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RUTH
CHAPTER
1
1
In the time that the Iudges ruled, there was a dearth in the lande, and a man of
Beth-lehem Iudah went for to soiourne in the countrey of
Moab
, he, and his wife, and his two sonnes.
2 And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife, Naomi: and
the names of his two sonnes, Mahlon, and Chilion, Ephrathites of Beth-lehem
Iudah: and when they came into the
land
of
Moab
, they continued there.
3 Then Elimelech the husbande of Naomi died, and she remayned with her two
sonnes,
4 Which tooke them wiues of the Moabites: the ones name was Orpah, & the
name of ye other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten yeeres.
5 And Mahlon and Chilion dyed also both twaine: so the woman was left destitute
of her two sonnes, and of her husband.
6 Then she arose with her daughters in law, and returned from the countrey of
Moab
: for she had heard say in the countrey of
Moab
, that the Lord had visited his people, and giuen them bread.
7 Wherefore shee departed out of the place where she was, and her two daughters
in law with her, and they went on their way to returne vnto the
land
of
Iudah
.
8 Then Naomi saide vnto her two daughters in lawe, Goe, returne eche of you vnto
her owne mothers house: the Lord shew fauour vnto you, as ye haue done with the
dead, and with me.
9 The Lorde graunt you, that you may finde rest, either of you in the house of
her husbande; when she kissed them, they lift vp their voice and wept.
10 And they saide vnto her, Surely we will returne with thee vnto thy people.
11 But Naomi saide, Turne againe, my daughters: for what cause will you go with
me? are there any mo sonnes in my wombe, that they may bee your husbands?
12 Turne againe, my daughters: go your way: for I am too olde to haue an
husband. If I should say, I haue hope, and if I had an husbad this night: yea,
if I had borne sonnes,
13 Would yee tarie for them, till they were of age? would ye be deferred for
them from taking of husbands? nay my daughters: for it grieueth me much for your
sakes that the hand of the Lorde is gone out against me.
14 Then they lift vp their voyce and wept againe, and Orpah kissed her mother in
lawe, but Ruth abode still with her.
15 And Naomi said, Beholde, thy sister in law is gone backe vnto her people and
vnto her gods: returne thou after thy sister in lawe.
16 And Ruth answered, Intreate mee not to leaue thee, nor to depart from thee:
for whither thou goest, I will goe: and where thou dwellest, I will dwell: thy
people shall be my people, and thy God my God.
17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried. the Lord do so to
me and more also, if ought but death depart thee and me.
18 Whe she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, she left speaking
vnto her.
19 So they went both vntill they came to Beth-lehem: and when they were come to
Beth-lehem, it was noysed of them through all the citie, and they said, Is not
this Naomi?
20 And she answered them, Call me not Naomi, but call me Mara: for the Almightie
hath giuen me much bitternes.
21 I went out full, and the Lorde hath caused me to returne emptie: why call ye
me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath humbled me, and the Almightie hath brought me
vnto aduersitie?
22 So Naomi returned and Ruth the Moabitesse her daughter in law with her, when
she came out of the countrey of
Moab
: and they came to Beth-lehem in the beginning of barly haruest.
CHAPTER
2
1 Then Naomis husband had a kinsman, one of great power of the familie of
Elimelech, and his name was Boaz.
2 And Ruth ye Moabitesse said vnto Naomi, I pray thee, Let mee goe to the fielde,
and gather eares of corne after him, in whose sight I finde fauour; she said
vnto her, Goe my daughter.
3 And she went, and came and gleaned in the fielde after the reapers, and it
came to passe, that she met with the portion of the fielde of Boaz, who was of
the familie of Elimelech.
4 And behold, Boaz came from Beth-lehem, and saide vnto the reapers, The Lord be
with you: and they answered him, The Lord blesse thee.
5 Then saide Boaz vnto his seruant that was appointed ouer the reapers, Whose
maide is this?
6 And the seruant that was appointed ouer the reapers, answered, and said, It is
the Moabitish maide, that came with Naomi out of the countrey of Moab:
7 And shee saide vnto vs, I pray you, let mee gleane and gather after the
reapers among the sheaues: so shee came, and hath continued from that time in
the morning vnto now, saue that she taried a litle in the house.
8 Then said Boaz vnto Ruth, Hearest thou, my daughter? goe to none other fielde
to gather, neither goe from hence: but abide here by my maydens.
9 Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reape, and goe thou after the
maidens. Haue I not charged the seruants, that they touche thee not? Moreouer
whe thou art a thirst, go vnto ye vessels, and drinke of that which ye seruants
haue drawen.
10 Then shee fell on her face, and bowed her selfe to the ground, and said vnto
him, How haue I found fauour in thine eyes, that thou shouldest know me, seeing
I am a stranger?
11 And Boaz answered, & said vnto her, All is told and shewed me that thou
hast done vnto thy mother in lawe, since the death of thine husband, and how
thou hast left thy father & thy mother, and ye land where thou wast borne,
& art come vnto a people which thou knewest not in time past.
12 The Lord recompense thy worke, and a ful reward be giuen thee of the Lord God
of
Israel
, vnder whose wings thou art come to trust.
13 Then she saide, Let me finde fauour in thy sight, my lord: for thou hast
comforted mee, and spoken comfortably vnto thy mayde, though I be not like to
one of thy maydes.
14 And Boaz said vnto her, At the meale time come thou hither, and eat of the
bread, and dippe thy morsell in the vineger; she sate beside the reapers, and
hee reached her parched corne: and shee did eate, and was sufficed, and left
thereof.
15 And when she arose to gleane, Boaz commanded his seruants, saying, Let her
gather among the sheaues, and doe not rebuke her.
16 Also let fall some of the sheaues for her, and let it lie, that she may
gather it vp, & rebuke her not.
17 So she gleaned in the fielde vntill euening, and she thresshed that shee had
gathered, and it was about an Ephah of barly.
18 And she tooke it vp, & went into the citie, & her mother in law saw
what she had gathered: Also she tooke foorth, and gaue to her that which she had
reserued, when she was sufficed.
19 Then her mother in lawe saide vnto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? and
where wroughtest thou? blessed be he, that knewe thee; she shewed her mother in
lawe, with whome she had wrought, and saide, The mans name, with whom I wrought
to day, is Boaz.
20 And Naomi said vnto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the Lorde: for he
ceaseth not to doe good to the liuing and to the dead. Againe Naomi saide vnto
her, The man is neere vnto vs, and of our affinitie.
21 And Ruth the Moabitesse said, He said also certainely vnto mee, Thou shalt be
with my seruants, vntill they haue ended all mine haruest.
22 And Naomi answered vnto Ruth her daughter in lawe, It is best, my daughter,
that thou goe out with his maides, that they meete thee not in an other fielde.
23 Then she kept her by the maides of Boaz, to gather vnto the end of barly
haruest, and of wheate haruest, and dwelt with her mother in lawe.
CHAPTER
3
1 Afterward Naomi her mother in lawe said vnto her, My daughter, shall not I
seeke rest for thee, that thou mayest prosper?
2 Now also is not Boaz our kinsman, with whose maides thou wast? beholde, he
winoweth barly to night in the floore.
3 Wash thy sellfe therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment vpon thee, and
get thee downe to the floore: let not the man know of thee, vntill he haue left
eating and drinking.
4 And when he shall sleepe, marke the place where he layeth him downe, and go,
and vncouer the place of his feete, and lay thee downe, and he shall tell thee
what thou shalt doe.
5 And she answered her, All that thou biddest me, I will doe.
6 So she went downe vnto the floore, and did according to all that her mother in
lawe bade her.
7 And when Boaz had eaten, and drunken, and cheared his heart, he went to lie
downe at the end of the heape of corne, & she came softly, and vncouered the
place of his feet, & lay downe.
8 And at midnight the man was afraide and caught holde: and loe, a woman lay at
his feete.
9 Then he sayd, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmayd: spread
therefore the wing of thy garment ouer thine handmayd: for thou art the kinsman.
10 Then sayd he, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter: thou hast shewed more
goodnes in the latter end, then at the beginning, in as much as thou followedst
not yong men, were they poore or rich.
11 And now, my daughter, feare not: I will doe to thee all that thou requirest:
for all the citie of my people doeth knowe, that thou art a vertuous woman.
12 And now, it is true that I am thy kinsman, howbeit there is a kinsman neerer
then I.
13 Tarie to night, and when morning is come, if he will doe the duetie of a
kinsman vnto thee, well, let him doe the kinsmans duetie: but if he will not doe
the kinsmans part, then wil I doe the duetie of a kinsman, as the Lorde liueth:
sleepe vntill the morning.
14 And she lay at his feete vntill the morning: and she arose before one could
know another: for he sayd, Let no man knowe, that a woman came into the floore.
15 Also he sayd, Bring the sheete that thou hast vpon thee, and holde it; when
she helde it, he measured sixe measures of barly, and layde them on her, and she
went into the citie.
16 And when she came to her mother in law, she sayd, Who art thou, my daughter?
And she tolde her all that the man had done to her,
17 And said, These sixe measures of barly gaue he me: for he sayd to me, Thou
shalt not come emptie vnto thy mother in lawe.
18 Then sayd she, My daughter, sit still, vntill thou knowe how the thing will
fall: for the man wil not be in rest, vntill he hath finished the matter this
same day.
CHAPTER
4
1 Then went Boaz vp to the gate, and sate there, and beholde, the kinsman, of
whome Boaz had spoken, came by: and he sayd, Ho, snch one, come, sit downe here;
he turned, and sate downe.
2 Then he tooke ten men of the Elders of the citie, and sayd, Sit ye downe here;
they sate downe.
3 And he said vnto ye kinsman, Naomi, that is come againe out of ye countrey of
Moab
, wil sell a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelechs.
4 And I thought to aduertise thee, saying, Buy it before the assistants, &
before the Elders of my people. If thou wilt redeeme it, redeeme it: but if thou
wilt not redeeme it, tel me: for I know that there is none besides thee to
redeeme it, & I am after thee. Then he answered, I wil redeeme it.
5 Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou mnst
also buy it of Ruth the Moabitesse the wife of the dead, to stirre vp the name
of the dead, vpon his inheritance.
6 And the kinsman answered, I can not redeeme it, lest I destroy mine owne
inheritance: redeeme my right to thee, for I can not redeeme it.
7 Now this was the maner beforetime in
Israel
, concerning redeeming and changing, for to stablish all things: a man did
plucke off his shooe, and gaue it his neighbour, and this was a sure witnes in
Israel
.
8 Therefore the kinsman sayd to Boas, Buy it for thee: and he drew off his shooe.
9 And Boaz sayd vnto the Elders & vnto all the people, Ye are witnesses this
day, that I haue bought all that was Elimelechs, and all that was Chilions and
Mahlons, of the hand of Naomi.
10 And moreouer, Ruth the Moabitesse the wife of Mahlon, haue I bought to be my
wife, to stirre vp the name of the dead vpon his inheritance, and that the name
of the dead be not put out from among his brethren, and from the gate of his
place: ye are witnesses this day.
11 And all the people that were in the gate, and the Elders sayd, We are
witnesses: the Lorde make the wife that commeth into thine house, like Rahel and
like Leah, which twaine did build the house of Israel: & that thou mayest
doe worthily in Ephrathah, & be famous in Beth-lehem,
12 And that thine house be like the house of Pharez ( whom Thamar bare vnto
Iudah) of the seede which the Lord shall giue thee of this yong woman.
13 So Boaz tooke Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in vnto her, the
Lorde gaue that she conceiued, and bare a sonne.
14 And the women sayd vnto Naomi, Blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee
this day without a kinsman, and his name shalbe continued in
Israel
.
15 And this shall bring thy life againe, and cherish thine olde age: for thy
daughter in lawe which loueth thee, hath borne vnto him, and she is better to
thee then seuen sonnes.
16 And Naomi tooke the childe, and layde it in her lap, and became nource vnto
it.
17 And the women her neighbours gaue it a name, saying, There is a childe borne
to Naomi, and called the name thereof Obed: the same was the father of Ishai,
the father of Dauid.
18 These now are ye generations of Pharez: Pharez begate Hezron,
19 And Hezron begate Ram, & Ram begate Amminadab,
20 And Amminadab begate Nahshon, and Nahshon begate Salmah,
21 And Salmon begate Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,
22 And Obed begate Ishai, and Ishai begate Dauid.
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