In the days when the judges judged, there was a famine in the land. A certain man of Bethlehem Judah went to live in the country of Moab with his wife and his two sons. Gen 12:10Gen 26:1Ezk 14:132Ki 8:1-2Deu 28:38Gen 43:1Jdg 17:8Jol 1:16-20 The name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi. The names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem Judah. They came into the country of Moab and lived there. Gen 35:191Sa 17:21Mic 5:21Sa 1:1 Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left with her two sons. Psa 34:192Ki 4:1Heb 12:10-11Heb 12:6 They took for themselves wives of the women of Moab. The name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other was Ruth. They lived there about ten years. Mat 1:5Deu 7:31Ki 11:1-2Deu 23:3 Mahlon and Chilion both died, and the woman was bereaved of her two children and of her husband. Deu 32:39Psa 89:30-32Isa 49:21Jer 2:19Luk 7:12Mat 22:25-27 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 how the LORD 1 had visited his people in giving them bread. Psa 132:15Psa 111:5Exo 3:16Exo 4:311Sa 2:21Exo 16:4-6Isa 55:10Jer 29:10 She went out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her. They went on the way to return to the land of Judah. 2Ki 8:3Exo 18:27Rut 1:10Rut 1:14 Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May the LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. Rut 1:5Rut 2:20Col 3:18Col 3:24Eph 6:2-3Eph 5:22Jos 24:15-282Ti 1:16-18 May the LORD grant you that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband.” Rut 3:1Act 20:37Gen 29:11Gen 27:27Gen 45:15
Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices, and wept. They said to her, “No, but we will return with you to your people.” Zec 8:23Psa 119:63Psa 16:3
Naomi said, “Go back, my daughters. Why do you want to go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? Deu 25:5Gen 38:11 Go back, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, ‘I have hope,’ if I should even have a husband tonight, and should also bear sons, Gen 17:171Ti 5:9 would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from having husbands? No, my daughters, for it grieves me seriously for your sakes, for the LORD’s hand has gone out against me.” Job 19:21Psa 32:4Jdg 2:15Psa 38:2Psa 39:9-101Sa 5:11Deu 2:15
They lifted up their voices and wept again; then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth stayed with her. Pro 18:24Mat 16:24Mat 10:37Heb 10:39Jhn 6:66-69Mat 19:221Ki 19:20Deu 10:20 She said, “Behold, 2 your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her god. Follow your sister-in-law.” Jdg 11:24Zep 1:62Ki 2:2Jos 24:15Psa 125:51Jn 2:192Sa 15:19-20Heb 10:38
Ruth said, “Don’t urge me to leave you, and to return from following you, for where you go, I will go; and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God 3 my God. 2Sa 15:21Rut 2:11-122Ki 2:2-6Psa 45:10Mat 8:19Jhn 13:371Th 1:9Isa 14:1 Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me.” 1Sa 3:171Ki 2:232Ki 6:312Sa 19:131Ki 20:101Sa 25:222Sa 3:351Ki 19:2
When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her. Act 21:14Act 2:42Eph 6:10
So they both went until they came to Bethlehem. When they had come to Bethlehem, all the city was excited about them, and they asked, “Is this Naomi?” Mat 21:10Isa 23:7Lam 2:15
She said to them, “Don’t call me Naomi. 4 Call me Mara, 5 for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. Job 6:4Heb 12:11Psa 88:15Isa 38:13Job 19:6Lam 3:1-20Psa 73:14Job 5:17 I went out full, 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?” 1Sa 2:7-8Job 1:21Job 13:26Job 16:8Job 10:17Mal 3:5 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned out of the country of Moab. They came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest. Rut 2:232Sa 21:9Exo 9:31-32