There dwelt in Bethlehem in these days a good man named Elimelech, with his wife Naomi and their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion. All their days these people had dwelt in the land, and always faithful had they been to the God of Israel.
But there came into the land a great famine. For days and weeks no rain fell; the trees were dropping their leaves; the grasses were dry and brown; and the corn lay wilted in the fields.
Everywhere there was suffering among the people; starvation was upon them, and the fathers of the little children could bring no food to them. "My wife and children must have food!" Elimelech cried. And so it came about that, when this famine was abroad in the land, Elimelech and his family went to Moab to live. And when they had come into Moab, Mahlon and Chilion chose for their wives Ruth and Orpah from the women of Moab, idolaters though they were.
It was not very long before Mahlon and Chilion, and Elimelech, too, died, and Naomi was left alone with Ruth and Orpah.
They were kind to Naomi, for they loved her well. Still, Naomi's heart longed for her own old home and for the people she had left there; and so (the days of mourning over) Naomi said to Ruth and Orpah, "Dear daughters, now will I return to my own land. You have been very kind to me, and gladly would I take you with me."
NAOMI AND HER DAUGHTER-IN-LAW.
Then Ruth And Orpah wept and begged her to stay with them. But when they saw she would not, then they wanted to go with her.
Naomi would have been so happy to take them with her! But she feared they might be sorry by and by should they go into a new land. So she said, "No, my daughters go not with me. Live here in your own country and among your own people. Here are your parents and your friends; and may God deal kindly with you as you have dealt with me."
Then Naomi kissed them and bade them good-bye; but they went out from the village with her, saying, "Surely we may go with thee to Bethlehem."
But when they were far out across the country, then Naomi turned again and bade them return now to their people.
Then Orpah kissed Naomi and turned back to her own city. But Ruth begged to be allowed to go a little farther.
"Nay, nay," Naomi said; "go back, Ruth, with Orpah. See, she is already far back upon the road."
But Ruth fell at Naomi's feet and cried aloud. "O, send me not away from thee! Let me follow thee! Where thou goest, I will go. Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God. Where thou diest I will die, and there will I be buried. Death only shall part thee and me!"
Then old Naomi's heart grew glad; for she loved Ruth and longed to take her with her. Then the two women walked on, and in time they came into the village of Bethlehem.
And as they neared Bethlehem, the old friends of Naomi came out and said, "Can this be Naomi?"
For Naomi had gone out from the city happy, with her husband and sons with her. But now they were all dead; and Naomi was returning, a lonely, sad woman.
It was the harvest time when Naomi and Ruth came into Bethlehem; and, when Ruth saw the gleaners at work, she said, "Let me not be idle; let me go forth into the fields to glean."
Now, Ruth knew no one among the gleaners; but, when she came into the field, and the gleaners looked upon her sweet face, they loved her at once and gladly took her into the field with them.
This field in which Ruth gleaned belonged to a rich man, named Boaz; and, when Boaz saw Ruth at work, he said kindly, "Stay here with my maidens and glean in my field. Follow them and glean after the reapers.
BOAZ AND RUTH.
And when thou art thirsty, then go and drink of the water which my servants have brought."
Ruth wondered at the kindness of Boaz and said, "Why dost thou show such kindness to me, a stranger?"
And Boaz smiled kindly upon Ruth and said, "Because I have heard of thy love for Naomi; and that thou hast left thy home to come with her and live among her people. May God bless and reward thee!"
By and by it came the time when all the gleaners stopped their work and ate their noonday meal. Kindly the maidens took Ruth with them, and they ate together. But when Ruth had had her share given her, she laid aside a part and carried it home to Naomi.
"Where hast thou gleaned to-day?" Naomi asked.
And when Ruth told her she had gleaned in the field of Boaz, and how kindly he had welcomed her, then Naomi was filled with gladness; for Boaz was of the family of Elimelech; and she knew that now he would be kind to them and not allow suffering and hunger to come to them.
All the long beautiful autumn Ruth gleaned in the fields of Boaz; and each day Boaz loved Ruth more and more, so gentle and kind was she.
Then, when the harvest was over, Boaz came to Naomi and told her that in Canaan there was land that belonged to Elimelech; and that he would buy this land and take Ruth and Naomi to his home.
Then Ruth and Boaz married; and by and by a little child was born to them. How much Naomi loved this little baby! How tenderly she nursed it; and how carefully she taught it as it grew into boyhood!
And so these people lived together until Naomi grew old and died. Then Ruth and Boaz, who had loved her and cared for her all these years, mourned for her, and buried her tenderly beside her own people in the land that had been her father's—the land she had loved so well.