turn from the country of Moab: for
she had heard in the country of Moab that the Lord 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 to her two daughters-in-law, "Go, return each of you to
her mother's house: the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt
with the dead, and with me. The Lord 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 to her, "Nay, but we will return with thee to thy people."

And Naomi said, "Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me?
Turn again, my daughters, go your way."

{37}{38}

[Illustration]
THE FAMILY OF ELIMELECH GOING TO MOAB
By Bida

"And a certain man of Beth-lehem-judah went to sojourn in the
country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons."
[End illustration]

{39}

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 to her people,
and to her god: return thou after thy sister-in-law."

And Ruth said, "Intreat 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: the
Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me."

And when she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, she
left off speaking to her. So they two went on to Beth-lehem.

And it came to pass, when they were come to Beth-lehem, that all the
city was moved about them, and the women 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: why call ye me Naomi, seeing
the Lord 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
Beth-lehem in the beginning of barley harvest.

And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a man of great wealth, of
the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz. And Ruth the Moabitess
s