1:1 During the time of the judges 1 there was a famine in the land of Judah. 2 So a man from Bethlehem 3 in Judah went to live as a resident foreigner 4 in the region of Moab, along with his wife and two sons. 5 1:2 (Now the man’s name was Elimelech, 6 his wife was Naomi, 7 and his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. 8 They were of the clan of Ephrath 9 from Bethlehem in Judah.) They entered the region of Moab and settled there. 10 1:3 Sometime later 11 Naomi’s husband Elimelech died, so she and her two sons were left alone. 1:4 So her sons 12 married 13 Moabite women. (One was named Orpah and the other Ruth.) 14 And they continued to live there about ten years. 1:5 Then Naomi’s two sons, Mahlon and Kilion, also died. 15 So the woman was left all alone – bereaved of her two children 16 as well as her husband! 1:6 So she decided to return home from the region of Moab, accompanied by her daughters-in-law, 17 because while she was living in Moab 18 she had heard that the Lord had shown concern 19 for his people, reversing the famine by providing abundant crops. 20
1:7 Now as she and her two daughters-in-law began to leave the place where she had been living to return to the land of Judah, 21 1:8 Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Listen to me! Each of you should return to your mother’s home! 22 May the Lord show 23 you 24 the same kind of devotion that you have shown to your deceased husbands 25 and to me! 26 1:9 May the Lord enable each of you to find 27 security 28 in the home of a new husband!” 29 Then she kissed them goodbye and they wept loudly. 30 1:10 But they said to her, “No! 31 We will 32 return with you to your people.”