Ruth 1
1In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home and went to live in the country of Moab, taking his wife and two sons with him.H3117H8199H8199H7458H776H376H1035H3063H3212H1481H7704H4124H802H8147H11212The man's name was Elimelech, and his wife was Naomi. Their two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. And when they reached Moab, they settled there.H8034H376H458H8034H802H5281H8034H8147H1121H4248H3630H673H1035H3063H935H7704H41243Then Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with her two sons.H458H5281H376H4191H7604H8147H11214The two sons married Moabite women. One married a woman named Orpah, and the other a woman named Ruth. But about ten years later,H5375H802H802H4125H8034H259H6204H8034H8145H7327H3427H6235H81415both Mahlon and Kilion died. This left Naomi alone, without her two sons or her husband.H4248H3630H4191H8147H802H7604H8147H3206H3766Then Naomi heard in Moab that the LORD had blessed his people in Judah by giving them good crops again. So Naomi and her daughters-in-law got ready to leave Moab to return to her homeland.H6965H3618H7725H7704H4124H8085H7704H4124H3068H6485H5971H5414H38997With her two daughters-in-law she set out from the place where she had been living, and they took the road that would lead them back to Judah.H3318H4725H8147H3618H3212H1870H7725H776H30638But on the way, Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go back to your mothers' homes. And may the LORD reward you for your kindness to your husbands and to me.H5281H559H8147H3618H3212H7725H802H517H1004H3068H6213H2617H6213H41919May the LORD bless you with the security of another marriage." Then she kissed them good-bye, and they all broke down and wept.H3068H5414H4672H4496H802H1004H376H5401H5375H6963H105810"No," they said. "We want to go with you to your people."H559H7725H597111But Naomi replied, "Why should you go on with me? Can I still give birth to other sons who could grow up to be your husbands?H5281H559H7725H1323H3212H1121H4578H58212No, my daughters, return to your parents' homes, for I am too old to marry again. And even if it were possible, and I were to get married tonight and bear sons, then what?H7725H1323H3212H2204H376H559H3426H8615H376H3915H3205H112113Would you wait for them to grow up and refuse to marry someone else? No, of course not, my daughters! Things are far more bitter for me than for you, because the LORD himself has raised his fist against me."H7663H3860H1431H5702H3860H376H1323H4843H3966H3027H3068H331814And again they wept together, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye. But Ruth clung tightly to Naomi.H5375H6963H1058H6204H5401H2545H7327H169215"Look," Naomi said to her, "your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. You should do the same."H559H2994H7725H5971H430H7725H310H299416But Ruth replied, "Don't ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.H7327H559H6293H5800H7725H310H3212H3212H3885H3885H5971H5971H430H43017Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!"H4191H4191H6912H3068H6213H3254H4194H650418When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she said nothing more.H7200H553H3212H2308H169619So the two of them continued on their journey. When they came to Bethlehem, the entire town was excited by their arrival. "Is it really Naomi?" the women asked.H8147H3212H935H1035H935H1035H5892H1949H559H528120"Don't call me Naomi," she responded. "Instead, call me Mara, for the Almighty has made life very bitter for me.H559H7121H5281H7121H4755H7706H3966H484321I went away full, but the LORD has brought me home empty. Why call me Naomi when the LORD has caused me to suffer and the Almighty has sent such tragedy upon me?"H1980H4392H3068H7725H7387H7121H5281H3068H6030H7706H748922So Naomi returned from Moab, accompanied by her daughter-in-law Ruth, the young Moabite woman. They arrived in Bethlehem in late spring, at the beginning of the barley harvest.H5281H7725H7327H4125H3618H7725H7704H4124H935H1035H8462H8184H7105
Ruth 2
2Now there was a wealthy and influential man in Bethlehem named Boaz, who was a relative of Naomi's husband, Elimelech.H5281H4129H3045H376H1368H376H2428H4940H458H8034H11622One day Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, "Let me go out into the harvest fields to pick up the stalks of grain left behind by anyone who is kind enough to let me do it." Naomi replied, "All right, my daughter, go ahead."H7327H4125H559H5281H3212H7704H3950H7641H310H5869H4672H2580H559H3212H13233So Ruth went out to gather grain behind the harvesters. And as it happened, she found herself working in a field that belonged to Boaz, the relative of her father-in-law, Elimelech.H3212H935H3950H7704H310H7114H4745H7136H2513H7704H1162H4940H4584While she was there, Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters. "The LORD be with you!" he said. "The LORD bless you!" the harvesters replied.H1162H935H1035H559H7114H3068H559H3068H12885Then Boaz asked his foreman, "Who is that young woman over there? Who does she belong to?"H559H1162H5288H5324H7114H52916And the foreman replied, "She is the young woman from Moab who came back with Naomi.H5288H5324H7114H6030H559H4125H5291H7725H5281H7704H41247She asked me this morning if she could gather grain behind the harvesters. She has been hard at work ever since, except for a few minutes' rest in the shelter."H559H3950H622H310H7114H6016H935H5975H227H1242H3427H4592H10048Boaz went over and said to Ruth, "Listen, my daughter. Stay right here with us when you gather grain; don't go to any other fields. Stay right behind the young women working in my field.H559H1162H7327H8085H1323H3212H3950H312H7704H5674H1692H52919See which part of the field they are harvesting, and then follow them. I have warned the young men not to treat you roughly. And when you are thirsty, help yourself to the water they have drawn from the well."H5869H7704H7114H1980H310H6680H5288H5060H6770H1980H3627H8354H5288H757910Ruth fell at his feet and thanked him warmly. "What have I done to deserve such kindness?" she asked. "I am only a foreigner."H5307H6440H7812H776H559H4672H2580H5869H5234H523711"Yes, I know," Boaz replied. "But I also know about everything you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband. I have heard how you left your father and mother and your own land to live here among complete strangers.H1162H6030H559H5046H5046H6213H2545H310H4194H376H5800H1H517H776H4138H3212H5971H3045H8543H803212May the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully for what you have done."H3068H7999H6467H8003H4909H3068H430H3478H3671H935H262013"I hope I continue to please you, sir," she replied. "You have comforted me by speaking so kindly to me, even though I am not one of your workers."H559H4672H2580H5869H113H5162H1696H3820H8198H259H819814At mealtime Boaz called to her, "Come over here, and help yourself to some food. You can dip your bread in the sour wine." So she sat with his harvesters, and Boaz gave her some roasted grain to eat. She ate all she wanted and still had some left over.H1162H559H6256H400H5066H1988H398H3899H2881H6595H2558H3427H6654H7114H6642H7039H398H7646H349815When Ruth went back to work again, Boaz ordered his young men, "Let her gather grain right among the sheaves without stopping her.H6965H3950H1162H6680H5288H559H3950H6016H363716And pull out some heads of barley from the bundles and drop them on purpose for her. Let her pick them up, and don't give her a hard time!"H7997H6653H7997H5800H3950H160517So Ruth gathered barley there all day, and when she beat out the grain that evening, it filled an entire basket.H3950H7704H6153H2251H3950H374H818418She carried it back into town and showed it to her mother-in-law. Ruth also gave her the roasted grain that was left over from her meal.H5375H935H5892H2545H7200H3950H3318H5414H3498H764819"Where did you gather all this grain today?" Naomi asked. "Where did you work? May the LORD bless the one who helped you!" So Ruth told her mother-in-law about the man in whose field she had worked. She said, "The man I worked with today is named Boaz."H2545H559H3950H3117H375H6213H1288H5234H5046H2545H6213H559H376H8034H6213H3117H116220"May the LORD bless him!" Naomi told her daughter-in-law. "He is showing his kindness to us as well as to your dead husband. That man is one of our closest relatives, one of our family redeemers."H5281H559H3618H1288H3068H5800H2617H2416H4191H5281H559H376H7138H135021Then Ruth said, "What's more, Boaz even told me to come back and stay with his harvesters until the entire harvest is completed."H7327H4125H559H559H1692H5288H3615H710522"Good!" Naomi exclaimed. "Do as he said, my daughter. Stay with his young women right through the whole harvest. You might be harassed in other fields, but you'll be safe with him."H5281H559H7327H3618H2896H1323H3318H5291H6293H312H770423So Ruth worked alongside the women in Boaz's fields and gathered grain with them until the end of the barley harvest. Then she continued working with them through the wheat harvest in early summer. And all the while she lived with her mother-in-law.H1692H5291H1162H3950H3615H8184H7105H2406H7105H3427H2545
Ruth 3
3One day Naomi said to Ruth, "My daughter, it's time that I found a permanent home for you, so that you will be provided for.H5281H2545H559H1323H1245H4494H31902Boaz is a close relative of ours, and he's been very kind by letting you gather grain with his young women. Tonight he will be winnowing barley at the threshing floor.H1162H4130H5291H2219H8184H3915H16373Now do as I tell you—take a bath and put on perfume and dress in your nicest clothes. Then go to the threshing floor, but don't let Boaz see you until he has finished eating and drinking.H7364H5480H7760H8071H3381H1637H3045H376H3615H398H83544Be sure to notice where he lies down; then go and uncover his feet and lie down there. He will tell you what to do."H7901H3045H4725H7901H935H1540H4772H7901H5046H62135"I will do everything you say," Ruth replied.H559H559H62136So she went down to the threshing floor that night and followed the instructions of her mother-in-law.H3381H1637H6213H2545H66807After Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he lay down at the far end of the pile of grain and went to sleep. Then Ruth came quietly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.H1162H398H8354H3820H3190H935H7901H7097H6194H935H3909H1540H4772H79018Around midnight Boaz suddenly woke up and turned over. He was surprised to find a woman lying at his feet!H2677H3915H376H2729H3943H802H7901H47729"Who are you?" he asked. "I am your servant Ruth," she replied. "Spread the corner of your covering over me, for you are my family redeemer."H559H559H7327H519H6566H3671H519H135010"The LORD bless you, my daughter!" Boaz exclaimed. "You are showing even more family loyalty now than you did before, for you have not gone after a younger man, whether rich or poor.H559H1288H3068H1323H3190H2617H314H7223H3212H310H1115H970H1800H622311Now don't worry about a thing, my daughter. I will do what is necessary, for everyone in town knows you are a virtuous woman.H1323H3372H6213H559H8179H5971H3045H2428H80212But while it's true that I am one of your family redeemers, there is another man who is more closely related to you than I am.H551H1350H3426H1350H713813Stay here tonight, and in the morning I will talk to him. If he is willing to redeem you, very well. Let him marry you. But if he is not willing, then as surely as the LORD lives, I will redeem you myself! Now lie down here until morning."H3885H3915H1242H1350H2896H1350H2654H1350H1350H3068H2416H7901H124214So Ruth lay at Boaz's feet until the morning, but she got up before it was light enough for people to recognize each other. For Boaz had said, "No one must know that a woman was here at the threshing floor."H7901H4772H1242H6965H2958H376H5234H7453H559H3045H802H935H163715Then Boaz said to her, "Bring your cloak and spread it out." He measured six scoops of barley into the cloak and placed it on her back. Then he returned to the town.H559H3051H4304H270H270H4058H8337H8184H7896H935H589216When Ruth went back to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, "What happened, my daughter?" Ruth told Naomi everything Boaz had done for her,H935H2545H559H1323H5046H376H621317and she added, "He gave me these six scoops of barley and said, 'Don't go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.'"H559H8337H8184H5414H559H935H7387H254518Then Naomi said to her, "Just be patient, my daughter, until we hear what happens. The man won't rest until he has settled things today."H559H3427H1323H3045H1697H5307H376H8252H518H3615H1697H3117
Ruth 4
4Boaz went to the town gate and took a seat there. Just then the family redeemer he had mentioned came by, so Boaz called out to him, "Come over here and sit down, friend. I want to talk to you." So they sat down together.H5927H1162H5927H8179H3427H1350H1162H1696H5674H559H1945H6423H492H5493H3427H5493H34272Then Boaz called ten leaders from the town and asked them to sit as witnesses.H3947H6235H582H2205H5892H559H3427H34273And Boaz said to the family redeemer, "You know Naomi, who came back from Moab. She is selling the land that belonged to our relative Elimelech.H559H1350H5281H7725H7704H4124H4376H2513H7704H251H4584I thought I should speak to you about it so that you can redeem it if you wish. If you want the land, then buy it here in the presence of these witnesses. But if you don't want it, let me know right away, because I am next in line to redeem it after you." The man replied, "All right, I'll redeem it."H559H1540H241H559H7069H3427H2205H5971H1350H1350H1350H5046H3045H1350H2108H310H559H13505Then Boaz told him, "Of course, your purchase of the land from Naomi also requires that you marry Ruth, the Moabite widow. That way she can have children who will carry on her husband's name and keep the land in the family."H559H1162H3117H7069H7704H3027H5281H7069H7327H4125H802H4191H6965H8034H4191H51596"Then I can't redeem it," the family redeemer replied, "because this might endanger my own estate. You redeem the land; I cannot do it."H1350H559H3201H1350H7843H5159H1350H1353H3201H13507Now in those days it was the custom in Israel for anyone transferring a right of purchase to remove his sandal and hand it to the other party. This publicly validated the transaction.H6440H3478H1353H8545H6965H1697H376H8025H5275H5414H7453H8584H34788So the other family redeemer drew off his sandal as he said to Boaz, "You buy the land."H1350H559H1162H7069H8025H52759Then Boaz said to the elders and to the crowd standing around, "You are witnesses that today I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelech, Kilion, and Mahlon.H1162H559H2205H5971H5707H3117H7069H458H3630H4248H3027H528110And with the land I have acquired Ruth, the Moabite widow of Mahlon, to be my wife. This way she can have a son to carry on the family name of her dead husband and to inherit the family property here in his hometown. You are all witnesses today."H7327H4125H802H4248H7069H802H6965H8034H4191H5159H8034H4191H3772H5973H251H8179H4725H5707H311711Then the elders and all the people standing in the gate replied, "We are witnesses! May the LORD make this woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, from whom all the nation of Israel descended! May you prosper in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem.H5971H8179H2205H559H5707H3068H5414H802H935H1004H7354H3812H8147H1129H1004H3478H6213H2428H672H7121H8034H103512And may the LORD give you descendants by this young woman who will be like those of our ancestor Perez, the son of Tamar and Judah."H1004H1004H6557H8559H3205H3063H2233H3068H5414H529113So Boaz took Ruth into his home, and she became his wife. When he slept with her, the LORD enabled her to become pregnant, and she gave birth to a son.H1162H3947H7327H802H935H3068H5414H2032H3205H112114Then the women of the town said to Naomi, "Praise the LORD, who has now provided a redeemer for your family! May this child be famous in Israel.H802H559H5281H1288H3068H7673H3117H1350H8034H7121H347815May he restore your youth and care for you in your old age. For he is the son of your daughter-in-law who loves you and has been better to you than seven sons!"H7725H5315H3557H7872H3618H157H2896H7651H1121H320516Naomi took the baby and cuddled him to her breast. And she cared for him as if he were her own.H5281H3947H3206H7896H2436H53917The neighbor women said, "Now at last Naomi has a son again!" And they named him Obed. He became the father of Jesse and the grandfather of David.H7934H7121H8034H559H1121H3205H5281H7121H8034H5744H1H3448H1H173218This is the genealogical record of their ancestor Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron.H8435H6557H6557H3205H269619Hezron was the father of Ram. Ram was the father of Amminadab.H2696H3205H7410H7410H3205H599220Amminadab was the father of Nahshon. Nahshon was the father of Salmon.H5992H3205H5177H5177H3205H800921Salmon was the father of Boaz. Boaz was the father of Obed.H8012H3205H1162H1162H3205H574422Obed was the father of Jesse. Jesse was the father of David.H5744H3205H3448H3448H3205H1732
Psalm 77
77[For Jeduthun, the choir director: A psalm of Asaph.] I cry out to God; yes, I shout. Oh, that God would listen to me!H5329H3038H4210H623H6817H430H6963H430H6963H2382When I was in deep trouble, I searched for the Lord. All night long I prayed, with hands lifted toward heaven, but my soul was not comforted.H3117H6869H1875H136H3027H5064H3915H6313H5315H3985H51623I think of God, and I moan, overwhelmed with longing for his help. InterludeH2142H430H1993H7878H7307H5848H55424You don’t let me sleep. I am too distressed even to pray!H270H5869H8109H6470H16965I think of the good old days, long since ended,H2803H3117H6924H8141H57696when my nights were filled with joyful songs. I search my soul and ponder the difference now.H2142H5058H3915H7878H3824H7307H26647Has the Lord rejected me forever? Will he never again be kind to me?H136H2186H5769H3254H75218Is his unfailing love gone forever? Have his promises permanently failed?H2617H656H5331H562H1584H1755H17559Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he slammed the door on his compassion? InterludeH410H7911H2589H639H7092H7356H554210And I said, “This is my fate; the Most High has turned his hand against me.”H559H2470H8141H3225H594511But then I recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago.H2142H2142H4611H3050H2142H6382H692412They are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works.H1897H6467H7878H594913O God, your ways are holy. Is there any god as mighty as you?H1870H430H6944H1419H410H43014You are the God of great wonders! You demonstrate your awesome power among the nations.H410H6213H6382H3045H5797H597115By your strong arm, you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. InterludeH2220H1350H5971H1121H3290H3130H554216When the Red Sea saw you, O God, its waters looked and trembled! The sea quaked to its very depths.H4325H7200H430H4325H7200H2342H8415H726417The clouds poured down rain; the thunder rumbled in the sky. Your arrows of lightning flashed.H5645H2229H4325H7834H5414H6963H2687H198018Your thunder roared from the whirlwind; the lightning lit up the world! The earth trembled and shook.H6963H7482H1534H1300H215H8398H776H7264H749319Your road led through the sea, your pathway through the mighty waters—a pathway no one knew was there!H1870H3220H7635H7227H4325H6119H304520You led your people along that road like a flock of sheep, with Moses and Aaron as their shepherds.H5148H5971H6629H3027H4872H175
Unknown
, for the Almighty has made life very bitter for me.H559
