Ruth 1:3-18

New International Version

³ Now Elimelek, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. ⁴ They married Moabite women,^(A) one named Orpah and the other Ruth.^(B) After they had lived there about ten years, ⁵ both Mahlon and Kilion^(C) also died,^(D) and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.

Naomi and Ruth Return to Bethlehem

⁶ When Naomi heard in Moab^(E) that the Lord had come to the aid of his people^(F) by providing food^(G) for them, she and her daughters-in-law^(H) prepared to return home from there. ⁷ With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah.

⁸ Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home.^(I) May the Lord show you kindness,^(J) as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands^(K) and to me. ⁹ May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest^(L) in the home of another husband.”

Then she kissed^(M) them goodbye and they wept aloud^{(N) 10} and said to her, “We will go back with you to your people.”

¹¹ But Naomi said, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands?^{(O) 12} Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons— ¹³ would you wait until they grew up?^(P) Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter^(Q) for me than for you, because the Lord’s hand has turned against me!^(R)”

¹⁴ At this they wept^(S) aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law^(T) goodbye,^(U) but Ruth clung to her.^(V)

¹⁵ “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law^(W) is going back to her people and her gods.^(X) Go back with her.”

¹⁶ But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you^(Y) or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go,^(Z) and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people^(AA) and your God my God.^{(AB) 17} Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely,^(AC) if even death separates you and me.”^{(AD) 18} When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.^(AE)