And it came to pass in the days when the judges judged, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem-judah went to sojourn in the {Hebrew: field.}country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife {Hebrew: Noomi.}Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem-judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.
And Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons.
And 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 dwelt there about ten years.
And Mahlon and Chilion died both of them; and the woman was left of her two children and of her husband.
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 Jehovah had visited his people in giving them bread.
And she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.
And Naomi said unto her two daughters-in-law, Go, return each of you to her mother's house: Jehovah deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.
Jehovah grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voice, and wept.
And they said unto her, Nay, but we will return with thee unto thy people.
And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? have I yet sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should even have a husband to-night, and should also bear sons;
would ye therefore tarry till they were grown? would ye therefore stay from having husbands? nay, my daughters, for {Or, it is far more bitter for me than for you}it grieveth me much for your sakes, for the hand of Jehovah is gone forth against me.
And they lifted up their voice, and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clave unto her.
And she said, Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people, and unto her god: return thou after thy sister-in-law.
And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, and to return from following 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;
where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: Jehovah do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me.
And when she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, she left off speaking unto her.
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 moved about them, and the women said, Is this Naomi?
And she said unto them, Call me not {That is, Pleasant.}Naomi, call me {That is, Butter.}Mara; for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.
I went out full, and Jehovah hath brought me home again empty; why call ye me Naomi, seeing Jehovah hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?
So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned out of the country of Moab; and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.
Querverweise zu Ruth 1,20 Rt 1,20
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, Jehovah appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am {Hebrew: El Shaddai.}God Almighty; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
For the arrows of the Almighty are within me,The poison whereof my spirit drinketh up:The terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.
and {Hebrew: El Shaddai.}God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release unto you your other brother and Benjamin. And if I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.
Know now that God hath {Or, overthrown me}subverted me in my cause,And hath compassed me with his net.
Behold, happy is the man whom God {Or, reproveth}correcteth:Therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty.
For all the day long have I been plagued,And {Hebrew: my chastisement was.}chastened every morning.
{Or, Canst thou find out the deep things of God?}Canst thou by searching find out God?Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?
I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up:While I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.
I am the Alpha and the Omega, saith the Lord God, {Or, he who}who is and who was and {Or, he who}who is to come, the Almighty.
{Or, I thought until morning, As a lion, o will he break &c.}I quieted myself until morning; as a lion, so he breaketh all my bones:From day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.
And I saw no {Or, sanctuary}temple therein: for the Lord God the Almighty, and the Lamb, are the {Or, sanctuary}temple thereof.
I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
He hath led me and caused me to walk in darkness, {Or, without light}and not in light.
Surely against me he turneth his hand again and again all the day.
My flesh and my skin hath he {Or, worn out}made old; he hath broken my bones.
He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.
He hath made me to dwell in dark places, as those that have been long dead.
He hath walled me about, that I cannot go forth; he hath made my chain heavy.
Yea, when I cry, and call for help, he shutteth out my prayer.
He hath walled up my ways with hewn stone; he hath made my paths crooked.
He is unto me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in secret places.
He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces; he hath made me desolate.
He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
He hath caused the {Hebrew: sons.}shafts of his quiver to enter into my reins.
I am become a derision to all my people, and their song all the day.
He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath sated me with wormwood.
He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones; he hath covered me with ashes.
And thou hast {Or, cast off}removed my soul far off from peace; I forgat prosperity.
And I said, My strength is perished, and mine expectation from Jehovah.
Remember mine affliction and my {Or, wandering}misery, the wormwood and the gall.
My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is bowed down within me.
All chastening seemeth for the present to be not joyous but grievous; yet afterward it yieldeth peaceable fruit unto them that have been exercised thereby, even the fruit of righteousness.