1 Pi if 1 Hfe tt ¥ P£HA wA mm 1 I1 QW*j ¦_-¦ LI _JE ___¦ !%»? ^___ -i ^J S_^%M_I _-_H- Jr jPCnBH? '-j'_£_i^^f^^_flJ_Huj^'$^--ttkr'-''''; _f*- _¦ 1- M.im%i'^' ¦4-:.£<&04s THE BOOK OF RUTH BOOK OF RUTH C HAPTER I Ciimeieti) Dtet|) tn £0oafr* #aj)lon, anD Chilton, ijatoing married tuttjes of ^poab, Dp aiao, IRaomf returning ijometoarD, £>rpa}) ieatjetf), but l&uti) tuttft great con* gtancp accompanied) jjer* Cfjep ttoo come to Bet^lejjem anD are glaDip receitoeD* OW IT CAME TO PASS IN THE DAYS WHEN THE JUDGES RUL ED, THAT THERE WAS A FAMINE IN THE LAND. And a certain man of Bethlehem-judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. CAnd the name of the man was Eli- melech, and the name of his wife Na omi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem-judah. And they came into BO OK OF RUTH the country of Moab, and continued there. CAnd Elimelech, Naomi's hus band died; and she was left, and her two sons. CAnd they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years. CAnd Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband. CThen 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 visited his peo ple in giving them bread. CWhere- fore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daugh ters in law with her: and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah. CAnd Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mothers house: the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with C HAPTER I the dead and with me. CThe Lord grant you that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them: and they lifted up their voice, and wept. CAnd they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people. CAnd Na omi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? CTurn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons: CWould ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters: for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me. CAnd they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. CAnd she BO OK OF RUTH said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law. CAnd Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from follow ing after thee : for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: CWhere thou diest, will I dy, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so unto me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me. CWhen she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her. CSo they two went until they came to Bethle hem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi ? CAnd she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Ma ra: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. CI went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again C HAP TER I empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the almighty hath afflicted me? CSo 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 barley harvest. BOOK OF RUTH C HAPTER II i&utf) gleanetl) in ti)e fielD* of 25oa5- Boa3, taking ftnotoleDge of &er,fityetoet|) ijer great favour. CJat tofcici) stye got, stye carried to 112aomt ND NAOMI HAD A KINS MAN OF HER HUSBANDS, A MIGHTY MAN OF WEALTH, OF THE FAM ILY OF ELIM- ELECH; AND his name was Boaz. CAnd Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him, in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter, CAnd she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech. CAnd, behold, BO OK OF RUTH Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The Lord be with you: and they answered him, the Lord bless thee. CThen said Boaz unto his ser vant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this ? C And the ser vant that was set over the reapers, an swered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab : CAnd she said, I pray you, let me glean, and gather after the reapers amongst the sheaves : so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house. CThen said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daugh ter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens. CLet 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 C HAPTER II young men have drawn. CThen 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 stranger? CAnd Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity,andartcome untoapeople which thou knewest not heretofore. CThe Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust. CThen she said, Let me find favor in thy sight, my lord, for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens. CAnd Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel BO OK OF RUTH in the vineger. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left. CAnd when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not. CAnd let fall also some of the handfuls of pur pose for her, and leave them that she may glean them, and rebuke her not. CSo she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley. CAnd she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother in law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved, after she was sufficed. CAnd her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take know ledge of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought,and said,The mans name with C HAPTER II whom I wrought to day is Boaz. CAnd 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 dead. And Naomi said unto her, the man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen. CAnd Ruth, the Moabitess said,He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest. CAnd Naomi said unto Ruth her daugh ter in law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in any other field. CSo she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean, unto the end of barley harvest, and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law. BO OK OF RUTH C HAPTER III Bp 5Raomi l)er instruction, mutt) IfetD at Boa3 t)is feet Boa5 acfcnotoleDgetf) tfjerigijt of a Kinsman, ^esenDetl) i>er atoap toit j) ste measures of barlep* HEN NAOMI HER MOTHER IN LAW SAID UNTO HER, MY DAUGHTER, SHALL I NOT SEEK REST FOR THEE, THAT IT MAY be well with thee? CAnd now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he win- noweth barley to night in the threshing floor. CWash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thy self known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking. CAnd it shall be when BO OK OF RUTH he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall ly, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down ; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do. CAnd she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me, I will do. CAnd she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bad her. CAnd when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to ly down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down. CAnd it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned him self: and behold, a woman lay at his feet. CAnd he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid for thou art a near kinsman. CAnd he said, Blessed be thou of the Lord my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the lat ter end than at the beginning, inasmuch CHAPTER IU as thou followedst not my young men, whether poor or rich. CAnd now, my daughter, fear not, I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know, that thou art a vertuous woman. CAnd now it is true, that I am thy kinsman : howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I. CTarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he 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: ly down until the morning. CAnd she lay at his feet until the morn ing: and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor. CAlso he said, Bring the vail that thou hast upon thee and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six meas ures of barley, and laid it on her: and she went into the city. CAnd when BO OK OF RUTH she came to her mother in law, she said, Who art thou my daughter? and she told her all that the man had done to her. CAnd she said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother in law. CThen said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he has finished the thing this day. Chapter IIII followeth BOOK OF RUTH •It **» C HAPTER IIII Boa3 calletD into juDgment tijenest fcinsman. $e ref usetj) t|>e reDemption accorDing to tye manner in JlsraeL Boa5 fmpetl) tf)e inheritance, tyt married mutt), SJe bearetl) £DbeD, granDfatljer of 2E>atoiD. Ci)e feneration of |M)are5. HEN WENT BOAZ UP TO THE GATE, AND SAT HIM DOWN THERE: AND, BEHOLD, THE KINSMAN OF WHOM BOAZ SPAKE, came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one, turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down. CAnd he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down. CAnd he said unto the kinsman, Naomi that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a par- BO OK OF RUTH eel of land, which was our brother Elimelechs. CAnd I thought to adver tise thee, saying, Buy it before the in habitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tel|me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it besides thee, and I am after thee. And he said, I will re deem it. CAnd 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 inheritance. CAnd the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I marre mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself, for I cannot re deem it. CNow this was the manner in former time in Israel, concerning re deeming, and concerning changing, for to confirm all things: aman plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbor, and this was a testimony in Israel. CThere- C HAPTER nn fore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee: so he drew off his shoe. CAnd Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elim- elechs, and all that was Chilions and Mahlons, of the hand of Naomi. CMoreover, 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 place : ye are witnesses this day. CAnd 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 Eph- ratah, and be famous in Bethlehem. CAnd let thy house be like the house of Pharez, (whom Tamar bare unto Ju dah) of the seed which the Lord shall BO OK OF RUTH give thee of this young woman. CSo Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bare a son. CAnd the women said unto Na omi, Blessed be the Lord which hath not left thee this day without a kins man, that his name may be famous in Israel. CAnd 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 seven sons, hath born him. CAnd Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it. CAnd the women her neighbors gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi, and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David. CNow these are the gener ations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron, CAnd Hezron begat Ram, and Ram be gat Amminadab, CAnd Amminadab begat Nahshon,and Nahshon begat Sal- c hapter nn mon, CAnd Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed, CAnd Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David. This copy of the Book of Ruth is one of an edition of 1000 copies printed on paper and 10 copies printed on Japan vellum at The Prairie Press in Chicago, U. S. A., for the illustrator and designer, Ralph Fletcher Seymour. The Bobbs-Merrill Company, Publishers, Indianapolis. YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 1942