ISV(i)
14 Ruth Remains with NaomiThey began to cry loudly again. So Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye, but Ruth remained with her.
15 Naomi told Ruth, “Look, your sister-in-law has returned to her people and to her gods. Follow your sister-in-law!”
16 But Ruth answered, “Stop urging me to abandon you and to turn back from following you. Because wherever you go, I’ll go. Wherever you live, I’ll live. Your people will be my people, and your God, my God. 17 Where you die, I’ll die and be buried. May the LORD do this to me—and more—if anything except death comes between you and me.”
18 When Naomi observed Ruth’s determination to travel with her, she ended the conversation. 19 So they continued on until they reached Bethlehem.
Naomi and Ruth Arrive in BethlehemNow when the two of them arrived in Bethlehem, the entire town got excited at the news of their arrival and they asked one another, “Can this be Naomi?”
20 But Naomi replied, “Don’t call me ‘Naomi’! Call me ‘Mara’! That’s because the Almighty has dealt bitterly with me. 21 I left here full, but the LORD brought me back empty. So why call me ‘Naomi’? After all, the LORD is against me, and the Almighty has broken me.”
22 So Naomi returned to Bethlehem from the country of Moab, along with her daughter-in-law Ruth the Moabite woman. And they arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.
16 But Ruth answered, “Stop urging me to abandon you and to turn back from following you. Because wherever you go, I’ll go. Wherever you live, I’ll live. Your people will be my people, and your God, my God. 17 Where you die, I’ll die and be buried. May the LORD do this to me—and more—if anything except death comes between you and me.”
18 When Naomi observed Ruth’s determination to travel with her, she ended the conversation. 19 So they continued on until they reached Bethlehem.
20 But Naomi replied, “Don’t call me ‘Naomi’! Call me ‘Mara’! That’s because the Almighty has dealt bitterly with me. 21 I left here full, but the LORD brought me back empty. So why call me ‘Naomi’? After all, the LORD is against me, and the Almighty has broken me.”
22 So Naomi returned to Bethlehem from the country of Moab, along with her daughter-in-law Ruth the Moabite woman. And they arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.