CHAPTER XVIII.

The Story of Ruth.

OW it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the

land. And a certain man of BethlehemJudah went to live in the 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 Naomi, and their sons Mahlon and Chilion. And Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with her two sons. they took them wives of the women of Moab.

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name of one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth. And they lived there about ten years. Then Mahlon and Chilion died also, both of them, and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband. Now Naomi had heard in the country of Moab how that the Lord had visited His people, in giving them bread. So 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 to her mother's house. The Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voice and wept. And they said

unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people. And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters, for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out 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, return thou after her. And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or 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; the Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me. When Naomi saw that Ruth was steadfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her. So they both went on until they reached Bethlehem. And all the people of the city came about them, and said, Is this Naomi? And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty. And they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of the barley harvest.

Now Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech, and his name was Boaz. And 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. And she went and gleaned in the field after the

reapers. And so it was that she came to a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech. And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The Lord be with you. And they answered him, The Lord bless thee. Then Boaz said unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this? And he said, It is the Moabitess damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab, and she said, I pray thee let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves. So she came and hath continued from the morning until now. Then Boaz said to Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens. Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them; and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn. Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself unto 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? And Boaz answered her, It hath been fully showed to 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, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore. The 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. Then Ruth said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord, for that thou

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hast comforted me, and hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens. And Boaz said unto her, At meal-time 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 left.

And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean ears among the sheaves, and reproach her not. And let fall also some of the handfuls on purpose for her, and leave them that she may glean them, and rebuke her not. So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out all that she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. And 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 mother-in-law the food she had reserved after she was sufficed. And Naomi said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to-day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take notice of thee. And Ruth said, The man's name with whom I wrought to-day is Boaz. And Naomi said unto her daughterin-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. And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest. And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughterin-law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out