In the time when the judges judged, there fell a dearth in the land. Wherefore a certain man of Bethlehem Judah went for to sojourn in the country of Moab with his wife and two sons.

The name of the man was Elimelech, and his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion and they were Ephraimites, out of Bethlehem Judah. And when they came into the land of Moab, they continued there.

And Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died; and she remained with her two sons

which took them wives of the nations of the Moabites: the one's name Orpah and the other's Ruth. And when they had dwelled there about a ten years,

Mahlon and Chilion died also; even both two of them, so that the wife was left desolate of her two sons and of her husband thereto.

Then she stood up with her daughters-in-law and returned from the country of Moab: for she had heard say, being in the country of Moab, how that the LORD hath visited his people and given them food.

Wherefore she departed out of the place where she was, and her two daughters with her. And as they went by the way returning unto the land of Judah,

Naomi said unto her two daughters-in-law, "Go, and return each of you unto your mother's house. The LORD deal as kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me."

And the LORD grant you that you may find rest, either of you in the house of her husband." And so she kissed them.

Then they cried and wept and said unto her, "We will go with thee unto thy folk."

Turn again my daughters and go: for I am too old to have a husband. If I said I have hope, also if I took a man this night: yea, and though I had already borne sons?

Therewith they cried and wept again. Howbeit, Orpah kissed her mother-in-law but Ruth abode still by her.

Then she said, "See, thy sister-in-law is gone back again unto her people and unto her god: return thou after her."

But Ruth said, "Entreat me not to leave thee, and to return from after thee. For whither thou goest, I will go. And where thou dwellest, there I will dwell. Thy people are my people, and thy God is my God.

Where thou diest, I will die, and there will be buried. The LORD do so and so to me, except that death only depart thee and me asunder."

When she saw that she would needs go with her, she left speaking unto her.

And so they went both together until they came to Bethlehem. And when they were come to Bethlehem, it was noised through all the city, and the women said, "Is not this Naomi?"

But she said unto them, "Call me not Naomi: call me Mara, for the Almighty hath made me very bitter.

I went out full: but the LORD hath brought me home empty. Why should ye then call me Naomi: seeing the LORD hath humbled me, and the Almighty hath brought me unto adversity?"

And the time when Naomi with Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, returned out of the country of Moab and came to Bethlehem was in the beginning of barley harvest.

And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a man of might of the kindred of Elimelech, named Boaz.

And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, "Let me go to the field and lease and gather ears, after whomsoever I find grace in his sight." And she said unto her, "Go, my daughter."

And she went and came and gathered after the harvest men, and her chance was that part of the field pertained unto Boaz which was of the kindred of Elimelech.

And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem and said unto the harvest men, "The LORD be with you." And they answered him, "The LORD bless thee."

Then said Boaz unto the young man that had the oversight of the harvest men, "Whose damsel is this?"

And the young man that was set to oversee the harvest men answered and said, "It is the Moabitish damsel that came with Naomi out of the country of Moab,

and she said, 'Let me, I pray thee, lease and gather after the harvest men, the ears that remain.' And so she came, and hath continued even from the morning unto now, and tarried not long in the house."

Then said Boaz unto Ruth, "Hearest thou my daughter: go to no other field to gather, neither go from hence; but abide by my maidens.

Thine eyes are on a field that shall be reaped: go after the maidens therefore, for I have charged the young men, that they touch thee not. Moreover when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels and drink of that which the lads have drawn."

Then she fell on her face and bowed herself to the ground and said unto him, "How is that I have found grace in thine eyes, to know me, seeing I am an alien?"

And Boaz answered and said unto her, "All is told me that thou hast done unto thy mother-in-law since the death of thine husband; how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land where thou wast born, and art come unto a nation which thou knewest not in time past.

The LORD recompense thee thy doing, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel unto whom thou art come, to trust under his wings."

Then she said unto him, "Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord, for thou hast comforted me and hast spoken heartily unto thy maid, which yet cannot be like unto one of thy maids."

And Boaz, when the time of refection was come, said unto her, "Come hither and eat of the bread, and dip thy sop in the vinegar." And she sat down by the reapers, and he reached her parched corn. And so she did eat and was sufficed, and left part.

And when she was risen up to gather, Boaz said to the young men, saying, "Let her gather the ears that remain and do her no despite.

And thereto pull out of the sheaves for her and let it lie, that she may gather it up, and rebuke her not."

And so she gathered until even and then threshed that she had gathered, and it was upon an ephah of barley.

And she took it up and went to the city, and showed her mother-in-law what she had gathered. And thereto she plucked out and gave to her that she had reserved when she had eaten enough.

Then said her mother-in-law unto her, "Where gatheredst thou today? And where wroughtest thou? Blessed be he that knew thee." And she showed her mother-in-law with whom she had wrought and said, "The man's name with whom I wrought today is Boaz."

Then said Naomi unto her daughter-in-law, "Blessed be he, for he ceaseth not to do the same goodness to the dead that he did to the living." And Naomi said unto her, "The man is nigh unto us, even of our next kin."

And Ruth the Moabite said, "He bade me also that I should continue with his young men until they had ended all that harvest he hath."

Then said Naomi unto Ruth her daughter-in-law, "It is best my daughter that thou go out with his maidens, and that no man meet thee in any other field."

And so she kept her by the maidens of Boaz, to gather unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest also: and dwelt with her mother-in-law.

Then Naomi her mother-in-law said unto her, "My daughter, I will seek rest for thee, that thou mayest be in better case.

wash thyself therefore and anoint thee and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee to the threshing floor. But let not the man be aware of thee, until he have left eating and drinking.

And when he goeth to sleep, mark the place where he layeth him down, and then go and lift up the clothes that are on his feet, and lay thee down and so he shall tell thee what thou shalt do.

And she answered her, "All that thou biddest me I will do."

And so she went unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother-in-law bade her.

And when Boaz had eaten and drunken and made him merry, he went and lay down by the side of the heap. And she came softly, and lift up the clothes of his feet, and laid her down.

And at midnight the man was afraid, and groped. And behold, a woman lay at his feet.

Then he said, "What art thou?" And she answered, "I am Ruth, thine handmaid. Spread thy mantle over thine handmaid, for thou art the next of the kin."

And then he said, "Blessed be thou in the LORD my daughter, for thou hast showed more goodness in the latter end, than at the beginning; inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether they were poor or rich.

And now my daughter, fear not. I will do to thee all that thou requirest, for all the gates of my people know that thou art a woman of virtue.

And it is true that I am of thy next kin: howbeit, there is one nigher than I.

Tarry all night. And when morning is come, if he will marry thee: it is good, so let him do. But if he will not have thee, as sure as the LORD liveth I will have thee. Lie still until the morning."

And so she lay at his feet until the morning. And she arose up before one could know another. And he said, "Let no man be aware, that there came any woman unto the threshing floor."

And he said, "Bring thy mantle that thou hadst upon thee and hold it up." And she held it up. And he mette in six measures of barley and laid it on her. And she gat her into the city,

and she came in to her mother-in-law, which said, "What tidings my daughter?" And she told her all that the man had done to her.

And said thereto, "These six measures of barley gave he me and said, 'Thou shalt not go empty unto thy mother-in-law.'"

Then went Boaz unto the gate and sat him down there. And behold, the kinsman of which Boaz spake came by. Unto whom he said, "Come and sit down here, and called him by his name." And he turned in and sat down.

Then he took ten men of the elders of the city and said, "Sit ye down here." And they sat down.

Then he said unto the kinsman, "Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, will sell a parcel of land which was our brother Elimelech's.

And I thought to do thee to know, and bid thee buy it before the inhabiters and elders of my people, if thou be disposed to challenge it: but and if thou wilt not purchase it, then tell me that I may know it. For there is none to challenge it save thou, and I next after thee." And the other answered, "I will purchase it."

Now this was the manner of old time in Israel concerning purchase and changing, for to establish all things: that a man must pluck off his shoe and give it his neighbour, and this was a witness in Israel.

And the kinsman said to Boaz, "Buy it thou": and so drew off his shoe.

Then said Boaz unto the elders and unto all the people, "Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi.

And moreover, Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, do I take unto me to wife to stir up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that his name be not put out from among his brethren, and from the gate of his city: ye are witnesses this day."

And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said "We are witnesses: the LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and Lea, which twain did build the house of Israel: that she may do virtuously in Ephrata, and be famous in Bethlehem,

and that thine house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, even of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman."

And so Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife. And he went in unto her, and the LORD gave that she conceived and bare a son.

And the women said unto Naomi, "Blessed be the LORD, the which hath not left thee without a heir this day that shall have a name in Israel,

and that shall bring thy life again and cherish thine old age. For thy daughter-in-law which loveth thee hath borne him that is better to thee than seven sons."

And Naomi took the child and laid it in her lap, and became nurse unto it.

And her neighbours gave it a name saying, "There is a child borne to Naomi, and called it Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.