rock Rimmon, and abode in the valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children.

g 8 And they said, What one is there of the tribes of Israel that g 19 Then they said, Behold, there came not up to Mizpeh to the LORD is a feast of the LORD in Shiloh and behold, there came none to the yearly in a place which is on the camp from Jabesh-gilead to the as-north side of Beth-el, on the east side sembly. of the highway that goeth up from Beth-el to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.

21 And see, and behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

22 And it shall be, when their fathers or their brethren come unto us to complain, that we will say unto them, Be favourable unto them for our sakes: because we reserved not to each man his wife in the war: for ye did not give unto them at this time, that ye should be guilty.

Nay

ƒ 23 And the children of Benjamin did so, and took them wives, according to their number, of them that danced, whom they caught: and they went and returned unto their inheritance, and repaired the cities, and dwelt in them.

24 And the children of Israel departed thence at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from thence every man to his inheritance. c 25 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

The Book of RUTH.

Jof 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.

CHAP. I. TOW it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Beth-lehem- 8 And Naomi said unto her two judah went to sojourn in the country daughters-in-law, Go, return each of Moab, he, and his wife, and his to her mother's house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.

two sons.

2 And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife 9 The LORD grant you that ye Naomi, and the name of his two may find rest, each of you in the sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrath-house of her husband. Then she ites of Beth-lehem-judah. And they kissed them; and they lifted up their came into the country of Moab, and voice, and wept. continued there.

f 3 And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.

4 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 dwelled there about ten years.

5 And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them: and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.

f6 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 the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread.

7 Wherefore she went forth out

10 And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.

f11 And Naomi 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?

12 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 have a husband also to-night, and should also bear sons;

13 Would 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.

c 14 And they lifted up their voice,f 3 And she went, and came, and and wept again. And Orpah kissed gleaned in the field after the reapher mother-in-law; but Ruth clave ers: and her hap was to light on a unto her. part of the field belonging unto Bo

15 And she said, Behold, thy sis-az, who was of the kindred of Eliter-in-law is gone back unto her melech. people, and unto her gods; return c 4 And behold, Boaz came from thou after thy sister-in-law. Beth-lehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee.

c 16 And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where f 5 Then said Boaz unto his serthou lodgest, I will lodge: thy peo-vant that was set over the reapers, ple shall be my people, and thy God Whose damsel is this? my God:

17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me. 18 When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her. g 19 So they two went until they came to Beth-lehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Beth-lehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is

this Naomi ?

n 20 And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.

21 I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me? g 22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her, which returned out of the country of Moab and they came to Beth-lehem in the beginning of barley-harvest.

CHAP. II.

6 And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab:

c 7 And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house.

8 Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter! Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens:

9 Let 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 young men have drawn. c 10 Then 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?

11 And Boaz answered and said ND Naomi had a kinsman of unto her, It hath fully been shewed

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.

of wealth, of the family of Elime-mother-in-law since the death of thy lech; and his name was Boaz. d 2 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.

b 12 The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given

thee of the LORD God of Israel,|f 22 And Naomi said unto Ruth under whose wings thou art come to her daughter-in-law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in any other field.

trust.

13 Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thy handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thy handmaidens.

f 14 And Boaz said unto her, At meal-time come thou hither, and

eat of the bread, and dip thy mor

side the reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left.

15 And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach

her not:

16 And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.

17 So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned and it was about an ephah of barley.

f18 And she took it up, and went into the city and her motherin-law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved after she was sufficed.

23 So 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-inlaw.

CHAP. III.

HEN

TN Naomi her, mother-in

ter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?

2 And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to-night in the threshing floor.

3 Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.

4 And it shall be when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.

5 And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do.

6 ¶ And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that 19 And her mother-in-law said her mother-in-law bade her. unto her, Where hast thou gleaned o 7 And when Boaz had eaten and to-day? and where wroughtest thou? drunk, and his heart was merry, he blessed be he that did take know-went to lie down at the end of a ledge of thee. And she shewed her heap of corn: and she came softly, mother-in-law with whom she had and uncovered his feet, and laid her wrought, and said, The man's name down. with whom I'wrought to-day, is Boaz. 8 ¶ And it came to pass at midc 20 And Naomi said unto her night, that the man was afraid, and daughter-in-law, Blessed be he of turned himself: and behold, a wothe LORD, who hath not left off his man lay at his feet. 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.

21 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.

9 And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thy handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thy handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.

c 10 And he said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in

the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And 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 virtu

ous woman.

12 Aud now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.

3 And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Eli melech's:

And he

4 And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: 13 Tarry this night, and it shall for there is none to redeem it besides be in the morning, that if he will thee; and I am after thee. perform unto thee the part of a kins-said, I will redeem it. man, well; let hin, do the kinsman's L 5 Then said Boaz, What day part: but if be will not do the part thou buyest the field of the hand of a kinsman to thee, then will do of Naomi, thou must buy it also of the part of a kinsman to thee, as the Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the LORD liveth: lie down until the dead, to raise up the name of the morning. dead upon his inheritance.

f 14 And she lay at his feet until the morning and she arose up before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.

ƒ6¶ And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it.

o 7 Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour and this was a testimony in Israel.

o 15 Also he said, Bring the vail
that thou hast upon thee, and hold
it. And when she held it, he mea-
sured six measures of barley, and laid
it on her and she went into the city.
f 16 And when 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.
17 And she said, These six mea-off his shoe.
sures of barley gave he me; for he
said to me, Go not empty unto thy
mother-in-law.

18 Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.

T

CHAP. IV.

8 Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew

ƒ 9¶ And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have brought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlen's, of the hand of Naomi.

10 Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up HEN went Boaz up to the the name of the dead upon his inhegate, and sat him down ritance, that the name of the dead there: and behold, the kinsman of be not cut off from among his brewhom Boaz spake came by; unto thren, and from the gate of his whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn place: ye are witnesses this day. aside, sit down here. And he turn-b 11 And all the people that were ed aside, and sat down.

o 2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.

in the gate, and the elders said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thy house like Rachel and like Leah,