While Is-ra-el was ruled by a judge whose name has not come down to us, a dearth came on the land of Ca-naan. And one of the Jews who dwelt in Beth-le-hem, took his wife and his two sons and went to stay for a while in the land of Mo-ab. His wife's name was Na-o-mi. The man died while they were in Mo-ab, and in a few years each of the sons took him a wife. And their names were Or-pah and Ruth. At the end of ten years the sons died, and Na-o-mi and their wives dwelt in the land of Mo-ab.

When Na-o-mi heard there was no lack of food in Is-ra-el, she made up her mind to go back to Beth-le-hem to live.

She told Or-pah and Ruth of her plan, and said if they choose to stay in the land of Mo-ab, where they were born, they might do so.

And they kissed her and wept and said they would go with her. But she bade them stay where they were, and at last Or-pah, with tears in her eyes, kissed Na-o-mi good-bye and went back to her own home. But Ruth would not leave her. She told Na-o-mi not to urge her to go, for nought but death should part them.

So they went to the town of Beth-le-hem where Na-o-mi used to live.

It was the days when the grain was ripe in the fields, and the men had gone out to cut it down.

And Na-o-mi had a kins-man in Beth-le-hem, whose name was Bo-az, and he was a rich and great man. And Ruth said to Na-o-mi, Let me now go to the fields and glean the ears of corn.

To glean is to pick up. And poor folks, who had no fields of their own, went to pick up that which was left on the ground for them.

And Na-o-mi told Ruth to go. And she went out and came to the field that was owned by the rich man, Bo-az.

When Bo-az saw Ruth he asked the men who she was, and where she came from. And one of them said, She came with Na-o-mi from the land of Mo-ab. And she said to us, I pray you let me glean where the field has been reaped. And we told her she might, and she has been there for some hours. Then Bo-az went to Ruth.

So she went out each day to his field, and gleaned there till the grain was all cut and in the barns.

Na-o-mi said to Ruth, Bo-az will win-now the bar-ley to-night. To win-now is to fan, or to drive off by means of a wind. The grain was first threshed, then thrown from the hands up in the air. The wind would blow off the chaff and the good grain would fall to the ground.

Na-o-mi told Ruth to go in and speak to Bo-az the things she told her. So Ruth did as Na-o-mi said, and went down to the fields where Bo-az and his men were.

When she came back to Na-o-mi she told her all that she had said and done.

The next day Bo-az went down to the gate of Beth-le-hem, and told all the chief men whom he met there that he meant to make Ruth his wife. And the men said they would make it known, and prayed the Lord would bless Ruth and add to the fame and wealth of the rich and great Bo-az.

So Bo-az took Ruth for his wife. And they had a son O-bed. And Na-o-mi was its nurse.