1

1 Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the In the land of Canaan. land. And a certain man of In the tribe of Judah, which was also called Bethlehem Ephrathat, because there was another city so called in the tribe of Zebulun. Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. The Argument - This book is called Ruth, who is the main person spoken of in this writing. In which also the state of the Church is set forth figuratively, being subject to many afflictions and yet eventually God gives good and joyful offspring, teaching us to abide with patience till God delivers us out of troubles. In this also it is described how Jesus Christ, who according to the flesh came from David, proceeded by Ruth, of whom the Lord Jesus promised to come, nonetheless she was a Moabite of base condition, and a stranger to the people of God; declaring to us by it that the Gentiles would be sanctified by him, and joined with his people, and that there would be one sheepfold, and one shepherd. It would appear that this account belongs to the time of the judges.

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 And they took them wives of the By this wonderful providence of God Ruth became one of God's household, of whom Christ came. women of Moab; the name of the one [was] Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years.

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, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the LORD had By sending them plenty again. visited his people in giving 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 LORD grant you that ye may find By this it appears that Naomi by dwelling among idolaters, had become cold to the true zeal of God, having more respect for the comfort of the body than the comfort of the soul. rest, each [of you] in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up 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 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah When she took leave and departed. kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.

15 And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: No persuasion can convince them to turn back from God, if he has chosen them to be his. return thou after thy sister in law.

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 two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was By which it appears that she was of a great family of good reputation. moved about them, and they said, [Is] 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 Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of Which was in the month of Nisan, that is, part March and part April. barley harvest.

2

1 And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of Or power, both in virtue, authority and riches. wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name [was] Boaz.

2 And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and Her humility declares her great love for her mother in law, for she spared no hardship to get both their livings. glean ears of corn after [him] in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, 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 That is, take notice of what field they reap.[Let] thine eyes [be] on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of [that] which the young men have drawn.

10 Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I [am] a Of the Moabites, who are enemies of God's people. 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 work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose Signifying, that she would never lack anything, if she put her trust in God, and lived under his protection. 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 unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched [corn], and she did eat, and was sufficed, and Which she brought home to her mother in law. left.

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 took [it] up, and went into the city: and her mother in law saw what she had gleaned: and she That is, from her bag, as it is in the Chaldee text. brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved after 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 unto her daughter in law, Blessed [be] he of the LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the To my husband and children, when they were alive, and now to us. dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man [is] near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.

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.

3

1 Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek Meaning that she would provide her with a husband, with whom she might live peacefully. rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?

2 Now also is not Boaz our kinsman, with whose maides thou wast? beholde, he winoweth barly to night in the floore.

3 Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: [but] make not thyself known unto the Boaz, nor yet any other. man, until he shall have done 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 drunk, and his That is, he had refreshed himself among his servants. heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.

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 And he said, Blessed [be] thou of the LORD, my daughter: [for] thou hast You showed yourself repeatedly to be more virtuous. shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor 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 Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, [that] if he If he will take you to as his wife because of his relation by marriage, according to God's law, (Deu_25:5). will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman's part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, [as] the LORD liveth: lie down until 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 said, Believing by her returning home that he had not taken her as his wife, she was astonished. Who [art] thou, my daughter? And she told 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.

4

1 Then went Boaz up to the Which was the place of judgment. gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, The Hebrews here use two words which have no proper meaning, but serve to denote a certain person, as we would say, «Ho, so-and-so». Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.

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 advertise thee, saying, Buy [it] before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem [it], redeem [it]: but if thou wilt not redeem [it, then] tell me, that I may know: for [there is] none to redeem [it] For you are the next of kin. beside thee; and I [am] after thee. And he said, I will redeem [it].

5 Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy [it] also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his That his inheritance might bear his name that is dead. 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 manner] in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave [it] to his neighbour: and this [was] a That he had resigned his right, (Deu_25:9). testimony 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 Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his Or, of the city where he remained. place: ye [are] witnesses this day.

11 And all the people that [were] in the gate, and the elders, said, [We are] witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah and Bethlehem are both one. Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem:

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 said unto Naomi, Blessed [be] the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that He shall leave continual posterity. his name may be famous in Israel.

15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer of [thy] life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than Meaning, many sons. seven sons, hath born him.

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 Now these [are] the generations of This genealogy is brought in to prove that David by succession came from the house of Judah. Pharez: Pharez begat 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.