Ruth 1 – NIRV & BPH

New International Reader’s Version

Ruth 1:1-22

Naomi Loses Her Husband and Sons

1There was a time when Israel didn’t have kings to rule over them. But they had leaders to help them. This is a story about some things that happened during that time. There wasn’t enough food in the land of Judah. So a man went to live for a while in the country of Moab. He was from Bethlehem in Judah. His wife and two sons went with him. 2The man’s name was Elimelek. His wife’s name was Naomi. The names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites whose home had been in Bethlehem in Judah. They went to Moab and lived there.

3Naomi’s husband Elimelek died. So she was left with her two sons. 4They married women from Moab. One was named Orpah. The other was named Ruth. Naomi’s family lived in Moab for about ten years. 5Then Mahlon and Kilion also died. So Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.

Naomi and Ruth Return to Bethlehem

6While Naomi was in Moab, she heard that the Lord had helped his people. He had begun to provide food for them again. So Naomi and her two daughters-in-law prepared to go from Moab back to her home. 7She left the place where she had been living. Her daughters-in-law went with her. They started out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah.

8Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Both of you go back. Each of you go to your own mother’s home. You were kind to your husbands, who have died. You have also been kind to me. So may the Lord be just as kind to you. 9May the Lord help each of you find rest in the home of another husband.”

Then she kissed them goodbye. They broke down and wept loudly. 10They said to her, “We’ll go back to your people with you.”

11But Naomi said, “Go home, my daughters. Why would you want to come with me? Am I going to have any more sons who could become your husbands? 12Go home, my daughters. I’m too old to have another husband. Suppose I thought there was still some hope for me. Suppose I married a man tonight. And later I had sons by him. 13Would you wait until they grew up? Would you stay single until you could marry them? No, my daughters. My life is more bitter than yours. The Lord’s power has turned against me!”

14When they heard that, they broke down and wept again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye. But Ruth held on to her.

15“Look,” said Naomi. “Your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.”

16But Ruth replied, “Don’t try to make me leave you and go back. Where you go I’ll go. Where you stay I’ll stay. Your people will be my people. Your God will be my God. 17Where you die I’ll die. And there my body will be buried. I won’t let even death separate you from me. If I do, may the Lord punish me greatly.” 18Naomi realized that Ruth had made up her mind to go with her. So she stopped trying to make her go back.

19The two women continued on their way. At last they arrived in Bethlehem. The whole town was stirred up because of them. The women in the town asked, “Can this possibly be Naomi?”

20“Don’t call me Naomi,” she told them. “Call me Mara. The Mighty One has made my life very bitter. 21I was full when I went away. But the Lord has brought me back empty. So why are you calling me Naomi? The Lord has made me suffer. The Mighty One has brought trouble on me.”

22So Naomi returned from Moab. Ruth, her daughter-in-law from Moab, came with her. They arrived in Bethlehem just when people were beginning to harvest the barley.

Bibelen på hverdagsdansk

Ruths Bog 1:1-22

Ruths troskab imod No’omi

1-2Engang under dommertiden i Israel blev landet ramt af en voldsom hungersnød. En mand ved navn Elimelek af Efrat-slægten flyttede derfor fra Betlehem i Juda til Moabs land for at bo der som fremmed sammen med sin kone, No’omi, og deres to sønner, Malon og Kiljon. 3Mens de boede i Moab, døde Elimelek, så No’omi sad alene tilbage med sine to sønner. 4-5De to unge mænd fandt sig hver en kone blandt moabitterne. Malon giftede sig med en pige, der hed Ruth, og Kiljon giftede sig med Orpa. Da de havde boet i Moab i hen ved ti år, døde både Malon og Kiljon, og No’omi var nu helt alene—uden mand og børn.

6-7På den tid fik hun at vide, at Herren havde forbarmet sig over sit folk, så der igen var mad at få i Juda. Derfor besluttede hun at forlade Moab og vende tilbage til sit hjem i Betlehem. Sammen med sine to svigerdøtre begav hun sig af sted ad vejen til Juda.

8Da de havde gået et stykke tid, sagde No’omi til sine svigerdøtre: „Det er bedst, I går hjem til jeres forældre. Må Herren vise jer sin godhed på grund af den godhed, I har vist mod mine to sønner og mig, 9og må han hjælpe jer begge til at blive gift igen og få et godt og trygt hjem.” Så kyssede hun dem farvel, og de brast i højlydt gråd.

10„Men vi vil gerne følge med dig hjem til dit folk!” sagde de to unge kvinder.

11„Nej, I må hellere vende tilbage til jeres eget folk,” svarede No’omi. „Jeg har jo ikke andre sønner, I kan blive gift med. 12Derfor er det bedst, at I vender tilbage til jeres familier. Jeg er for gammel til at gifte mig igen—og selv om jeg gjorde, og jeg blev gravid og fødte sønner med det samme, 13ville I så vente til de blev voksne? Nej, mine piger! For mig er det mere bittert end for jer, for det er Herrens hånd, som har ramt mig med denne tragedie!”

14Så græd de igen. Orpa kyssede nu sin svigermor farvel og vendte om for at gå tilbage til sit barndomshjem, men Ruth ville ikke forlade No’omi.

15„Se, din svigerinde er allerede på vej tilbage til sit folk og sin gud,” sagde No’omi. „Du må hellere følge med.”

16Men Ruth svarede: „Tving mig ikke til at forlade dig! Hvor du går hen, vil jeg gå med. Dit hjem skal være mit hjem, dit folk skal være mit folk, og din Gud skal være min Gud. 17Og når jeg engang dør, vil jeg begraves ved din side. Må Herren straffe mig, hvis jeg tillader noget andet end døden at skille os!”

18Da No’omi så, at Ruth var fast besluttet på at gå med, holdt hun op med at forsøge at overtale hende. 19De to fortsatte så rejsen og ankom til Betlehem.

Der blev røre i hele byen ved deres ankomst.

„Jamen, er det ikke No’omi?” udbrød byens kvinder.

20Men No’omi sagde: „Kald mig ikke længere No’omi1,20 „No’omi” betyder „dejlig, elskelig, sød”.—kald mig hellere Mara!1,20 „Mara” betyder „bitter”. Den almægtige Gud har gjort mit liv bittert. 21Da jeg rejste herfra, havde jeg hele min familie, men nu vender jeg alene tilbage. Kald mig ikke No’omi, for Herren har dømt mig og ladet denne tragedie ramme mig!”

22Således vendte No’omi tilbage til Betlehem, og hun havde sin svigerdatter med fra Moabs land. Byghøsten var netop begyndt, da de ankom.