From the Greek Septuagint text as was used by First Century Christians

Chapter 1

¹ Back in those days, during the time of the Judges, there was a famine in the land. So, a man from BethLehem in Judea traveled into the fields of Moab with his wife and two sons. ² The man’s name was EliMelech, his wife’s name was Naomi, and his two sons were named Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites.

And after they came there from BethLehem of Judah, ³ EliMelech (Naomi’s husband) died, leaving just her and her two sons. ⁴ Then the sons married Moabite women, one named Orpah, and the other named Ruth (gr. Routh), and after she had lived there for about ten years, ⁵ both Mahlon and Chilion (the sons of her and her husband) also died.

⁶ So, she got up and told her two daughters-in-law that she was going to return to her own country, because she heard [from someone] there in the land of Moab, that Jehovah had returned to His people and was again providing loaves of bread to eat. ⁷ So, [she got ready] to leave the place where she was staying, and then both of her daughters-in-law met with her, because they wanted to go with her to the land of Judah.

⁸ But Naomi said to her daughters-in-law: ‘Please go back home to your mothers, and may Jehovah be as merciful with you as you’ve been with my dead ones. Thank you for meeting with me. ⁹ May Jehovah give you each rest in the house of a husband.’

Then she kissed them and they both started to cry, ¹⁰ and they said to her, ‘We want to return with you to your people.’

¹¹ But Naomi said, ‘No, please my daughters! Why do you want to go with me? Do you think that I still have sons in my belly that I can give you as husbands? ¹² Please go home, my daughters! Go, because I’ve grown too old to have a husband. And I’ve asked myself, Is it possible for me to marry again and to give birth to sons? ¹³ And should you wait for them and not marry again until they’ve grown into men? No, my daughters, for I’ve become very bitter since the hand of Jehovah has been against me.’

¹⁴ Then they started to cry again, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law and returned to her family. But Ruth kept following her, and Naomi said, ¹⁵ ‘Look Ruth, your sister-in-law has returned to her people and to her gods. So, please turn back and catch up with your sister-in-law.’

¹⁶ And Ruth replied, ‘Don’t force me to leave you and go back, for wherever you go I will go, and wherever you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God will be my God. ¹⁷ Wherever you die is where I will die, and that’s were I’ll be buried. May Jehovah [curse] me and add more to it if anything other than death will separate me from you.’

¹⁸ Well, when Naomi saw that she was so determined to go with her, she stopped trying to discourage her. ¹⁹ So they both traveled on together until they arrived at BethLehem. And when they arrived, the whole city of BethLehem cheered for them, and they asked, ‘Is this Naomi?’

²⁰ And she replied, ‘Please don’t call me Naomi; call me the Bitter One, for [God] has made me very bitter. ²¹ Because, after I left [this land], Jehovah has sent me back with nothing. So, why call me Naomi, because Jehovah has humbled me, and [God] has persecuted me.’

²² So, Naomi returned from the country of Moab with Ruth, her Moabite daughter-in-law, and they arrived in BethLehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.

Chapter 2

¹ Now, there was a man that Naomi knew who was [very well to do], and he was a relative of her husband, EliMelech. His name was Boaz. ² And Ruth (the Moabite) had asked Naomi, ‘If he approves of me, should I go into his field to glean grain?’

And Naomi replied, ‘Go my daughter.’

³ So, she went into the field and followed behind the rest of those who were harvesting. And it so happened that the portion of the field she was in was being harvested by some of Boaz’s other relatives. ⁴ And {Look!} when Boaz came from the city (of BethLehem), he said to those who were harvesting there, ‘May Jehovah be with you.’

And they replied, ‘May Jehovah bless you.’

⁵ Then Boaz asked his servant who was supervising those who were doing the harvesting, ‘Whose young woman is that?’

⁶ And the supervisor replied, ‘She’s a servant; the Moabite woman who just came here from the country of the Moabites along with Naomi.’

⁷ Then she [came up] and asked him, ‘May I please collect grain here? I’ll just follow behind the rest who are harvesting.’

Well, she had been working all day long, from morning until evening, and she hadn’t stopped to rest at all. ⁸ And Boaz said, ‘Hasn’t anyone told you, my daughter… you don’t have go into anyone’s field to glean; catch up with the rest of the young women [who are my relatives]. ⁹ Look around the field and see where they are, and work along with them. See, I’ve instructed my servants not to bother you, and when you get thirsty, you may go and drink from the water in the jugs that belong to my servants.’

¹⁰ Then she bowed low before him with her face to the ground, and asked him, ‘What have I done to find such favor in your eyes that you should treat me so well, for I’m a stranger?’

¹¹ And Boaz answered, ‘All the things you’ve been doing for your mother-in-law since the death of her son and your husband have been reported to me. For, I’ve heard how you’ve left your father, mother, and country, and came to an unfamiliar land just the day before yesterday. ¹² May Jehovah repay your good deeds, and may the God of Israel who you’ve come to serve shelter you under His wings.’

¹³ Then she said, ‘I [hope] that I find your favor, my master, and [that I’m worthy] of the comfort you’ve given me. For, your words have touched the heart of your slave girl. Look, I’m your servant!’

¹⁴ Then Boaz said to her, ‘Why, it’s almost suppertime. Here, take some of my bread; and here’s some vinegar to dip it in.’

¹⁵ Then Ruth sat down next to the rest of the harvesters, and Boaz gave her a large amount of toasted grain, which she ate. And when she had enough, she left.

¹⁶ Then, when she got up [the next day] to collect grain, Boaz had instructed his servants to allow her to harvest from the midst of the grain and to set aside a portion of the field just for her, and not to give her any trouble.

¹⁷ So, she worked all day, and when she beat out the grain, she found that she had collected a heaping bushel full. ¹⁸ Then she carried it into the city, and when her mother-in-law saw how much she had collected and how much had been given to her, she asked, ‘Where did you go today, and where did you get this? May the one who recognized you be blest!’

¹⁹ And Ruth told her mother-in-law where she did [the gleaning] and said, ‘The name of the man who allowed me to do this today is Boaz.’

²⁰ And Naomi said, ‘Praise Jehovah, for He hasn’t forgotten to be merciful [to the widows] of those who have died.’ Then she added, ‘This man is a close relative to you. He’s one of us… one of our closest relatives!’

²¹ And Ruth said to her mother-in-law, ‘He also told me to [work alongside] his servants until I’ve finished harvesting all that I need!’

²² And Naomi told Ruth, ‘My daughter, it’s good for you to work alongside his servants, for you might not be able to meet his relatives in another field.’

²³ So, Ruth worked along with the young women of Boaz’s family until both the barley harvest and the wheat harvest was completed.

Chapter 3

¹ And while she was staying there with her mother-in-law, Naomi said to her, ‘My daughter, how can I give you some rest and allow good things to happen to you? ² Now, Boaz is a close relative of ours. He’s the one whose young women you worked with, and tonight he’ll be threshing barley in his barn. ³ So, why don’t you take a bath, [rub your body] with [fragrant] oils and dress up, then go to his barn. But don’t show yourself to him until after he has finished eating and drinking. ⁴ Then, after you see that he has fallen asleep, go and uncover his feet and lie down there at his feet and go to sleep. Then he will tell you what to do.’

⁵ And Ruth said, ‘I’ll do whatever you say.’

⁶ So, she went down to the barn and did just as her mother-in-law had instructed. ⁷ [She saw] Boaz eating and drinking until his heart was quite satisfied, and then he went to sleep in the hay. So Ruth crept up quietly and uncovered his feet, then lay down to go to sleep. ⁸ However, this woke Boaz. And when he saw the woman sleeping at his feet, ⁹ he asked, ‘Who are you?’

⁹ And she replied, ‘I’m Ruth, you servant girl. So, wrap me in your blanket, for you are my relative.’

¹⁰ And Boaz replied, ‘May you be blessed by Jehovah God for your goodness and mercy, my daughter, because you chose the last over the first. You could have looked for a younger man, whether rich or poor. ¹¹ But daughter, don’t be afraid, for I’ll do whatever you ask. Why, my whole tribe knows what a capable woman you are. ¹² However, there’s a closer relative than me. ¹³ So, spend the rest of the night here, and in the morning, we’ll find out if he will do right by you as your closest relative. Now, as Jehovah is living, you may go to sleep until the morning.’

¹⁴ So, [Ruth] went back to sleep at his feet and stayed there until morning. And when she awoke, while [it was still too dark] to be seen, Boaz said, ‘Don’t tell anyone that a woman spent the night in my barn.’

¹⁵ Then he said to her, ‘Now, bring me the apron that you wore.’ So, she held it out, and he poured six quarts of barley into it for her. Then she returned to the city.

¹⁶ And when she got back, her mother-in-law asked, ‘What happened, my daughter?’

And she told her everything that the man had done, and said, ‘And he gave me six quarts of barley. ¹⁷ Then he told me, Go and carry this to your mother-in-law.’

¹⁸ And [Naomi] said, ‘Now, let’s just sit here, my daughter, and let’s see how this thing works out. Because the man won’t be satisfied until he has finished everything that has to be done.’

Chapter 4

¹ Then Boaz went to the [city] gate and sat down there, and {Look!} before long he saw the man who he had spoken [to Ruth] about, and he asked him to come and sit in a secluded spot. ² Then he found ten of the city’s elders and asked them to come and sit with them. So they all sat down.

³ Then Boaz said to the relative, ‘This matter is regarding the portion of the field that used to belong to our brother EliMelech and which he passed on to Naomi. Now, she’s just returned from the land of Moab. ⁴ So, I said to myself, I will whisper in your ear and urge you to purchase it before others in the city do so, or before the elders claim it, for you are [EliMelech’s] closest living relative. However, if you aren’t interested in buying it, tell me so, for I’m next in line as his relative.’

And he replied, ‘Well, I will [claim it] as his next of kin!’

⁵ And Boaz said, ‘Then, on the day that you buy the field from Naomi, you must also take the Moabite woman Ruth, for she was the wife of [the heir] who died, so you must keep his name alive to get his inheritance.’

⁶ But the relative said, ‘Then I won’t be able to accept the responsibility of being the closest relative, because I’m afraid that I would ruin the rights of my own inheritors; so you may claim the right.’

⁷ Now, the custom in Israel at the time, when it came to establishing matters that have to do with inheritances and such, was that the man who [was giving up his right] would untied his sandal and give it to the one who would be the acting next-of-kin, to prove that he was being given the right of inheritance. For, this is how they testified in Israel back then.

⁸ So, the relative said to Boaz, ‘Now you can buy it yourself, for you have the right of inheritance.’ Then he untied his sandal and gave it to Boaz.

⁹ And Boaz said to the elders and everyone else who was there, ‘You people are all witnesses today that I’ve acquired the right to buy everything that belonged to EliMelech, Chilion, and Mahlon, from Naomi. ¹⁰ And this includes Ruth, the Moabite woman. So, I have also acquired the wife of Mahlon to be my wife. And I will raise a [son] in the name of the one who died, so his inheritance won’t be lost. For, I’m his brother, and you and all the people at this gate are my witnesses.’

¹¹ And the elders agreed, saying, ‘We are witnesses. And may Jehovah make the wife who is entering your home like Rachael and Leah, the ones who built the house of Israel. May they succeed in doing that in a powerful way in EphRatha, and in [bringing forth] a name in BethLehem. ¹² And may your house become like the house of Perez, who Thamar bore to Judah. In that way, may this woman give birth to the seed of your children.’

¹³ So, Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. Then he [slept with] her and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. ¹⁴ And she said to Naomi, ‘May Jehovah be praised, because He didn’t rest until He provided a son for you today. May he speak your name in Israel, ¹⁵ and may he restore life and nourishment to your grey hair, for your daughter-in-law has given birth to a good child who is better than seven sons.’

¹⁶ So, Naomi took the boy and held him to her breasts, and she became his wet nurse. ¹⁷ Then she called the neighbors in, and named him, saying, ‘Naomi has given birth to as son.’ So, she called him Obed. He was the grandfather of Jesse and the great-grandfather of David.

¹⁸ Now, these are the descendants of Perez:

· Perez fathered Hezron,

· ¹⁹ Hezron fathered Aram,

· Aram fathered AminAdab,

· ²⁰ AminAdab fathered Nahshon,

· Nahshon fathered Salman,

· ²¹ Salmon fathered Boaz,

· Boaz fathered Obed,

· ²² Obed fathered Jesse,

· Jesse fathered David.

Notes

Bible Measurements

The most common unit for measuring length, height, and depth in the Bible is a cubit, which is the length of a man’s forearm. And of course, the lengths of forearms vary depending on the size of the person, so a cubit may be anywhere between eighteen and twenty-two inches. However, to give you a better idea of the size and proportions of things in the Bible, we have converted the units of measure to more familiar terms, such as feet and inches. And we have roughly averaged the sizes or lengths.

Also, some units of measure, such as a cor (about 32 bushels), hin, or bath (about 6 gallons), have been roughly estimated, since such terms are obsolete.

We have also dropped the obscure names of coins, since most readers have no idea of their value, and simply inserted the type of coin they are (gold, silver, or copper), and sometimes their size, to provide you some frame of reference.

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Why Capitals in Bible Names?

You have likely noticed that we are putting some of the letters in Bible names in capital letters. For example, we’ve started spelling such names as Jonathan as JoNathan, Isaiah as IsaiJah, and Eliezer as EliEzer. Why? Well, partly to help with the correct pronunciations of the names, and partly to show some translating consistency.

We all know that the common English pronunciation of Jonathan (for example) is Jon-uh-thun. But did you know that the first part of the name (Io in Greek, Ieho in Hebrew) refers to the name Jehovah, and the second part of the Name (Nathan) means Gift? So, the name was originally pronounced closer to Ye-hoh-nuh-thahn.

In the case of names that end with an iah, as in Isaiah, the last part of the name often includes the name of God. Isaiah, for example, means Salvation [of] Jehovah, and it was originally pronounced Ee-sai-Yah. So, why have we substituted a capital ‘J’ for the letters ‘ie’ in both of the above cases? Well, we recognize that there is an inconsistency here, because there was no letter ‘J’ in Hebrew or Greek alphabets. However, we have the choice of changing all names that start with ‘J’ (such as Jesus, John, Jonah, Joshua, Jeremiah, etc.) to start with the letters ‘Ie’, or for consistency, we can change all the ‘Ies’ into ‘Js’, which is what we have done. Realize that several other Hebrew consonants are commonly mispronounced in English, which no one objects to, so this minor deviation should not be objectionable to the thinking.

Does this mean then that we are setting out a new rule for name spelling? Absolutely not, for centuries ago, a Bible translator first established this rule when he spelled the name Eliou (Greek spelling, pronounced ay-lee-ou) and wrote it as EliJah, because this name is regarded as meaning ‘My God is Jehovah.’

Also notice that where a name ends with an iah, as in Jeremiah (Jehovah exalts), we have often spelled it as iJah, because the I would typically be pronounced as a long E, followed by a Y in Hebrew, and writing it without the I (as in JeremJah) misses this nuance. So, we have rendered it as JeremiJah, which is similar to the way it is often pronounced by modern-day Hebrew-speaking Jews, YeremiYah.

Another important word in names that we usually capitalize is ‘El’ (from the Hebrew Elohe, or God). So EliEzer (which people commonly pronounce Eelai-eezer and means God [has] Helped) should actually be pronounced El-ee-eh-zer. The same is true for the letters Ai, especially in the names of cities, because Ai in Hebrew refers to the word city. So, AiLam (for example) probably meant the City of Lam.

Similar words, such as Bel (as in BelShazzar), Baal, and Beel, refer to ‘the Lord’ or ‘the God.’ Also, the prefixes ‘Ben’ and ‘Bar’ mean ‘the son of.’ ‘Beth’ means ‘the house of,’ ‘Beer’ refers to a ‘well,’ ‘Is’ or ‘Ish’ means ‘Man,’ etc.

Does this mean that we have put all the capitals in the right places? No, for we make no claim to Hebrew scholarship (all our translating here has been from Greek). So, what we are trying to do is provide a better understanding to how these names were pronounced by First-Century Christians.

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