The man's name was Elimelech, his wife's name was Naomi, and their two sons were named Mahlon and Chilion Ephrathites from Bethlehem of Judah. They journeyed to the country of Moab and lived there for some time.

Then Naomi's husband Elimelech died, and she was left with her two sons.

both Mahlon and Chilion died, leaving Naomi alone with neither her husband nor her two sons.

But along the way, Naomi told her two daughters-in-law, "Each of you go back home. Return to your mother's house. May the LORD show his gracious love to you, as you have shown me and our loved ones who have died.

But Naomi responded, "Go back, my daughters. Why go with me? Are there still sons to be born to me as future husbands for you?

Naomi told Ruth, "Look, your sister-in-law has returned to her people and to her gods. Follow your sister-in-law!"

When Naomi observed Ruth's determination to travel with her, she ended the conversation.

So they continued on until they reached Bethlehem. Now when the two of them arrived in Bethlehem, the entire town got excited at the news of their arrival and they asked one another, "Can this be Naomi?"

But Naomi replied, "Don't call me "Naomi'! Call me "Mara'! That's because the Almighty has dealt bitterly with me.

I left here full, but the LORD brought me back empty. So why call me "Naomi'? After all, the LORD is against me, and the Almighty has broken me."

So Naomi returned to Bethlehem from the country of Moab, along with her daughter-in-law Ruth the Moabite woman. And they arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.

Naomi had a close relative of her late husband, a man of considerable wealth from the family of Elimelech. His name was Boaz.

Ruth the Moabite told Naomi, "Please allow me to go out to the fields and glean grain behind anyone who shows me kindness." So Naomi replied, "Go ahead, my daughter."

The foreman of the harvesters answered, "She is the Moabite who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab.

Her mother-in-law noticed how much Ruth had gleaned and had brought back from what was left over from her lunch. So her mother-in-law quizzed her, "Where did you glean today? Where, precisely, did you work? May the one who took notice of you be blessed." So Ruth told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked. She said, "The man's name with whom I worked today is Boaz."

Naomi replied, "May the one who hasn't abandoned his gracious love to the living or to the dead be blessed by the LORD." Naomi added, "This man is closely related to us, our related redeemer, as a matter of fact!"

Naomi responded to her daughter-in-law Ruth, "It is prudent, my daughter, for you to go out with his women servants, so someone won't attack you in another field."

Ruth's mother-in-law Naomi, told her, "My daughter, should I not make inquiries about your financial security, so you'll be better off in life?

When Ruth returned to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked her, "How did it go, my daughter?"

Naomi replied, "Be patient, my daughter, until you learn how this works out, because the man won't rest until he finishes everything today."

and Boaz addressed the related redeemer directly: "A portion of a field belonging to our relative Elimelech is up for sale by Naomi, who recently returned from the country of Moab.

Boaz continued, "On the very day you buy the field from Naomi, you're also "buying" Ruth the Moabite woman, the wife of her dead husband, so the family name may be continued as an inheritance."

At this, Boaz addressed the elders and all of the people: "You all are witnesses today that I hereby redeem everything from Naomi that belonged to Elimelech, including what belonged to Chilion and Mahlon,

along with Mahlon's wife Ruth the Moabite woman. I will marry her to continue the family name as an inheritance, so that the name of the deceased does not disappear from among his relatives, nor from the public record. You are all witnesses today!"

Then the women of Bethlehem told Naomi, "May the LORD be blessed, who has not left you today without a related redeemer. May his name become famous throughout Israel!

Naomi took care of the child, taking him to her breast and becoming his nurse.

So her women neighbors gave the child a nickname, which is "Naomi has a son!" They named him Obed. He became the father of Jesse, who was the father of David.