THE BOOK OF RUTH

         This Book is called RUTH, from the name of the person whose
         history is here recorded: who, being a Gentile, became a
         convert to the true faith, and marrying Booz, the
         great-grandfather of David, was one of those from whom
         Christ sprung according to the flesh, and an illustrious
         figure of the Gentile church. It is thought this book was
         written by the prophet Samuel.

         Ruth Chapter 1

         Elimelech of Bethlehem going with his wife Noemi, and two
         sons, into the land of Moab, dieth there. His sons marry
         wives of that country and die without issue. Noemi
         returneth home with her daughter in law Ruth, who refuseth
         to part with her.

         1:1. In the days of the judges, when the judges ruled,
         there came a famine in the land.  And a certain man of
         Bethlehem Juda, went to sojourn in the land of Moab with
         his wife and his two sons.

         1:2. He was named Elimelech, and his wife Noemi: and his
         two sons, the one Mahalon, and the other Chelion,
         Ephrathites of Bethlehem Juda. And entering into the
         country of Moab, they abode there.

         1:3. And Elimelech the husband of Noemi died: and she
         remained with her sons.

         1:4. And they took wives of the women of Moab, of which one
         was called Orpha, and the other Ruth.  And they dwelt their
         ten years,

         1:5. And they both died, to wit, Mahalon and Chelion: and
         the woman was left alone, having lost both her sons and her
         husband.

         1:6. And she arose to go from the land of Moab to her own
         country, with both her daughters in law: for she had heard
         that the Lord had looked upon his people, and had given
         them food.

         1:7. Wherefore she went forth out of the place of her
         sojournment, with both her daughters in law: and being now
         in the way to return into the land of Juda,

         1:8. She said to them: Go ye home to your mothers, the Lord
         deal mercifully with you, as you have dealt with the dead
         and with me.

         1:9. May he grant you to find rest in the houses of the
         husbands whom you shall take. And she kissed them. And they
         lifted up their voice, and began to weep,

         1:10. And to say: We will go on with thee to thy people.

         1:11. But she answered them: Return, my daughters: why come
         ye with me? have I any more sons in my womb, that you may
         hope for husbands of me?

         1:12. Return again, my daughters, and go your ways: for I
         am now spent with age, and not fit for wedlock. Although I
         might conceive this night, and bear children,

         1:13. If you would wait till they were grown up, and come
         to man's estate, you would be old women before you marry.
         Do not so, my daughters, I beseech you: for I am grieved
         the more for your distress, and the hand of the Lord is
         gone out against me.

         1:14. And they lifted up their voice, and began to weep
         again: Orpha kissed her mother in law, and returned: Ruth
         stuck close to her mother in law.

         1:15. And Noemi said to her: Behold thy kinswoman is
         returned to her people, and to her gods, go thou with her.

         To her gods, etc... Noemi did not mean to persuade Ruth to
         return to the false gods she had formerly worshipped:but
         by this manner of speech, insinuated to her, that if she
         would go with her, she must renounce her false gods and
         return to the Lord the God of Israel.

         1:16. She answered: Be not against me, to desire that I
         should leave thee and depart: for whithersoever thou shalt
         go, I will go: and where thou shalt dwell, I also will
         dwell. Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.

         1:17. The land that shall receive thee dying, in the same
         will I die: and there will I be buried. The Lord do so and
         so to me, and add more also, if aught but death part me and
         thee.

         The Lord do so and so, etc... A form of swearing usual in
         the history of the Old Testament, by which the person
         wished such and such evils to fall upon them, if they did
         not do what they said.

         1:18. Then Noemi seeing that Ruth was steadfastly
         determined to go with her, would not be against it, nor
         persuade her any more to return to her friends:

         1:l9. So they went together, and came to Bethlehem.  And
         when they were come into the city, the report was quickly
         spread among all: and the women said: This is that Noemi.

         1:20. But she said to them: Call me not Noemi (that is,
         beautiful,) but call me Mara (that is, bitter), for the
         Almighty hath quite filled me with bitterness.

         1:21. I went out full and the Lord hath brought me back
         empty. Why then do you call me Noemi, whom the Lord hath
         humbled, and the Almighty hath afflicted?

         1:22. So Noemi came with Ruth, the Moabitess, her daughter
         in law, from the land of her sojournment: and returned into
         Bethlehem, in the beginning of the barley harvest.

         Ruth Chapter 2

         Ruth gleaneth in the field of Booz, who sheweth her favour.

         2:1. Now her husband Elimelech had a kinsman, a powerful
         man, and very rich, whose name was Booz.

         2:3. And Ruth, the Moabitess, said to her mother in law: If
         thou wilt, I will go into the field, and glean the ears of
         corn that escape the hands of the reapers, wheresoever I
         shall find grace with a householder, that will be
         favourable to me. And she answered her: Go, my daughter.

         2:3. She went, therefore, and gleaned the ears of corn
         after the reapers. And it happened that the owner of that
         field was Booz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.

         2:4. And behold, he came out of Bethlehem, and said to the
         reapers: The Lord be with you. And they answered him: The
         Lord bless thee.

         2:5. And Booz said to the young man that was set over the
         reapers: Whose maid is this ?

         2:6. And he answered him: This is the Moabitess, who came
         with Noemi, from the land of Moab,

         2:7. And she desired leave to glean the ears of corn that
         remain, following the steps of the reapers: and she hath
         been in the field from morning till now, and hath not gone
         home for one moment.

         2:8. And Booz said to Ruth: Hear me, daughter, do not go to
         glean in any other field, and do not depart from this
         place: but keep with my maids,

         2:9. And follow where they reap. For I have charged my
         young men, not to molest thee: and if thou art thirsty, go
         to the vessels, and drink of the waters whereof the
         servants drink.

         2:lO. She fell on her face, and worshipping upon the
         ground, said to him: Whence cometh this to me, that I
         should find grace before thy eyes, and that thou shouldst
         vouchsafe to take notice of me, a woman of another country?

         2:11. And he answered her: All hath been told me, that thou
         hast done to thy mother in law after the death of thy
         husband: and how thou hast left thy parents, and the land
         wherein thou wast born, and art come to a people which thou
         knewest not heretofore.

         2:12. The Lord render unto thee for thy work, and mayst
         thou receive a full reward of the Lord the God of Israel,
         to whom thou art come, and under whose wings thou art fled.

         2:13. And she said: I have found grace in thy eyes, my
         lord, who hast comforted me, and hast spoken to the heart
         of thy handmaid, who am not like to one of thy maids.

         2:14. And Booz said to her: At mealtime come thou hither,
         and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. So
         she sat at the side of the reapers, and she heaped to
         herself frumenty, and ate and was filled, and took the
         leavings.

         2:15. And she arose from thence, to glean the ears of corn
         as before. And Booz commanded his servants, saying: If she
         would even reap with you, hinder her not:

         2:16. And let fall some of your handfuls of purpose, and
         leave them, that she may gather them without shame, and let
         no man rebuke her when she gathereth them.

         2:17. She gleaned therefore in the field till evening: and
         beating out with a rod, and threshing what she had gleaned,
         she found about the measure of an ephi of barley, that is,
         three bushels:

         2:18. Which she took up, and returned into the city, and
         shewed it to her mother in law: moreover, she brought out,
         and gave her of the remains of her meat, wherewith she had
         been filled.

         2:19. And her mother in law said to her: Where hast thou
         gleaned today, and where hast thou wrought?  blessed be he
         that hath had pity on thee. And she told her with whom she
         had wrought: and she told the man's name, that he was
         called Booz.

         2:20. And Noemi answered her: Blessed be he of the Lord:
         because the same kindness which he shewed to the living, he
         hath kept also to the dead. And again she said: The man is
         our kinsman.

         2:21. And Ruth said: He also charged me, that I should keep
         close to his reapers, till all the corn should be reaped.

         2:22. And her mother in law said to her: It is better for
         thee, my daughter, to go out to reap with his maids, lest
         in another man's field some one may resist thee.

         2:23. So she kept close to the maids of Booz: and continued
         to glean with them, till all the barley and the wheat were
         laid up in the barns.

         Ruth Chapter 3

         Ruth instructed by her mother in law lieth at Booz's feet,
         claiming him for her husband by the law of affinity: she
         receiveth a good answer, and six measures of barley.

         3:1. After she was returned to her mother in law, Noemi
         said to her: My daughter, I will seek rest for thee, and
         will provide that it may be well with thee.

         3:2. This Booz, with whose maids thou wast joined in the
         field, is our near kinsman, and behold this night he
         winnoweth barley in the threshingfloor.

         3:3. Wash thyself therefore and anoint thee, and put on thy
         best garments, and go down to the barnfloor: but let not
         the man see thee, till he shall have done eating and
         drinking.

         3:4. And when he shall go to sleep, mark the place wherein
         he sleepeth: and thou shalt go in, and lift up the clothes
         wherewith he is covered towards his feet, and shalt lay
         thyself down there: and he will tell thee what thou must
         do.

         3:5. She answered: Whatsoever thou shalt command, I will
         do.

         3:6. And she went down to the barnfloor, and did all that
         her mother in law had bid her.

         3:7. And when Booz had eaten, and drunk, and was merry, he
         went to sleep by the heap of sheaves, and she came softly,
         and uncovering his feet, laid herself down.

         3:8. And behold, when it was now midnight the man was
         afraid, and troubled: and he saw a woman lying at his feet,

         3:9. And he said to her: Who art thou ? And she answered: I
         am Ruth, thy handmaid: spread thy coverlet over thy
         servant, for thou art a near kinsman.

         3:10. And he said: Blessed art thou of the Lord, my
         daughter, and thy latter kindness has surpassed the former:
         because thou hast not followed young men either poor or
         rich.

         Thy latter kindness, viz... to thy husband deceased in
         seeking to keep up his name and family by marrying his
         relation according to the law, and not following after
         young men. For Booz, it seems, was then in years.

         3:11. Fear not therefore, but whatsoever thou shalt say to
         me I will do to thee. For all the people that dwell within
         the gates of my city, know that thou art a virtuous woman.

         3:12. Neither do I deny myself to be near of kin, but there
         is another nearer than I.

         3:13. Rest thou this night: and when morning is come, if he
         will take thee by the right of kindred, all is well: but if
         he will not, I will undoubtedly take thee, so the Lord
         liveth: sleep till the morning.

         3:14. So she slept at his feet till the night was going
         off. And she arose before men could know one another, and
         Booz said: Beware lest any man know that thou camest
         hither.

         3:15. And again he said: Spread thy mantle, wherewith thou
         art covered, and hold it with both hands.  And when she
         spread it and held it, he measured six measures of barley,
         and laid it upon her. And she carried it, and went into the
         city,

         3:16. And came to her mother in law; who said to her: What
         hast thou done, daughter? And she told her all that the man
         had done to her.

         3:17. And she said: Behold he hath given me six measures of
         barley: for he said: I will not have thee return empty to
         thy mother in law.

         3:18. And Noemi said: Wait, my daughter, till we see what
         end the thing will have. For the man will not rest until he
         have accomplished what he hath said.

         Ruth Chapter 4

         Upon the refusal of the nearer kinsman, Booz marrieth Ruth,
         who bringeth forth Obed, the grandfather of David.

         4:1 Then Booz went up to the gate, and sat there.  And when
         he had seen the kinsman going by, of whom he had spoken
         before, he said to him, calling him by his name: Turn aside
         for a little while, and sit down here. He turned aside, and
         sat down.

         4:2. And Booz, taking ten men of the ancients of the city,
         said to them: Sit ye down here.

         4:3. They sat down, and he spoke to the kinsman: Noemi, who
         is returned from the country of Moab will sell a parcel of
         land that belonged to our brother Elimelech.

         4:4. I would have thee to understand this, and would tell
         thee before all that sit here, and before the ancients of
         my people. If thou wilt take possession of it by the right
         of kindred: buy it, and possess it: but if it please thee
         not, tell me so, that I may know what I have to do. For
         there is no near kinsman besides thee, who art first, and
         me, who am second. But he answered: I will buy the field.

         4:5. And Booz said to him: When thou shalt buy the field at
         the woman's hand, thou must take also Ruth, the Moabitess,
         who was the wife of the deceased: to raise up the name of
         thy kinsman in his inheritance.

         4:6. He answered: I yield up my right of next akin: for I
         must not cut off the posterity of my own family. Do thou
         make use of my privilege, which I profess I do willingly
         forego.

         4:7. Now this in former times was the manner in Israel
         between kinsmen, that if at any time one yielded his right
         to another: that the grant might be sure, the man put off
         his shoe and gave it to his neighbour; this was a testimony
         of cession of right in Israel.

         4:8. So Booz said to his kinsman: Put off thy shoe. And
         immediately he took it off from his foot.

         4:9. And he said to the ancients, and to all the people:
         You are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was
         Elimelech's, and Chelion's, and Mahalon's, of the hand of
         Noemi:

         4:10. And have taken to wife Ruth, the Moabitess, the wife
         of Mahalon, to raise up the name of the deceased in his
         inheritance lest his name be cut off, from among his family
         and his brethren and his people. You, I say, are witnesses
         of this thing.

         4:11. Then all the people that were in the gate, and the
         ancients, answered: We are witnesses: The Lord make this
         woman who cometh into thy house, like Rachel, and Lia, who
         built up the house of Israel: that she may be an example of
         virtue in Ephrata, and may have a famous name in Bethlehem:

         Ephrata... Another name of Bethlehem.

         4:12. And that the house may be, as the house of Phares,
         whom Thamar bore unto Juda, of the seed which the Lord
         shall give thee of this young woman.

         4:13. Booz therefore took Ruth, and married her: and went
         in unto her, and the Lord gave her to conceive, and to bear
         a son.

         4:14. And the women said to Noemi: Blessed be the Lord, who
         hath not suffered thy family to want a successor: that his
         name should be preserved in Israel.

         4:I5. And thou shouldst have one to comfort thy soul, and
         cherish thy old age. For he is born of thy daughter in law:
         who loveth thee: and is much better to thee, than if thou
         hadst seven sons.

         4:16. And Noemi taking the child, laid it in her bosom, and
         she carried it, and was a nurse unto it.

         4:17. And the women, her neighbours, congratulating with
         her, and saying, There is a son born to Noemi, called his
         name Obed: he is the father of Isai, the father of David.

         4:18. These are the generations of Phares: Phares begot
         Esron,

         4:19. Esron begot Aram, Aram begot Aminadab,

         4:20. Aminadab begot Nahasson, Nahasson begot Salmon,

         4:21. Salmon begot Booz, Booz begot Obed,

         4:22. Obed begot Isai, Isai begot David.

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