Book of Ruth

Ruth 1 1 And it came to pass in the days when the judges judged, a famine came into the land. And a certain man went from Bethlehem of Judah to dwell in the field of Moab, he and his wife and his sons. And the name of that man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites from Bethlehem of Judah. And they came into the field of Moab and dwelt there. And Elimelech died, the husband of Naomi, and she and her two sons remained. And they took for themselves wives, Moabite women; the name of one was Orpah, and the name of the other was Ruth. And they dwelt there about ten years. And both of them, Mahlon and Chilion, died, and she, the wife, remained from her husband and from her two sons.

And she arose, she and her two daughters-in-law, and she departed from the field of Moab, for she had heard that the Lord had mercy on his people and gave them grain. And he went out from that place to where he dwelt, and her two daughters-in-law with her, and they went on the way to bring her into the land of Judah. And Naomi said to her daughters-in-law, "Go, bring yourselves into the houses of your mothers, and may the Lord do with you his mercy, as you did with those who died and with me. And may the Lord give you to find rest in the houses of your mothers, and sighing and sorrow and weeping." And [Ruth] said to her, "With you we shall enter into your people." And Naomi said to them, "Bring my daughters; why do you come with me? Are there not yet children in my womb who will sustain you?

And she said, "My daughters-in-law, because I have sinned against you from the time I bore children. And she conceived them until the time they would be weaned, and you strengthened your head and did not sin. There are no daughters-in-law for me, because my soul is greatly embittered against you, for the hand of the Lord has gone out from me." And she wept again and mourned, and Orpah heard her mother-in-law and returned to her people, but Ruth followed her. And Naomi said to Ruth, "Now your sister-in-law has returned to her people and to her gods; go you also with your sister-in-law." And Ruth said, "Do not urge me to leave you and to return from behind you. Where you go, I go; where you dwell, I dwell. Your people are my people, and your God is my God. And where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the Lord grant me, and thus may it be, as if there is none who will separate me from you except death.

And when Naomi saw that she had strengthened her daughter-in-law to go with her, she left her there, saying thus. And the two of them went until they reached Bethlehem, and the whole land was stirred up because of her, and they said to her, "Are you alive, Naomi?" And she said to them, "Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for I have been embittered exceedingly and greatly." "I went forth full, and the Lord has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, when the Lord has bereaved me and afflicted me exceedingly?" And Naomi and Ruth, her Moabite daughter-in-law, entered and came from the land of Moab, and they arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest. Ruth 2 2 And Naomi had a kinsman, a man of wealth, and he was a strong and powerful man among his relatives; he was a relative of Elimelech, and his name was Boaz.

And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, "Shall I go into the field to glean ears of grain where I have found favor?" And she said, "Go, my daughter." And she went and reaped from within the field, while she followed behind those who were reaping, and she arrived at one of the portions of the field of Boaz, who was of the kin of Elimelech. And Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to those who were reaping, "The Lord be with you." And they said to him, "May the Lord bless you." And Boaz said to the son who was standing over those who were reaping, "Whose daughter is this?" And the son who was standing over those who were reaping answered and said, "This is the Moabite daughter who came with Naomi from the land of Moab." And she said, "I will glean and gather from what has fallen from the sheaves, and after those who were reaping, she came and stood from morning until evening, and she did not leave even a little from the field.

And Boaz said to Ruth, "Have I not heard, my daughter, that you went into the field of another to glean, and you yourself went from there to another to gather for my sons? Look into the field where they threshed, and gather them; behold, I have commanded the servants that there is none who will hinder you. And if you are thirsty, go to the water and drink from what the servants have brought." And she fell on her face and prostrated herself on the ground, and said to him, "If I have found favor before your eyes, help me, for I am a stranger." And Boaz answered and said to her, "Tell me, tell me all that you have done with your mother-in-law after the death of your husband, and why you left your father and mother and the land of your birth, and came to a people who do not know you. May the Lord reward you according to what you have done, and may your reward be complete in the sight of the Lord, the God of Israel, to whom you have come, that you may be sheltered under His wings.

And Ruth said to him, "I have found favor before your eyes, because you have made me forget and have commanded the heart of your maidservant. And now I am to you as one of your maidservants." And Boaz said to her, when it was time for the evening meal, "Come here and eat your food, and dip your bread in the vinegar." And Ruth sat near the reapers, and Boaz gave her roasted grain, and she ate and was satisfied, and there was some left over. And she arose to go, and Boaz commanded his servants and said to them, "Let her go among the bundles and do not shame her." And they left for her what she had gathered, and they left her to eat and go, and they did not rebuke her. And she gleaned from the morning until evening, and what she gathered was a large amount, and it was a full ephah of barley. And she took it and brought it to the city, and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned, and Ruth brought and gave her what was left over after she had eaten.

And her mother-in-law said to her, "Where did you see today, and where did you work?" Ruth said to her mother-in-law, "Blessed be he who knew you and knew you." And she told her the name of that man, of whom she said, "I went today to Boaz." And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, "Blessed is he, and blessed is the Lord, for he has not withheld his mercy from the living and from the dead." And Naomi said, "That man is our relative, more than those who are our in-laws." And Ruth said to her mother-in-law, "For he said to me, 'With my maidens you shall glean until our harvest is finished.'" And Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law, "It is good, my daughter, for you have gleaned with his maidens, and they will not find you in a foreign field." And Ruth gleaned with the maidens of Boaz, as a handmaid, until the harvest of grain and barley was finished, and she dwelt with her mother-in-law.

Ruth 3 3 And Naomi, her mother-in-law, said to her, "My daughter, is it not for you that I seek rest, as is fitting for you? And now, is not Boaz our kinsman, who is with his young men? Behold, he is working in the threshing-floor of the grain today, on this night. And you, wash and anoint yourself, and put on your garments, and go to the threshing-floor of the grain, and there is no one who will see you until he has finished eating and drinking. And when he lies down, know his place where he sleeps, and go there, and uncover at his feet and lie down, and he himself will instruct you as to what you should do." And Ruth said, "All that you tell me, I will do." And she went down to the threshing-floor of the grain, and did all that her mother-in-law commanded her. And Boaz ate, and his heart rejoiced, and he went and lay down by the heap; and she came stealthily and uncovered at his feet and lay down.

And at midnight, a man came and lay down, and he found a woman at his feet. And he said to her, "Who are you?" And she said to him, "I am Ruth, your handmaid. Spread the edge of your garment over me, for you are a redeemer." And Boaz said to her, "Blessed are you to the Lord and to me, my daughter, for you have shown mercy later than your earlier conduct, when you left your father and mother and the companions who were poor and not wealthy. And now, my daughter, fear not; everything you say I will do for you. And let all my people know that you are a woman of strength and that I am a redeemer. But there is only one redeemer who is closer than I. Wait this night, and when morning comes, if the good redeemer wishes to redeem you, he will redeem you; and if he does not wish to redeem you, he is alive; the Lord, as I, will redeem you. Wait until morning.

And she went to his feet until dawn, and she arose without being seen by anyone. And Boaz said, "There is no one who knows that a woman came to the threshing floor." And he said to her, "Bring the garment that is over you." And he took it and spread six measures of barley in it, and he measured and sealed it, and she entered into the city. And Ruth went to her mother-in-law and said to her, "What is this, my daughter?" And she told her everything that the man had done for her. And she said to her, "You, six measures of barley, he gave to me, because he said to me, 'Go, take your veil to your mother-in-law.'" And she said to her, "Sit, my daughter, until you see that my word is true, because the man is merciful and will not rest today until he accomplishes this matter." Ruth 4 4 And Boaz went up to the gate and sat there. And that kinsman, of whom Boaz had spoken, passed by. And Boaz said to him, "Arise and sit here, let us speak." And he arose and sat.

And Boaz took ten elders from the city, and he said to them, "Sit here," and they sat. And Boaz said to the kinsman, "You have taken the garment from Naomi and from Ruth the Moabite, the wife of the one who died. And you shall take it properly, so that you may establish the name of the deceased over his inheritance." And the kinsman said, "I cannot redeem it, for I cannot redeem my inheritance. Redeem it for yourself; redeem what is mine, for I cannot redeem it.

And thus it is that his judgment was heard before Israel, and concerning the exchange, as he would speak his word and release. He is a man of sandal, and he gave it to the other who would be judged; his judgment is thus, and thus it is heard within Israel. And the accused said to Boaz, "Take for yourself my judgment, and release the sandal, and give it." And Boaz said to the elders and to all the people, "Hear, all of you, today how I have taken all that belonged to Elimelech and all the possessions of Chilion and Mahlon from the hand of Naomi." And Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, I have taken for myself; she shall be my wife. And as I have established his name for the one who died upon his inheritance, and the name of the one who died shall not be lost from his brothers and from the tribe of his people, hear me, all of you, today.

And all the people said to Anqäṣ, “You have heard us and the elders also told you, ‘May the Lord grant you to your wife who enters your house, like Rachel and like Leah, who built the house of Israel, both of them, and do a mighty deed in Ephrata, and may your name be in Bethlehem.’” “And may your house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, and from your seed may the Lord give you over this daughter.” And Boaz took Ruth [and she became his wife], and the Lord gave, and she conceived and bore a son. And the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has brought you to this day, rejoicing in that your name is named in Israel.” “And may you be comforted in that you have restored your soul, and that which you have covered for your garment, for your daughter-in-law who bore him for you, she who is better to you than seven sons.

And Naomi took the child and placed him in her bosom, and he became her nursling. And her neighbors named him, saying his name, for a son was born to Naomi, and they named him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David. And thus the lineage of Perez: Perez begot Hezron. Hezron begot Ram, Ram begot Aminadab. Aminadab begot Nahshon, Nahshon begot Salmon. Salmon begot Boaz, Boaz begot Obed. Obed begot Jesse, Jesse begot David.