The Story of Ruth

Death of The Men

Elimelech and his wife Naomi went to live in Moab because there was a famine in their land. They went with their 2 sons Mahlon and Chilion. Elimelech died, and the sons marry. The boys marry girls named Orpha and Ruth. Naomi's sons die, and its just Naomi and her daughter-in-laws left. The girls had nothing. Naomi had heard that Judah, the place where she originally was from, had food.

As they were leaving Naomi speaks up. "Go back home and live with your mothers. You guys have been through a lot, and the Lord will help you mend. He will give you rest." They all embraced and cried together.

The girls told Naomi "we will at least walk with you back to to your land"

Naomi tells the girls "why would you go with me? I have nothing to offer you. I have no more sons for you to marry, and even if I was able to have another, you couldn't wait until they were grown." They were all crying. Orpha got up, kissed Naomi, and left.

Ruth stayed right by her side. Ruth said to Naomi "I want to stay with you. Wherever you go, I will go, where you stay, I will stay, your people will become my people, and your God my God. When we die we will be buried together." They traveled together, and when they got back to Naomi's homeland, the people wondered if it was really her. She asked them to call her by a different name because she was so different from the last time she had been there. Ruth and Naomi got there just in time for the barley harvest.