Almighty God has dealt me a bitter blow. When I left here, my heart was full and content with my family, but YAHWEH has brought me back empty and destitute. Why call me by my name, ‘Pleasant,’ when YAHWEH has opposed me, and Almighty God has brought me so much trouble?”