1 Long ago, there was no food in the land. A man from Bethlehem, in Judah, left with his wife and two sons. They went to Moab. ❌♂️➡️️ 2 The man was Elimelech. His wife was Naomi. The sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They stayed in Moab. 3 Elimelech died. Naomi still had her two sons. ️ 4 The sons married women from Moab. One was Orpah. One was Ruth. They lived there 10 years. ⏳ 5 Then both sons died. Naomi had no husband and no sons. ️️ 6 Naomi heard God gave food to His people. She got up to go back home from Moab. The wives of her sons went with her. ♀️♀️♀️ 7 They left that place. They walked on the road to Judah. ️♀️♀️♀️ 8 Naomi said to the two young women, “Go back. Go to your mom’s house. I ask God to be kind to you. You were kind to my sons and to me.” ️❤️ 9 Naomi said, “I ask God to give you rest. I ask God to give you new homes.” She kissed them, and they cried loud. 10 The two women said, “We will go with you. We will go to your people.” ♀️♀️ 11 Naomi said, “Turn back, my girls. Why go with me? I have no more sons for you to marry.” ↩️ 12 Naomi said, “Turn back. I am too old to marry again. Even if I had a baby now, you could not wait.” 13 Naomi said, “Would you wait till boys grow up? No. Do not wait. I am very, very sad. I feel God is not with me.” 14 They cried again. Orpah kissed Naomi and went back. But Ruth held on to Naomi. 15 Naomi said, “Look, Orpah went back to her people and her old gods. You go back too.” ↩️ 16 But Ruth said, “Do not make me go. Where you go, I will go. Where you stay, I will stay. Your people are my people. Your God is my God.” 17 Ruth said, “Where you die, I will die. I will be put in the ground there. Only death will part us. God, hear me.” ⚰️ 18 Naomi saw Ruth would not stop. So Naomi did not talk about it more. 19 They walked till they came to Bethlehem. The town talked a lot. The women said, “Is this Naomi?” ♀️♀️️❓ 20 Naomi said, “Do not call me Naomi. Call me Mara. God has made me very sad.” 21 Naomi said, “I left with much. God brought me back with no husband and no sons. Do not call me Naomi. God has made my life hard.” ➡️❌❌❌ 22 So Naomi came back. Ruth, the woman from Moab, came with her. They came to Bethlehem at the start of barley harvest. ♀️♀️