Ruth 1:1-19a

And it came to pass in the days when the judges judged, that there was a famine in the land. A certain man from Bethlehem, Judah, went to live in the country of Moab, along with his wife and his two sons. The name of the man was Elimelech; the name of his wife was Naomi; the name of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah, and they went to live in the country of Moab. Elimelech died and was survived by this wife, Naomi, and their two sons. The two sons took wives of the women of Moab: one named Orpah, and the other named Ruth, and they lived there about ten years. Mahlon and Chilion both died, survived by Naomi, Orpah, and Ruth. Naomi and her daughters-in-law rose to leave the country of Moab, for Naomi had heard that the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread. They left Moab and began their journey back to Judah. But Naomi said to her daughters-in-law, "Go, return to your mother's house. The LORD will deal kindly with you, just as you have dealt with the dead and with me. May the LORD grant you rest, each of you in the house of her husband." Then she kissed them, and they raised their voices and wept. They told Naomi, "We will return with you to your people." But Naomi said, "Go back, my daughters. Why do you want to go with me? I cannot have more sons for you to marry. Turn back, my daughters, and go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. Even if there was hope for me to have a husband tonight to bear more sons, would you wait for them to be grown, and in the mean time refrain from having husbands? No, my daughters, for it grieves me so, for your sakes, for the hand of the LORD has gone out against me." They raised their voices and wept again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. Naomi said, "Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people, and to her god. Follow her." But Ruth said, "Do not urge me to leave you, for wherever you go, I will go; where you live, I will live; your people shall be my people, and your GOD, my GOD. Where you die, I will die; and there I will be buried. May the LORD do to me and more, if anything but death comes between us." When Naomi saw that Ruth had made up her mind to go with her, she stopped talking. And they resumed their journey to Bethlehem.