[4] And, behold, Booz came from Bethleem, and said to the reapers, The Lord be with you: and they said to him, The Lord bless thee. [5] And Booz said to his servant who was set over the reapers, Whose is this damsel? [6] And his servant who was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel who returned with Noemin out of the land of Moab. [7] And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers: and she came and stood from morning till evening, and rested not even a little in the field.
[8] And Booz said to Ruth, Hast thou not heard, my daughter? go not to glean in another field; and depart not thou hence, join thyself here with my damsels. [9] Let thine eyes be on the field where my men shall reap, and thou shalt go after them: behold, I have charged the young men not to touch thee: and when you shalt thirst, then thou shalt go to the vessels, and drink of that which the young men shall have drawn. [10] And she fell upon her face, and did reverence to the ground, and said to him, How is it that I have found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take notice of me, whereas I am a stranger?
[11] And Booz answered and said to her, It has fully been told me how thou hast dealt with thy mother-in-law after the death of thy husband; and how thou didst leave thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy birth, and camest to a people whom thou knewest not before. [12] The Lord recompense thy work; may a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, to whom thou hast come to trust under his wings. [13] And she said, Let me find grace in thy sight, my lord, because thou hast comforted me, and because thou hast spoken kindly to thy handmaid, and behold, I shall be as one of thy servants.
[14] And Booz said to her, Now it is time to eat; come hither, and thou shalt eat of the bread, and thou shalt dip thy morsel in the vinegar: and Ruth sat by the side of the reapers: and Booz handed her meal, and she ate, and was satisfied, and left.
[15] And she rose up to glean; and Booz charged his young men, saying, Let her even glean among the sheaves, and reproach her not. [16] And do ye by all means carry it for her, and ye shall surely let fall for her some of that which is heaped up; and let her eat, and glean, and rebuke her not. [17] So she gleaned in the field till evening, and beat out that she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barely.
[18] And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned, and Ruth brought forth and gave to her the food which she had left from what she had been satisfied with. [19] And her mother-in-law said to her, Where hast thou gleaned to-day, and where hast thou wrought? blessed be he that took notice of thee. And Ruth told her mother-in-law where she had wrought, and said, The name of the man with whom I wrought to-day is Booz. [20] And Noemin said to her daughter-in-law, Blessed is he of the Lord, because he has not failed in his mercy with the living and with the dead: and Noemin said to her, The man is near akin to us, he is one of our relations. [21] And Ruth said to her mother-in-law, Yea, he said also to me, Keep close to my damsels, until the men shall have finished all my reaping.
[22] And Noemin said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, It is well, daughter, that thou wentest out with his damsels; thus they shall not meet thee in another field. [23] And Ruth joined herself to the damsels of Booz to glean until they had finished the barley-harvest and the wheat-harvest.
Chapter 3
[1] And she lodged with her mother-in-law: and Noemin her mother-in-law said to her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee? [2] And now is not Booz our kinsman, with whose damsels thou wast? behold, he winnows barley this night in the floor.
[3] But do thou wash, and anoint thyself, and put thy raiment upon thee, and go up to the threshing-floor: do not discover thyself to the man until he has done eating and drinking. [4] And it shall come to pass when he lies down, that thou shalt mark the place where he lies down, and shalt come and lift up the covering of his feet, and shalt lie down; and he shall tell thee what thou shalt do. [5] And Ruth said to her, All that thou shalt say, I will do.
[6] And she went down to the threshing-floor, and did according to all that her mother-in-law enjoined her. [7] And Booz ate and drank, and his heart was glad, and he came to lie down by the side of the heap of corn; and she came secretly, and lifted up the covering of his feet. [8] And it came to pass at midnight that the man was amazed, and troubled, and behold, a woman lay at his feet. [9] And he said, Who art thou? and she said, I am thine handmaid Ruth; spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid, for thou art a near relation. [10] And Booz said, Blessed be thou of the Lord God, my daughter, for thou hast made thy latter kindness greater than the former, in that thou followest not after young men, whether any be poor or rich. [11] And now fear not, my daughter, whatever thou shalt say I will do to thee; for all the tribe of my people knows that thou art a virtuous woman. [12] And now I am truly akin to thee; nevertheless there is a kinsman nearer than I. [13] Lodge here for the night, and it shall be in the morning, if he will do the part of a kinsman to thee, well — let him do it: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, I will do the kinsman’s part to thee, as the Lord lives; lie down till the morning.
[14] And she lay at his feet until the morning; and she rose up before a man could know his neighbour; and Booz said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.
[15] And he said to her, Bring the apron that is upon thee: and she held it, and he measured six measures of barley, and put them upon her, and she went into the city.
[16] And Ruth went in to her mother-in-law, and she said to her, My daughter! and Ruth told her all that the man had done to her. [17] And she said to her, He gave me these six measures of barley, for he said to me, Go not empty to thy mother-in-law. [18] And she said, Sit still, my daughter, until thou shalt know how the matter will fall out; for the man will not rest until the matter be accomplished this day.
Chapter 4
[1] And Booz went up to the gate, and sat there; and behold, the relative passed by, of whom Booz spoke: and Booz said to him, Turn aside, sit down here, such a one: and he turned aside and sat down. [2] And Booz took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye here; and they sat down.
[3] And Booz said to the relative, The matter regards the portion of the field which was our brother Elimelech’s which was given to Noemin, now returning out of the land of Moab; [4] and I said, I will inform thee, saying, Buy it before those that sit, and before the elders of my people: if thou wilt redeem it, redeem it, but if thou wilt not redeem it, tell me, and I shall know; for there is no one beside thee to do the office of a kinsman, and I am after thee: and he said, I am here, I will redeem it. [5] And Booz said, In the day of thy buying the field of the hand of Noemin and of Ruth the Moabitess the wife of the deceased, thou must also buy her, so as to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance. [6] And the kinsman said, I shall not be able to redeem it for myself, lest I mar my own inheritance; do thou redeem my right for thyself, for I shall not be able to redeem it.
[7] And this was in former time the ordinance in Israel for redemption, and for a bargain, to confirm every word: A man loosed his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour that redeemed his right; and this was a testimony in Israel. [8] And the kinsman said to Booz, Buy my right for thyself: and he took off his shoe and gave it to him.
[9] And Booz said to the elders and to all the people, Ye are this day witnesses, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that belonged to Chelaion and Maalon, of the hand of Noemin. [10] Moreover I have bought for myself for a wife Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Maalon, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance; so the name of the dead shall not be destroyed from among his brethren, and from the tribe of his people: ye are this day witnesses.
[11] And all the people who were in the gate said, We are witnesses: and the elders said, The Lord make thy wife who goes into thy house, as Rachel and as Lia, who both together built the house of Israel, and wrought mightily in Ephratha, and there shall be a name to thee in Bethleem. [12] And let
thy house be as the house of Phares, whom Thamar bore to Juda, of the seed which the Lord shall give thee of this handmaid.
[13] And Booz took Ruth, and she became his wife, and he went in to her; and the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. [14] And the woman said to Noemin, Blessed is the Lord, who has not suffered a redeemer to fail thee this day, even to make thy name famous in Israel. [15] And he shall be to thee a restorer of thy soul, and one to cherish thy old age; for thy daughter-in-law which has loved thee, who is better to thee than seven sons, has born him. [16] And Noemin took the child and laid it in her bosom, and became a nurse to it.
[17] And the neighbours gave it a name, saying, A son has been born to Noemin; and they called his name Obed; this is the father of Jessae the father of David. [18] And these are the generations of Phares: Phares begot Esrom: [19] Esrom begot Aram; and Aram begot Aminadab. [20] And Aminadab begot Naasson; and Naasson begot Salmon. [21] And Salmon begot Booz; and Booz begot Obed. [22] And Obed begot Jessae; and Jessae begot David.
I Kings
Chapter 1
[1] There was a man of Armathaim Sipha, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Helkana, a son of Jeremeel the son of Elias the son of Thoke, in Nasib Ephraim. [2] And he had two wives; the name of the one was Anna, and the name of the second Phennana. And Phennana had children, but Anna had no child.
[3] And the man went up from year to year from his city, from Armathaim, to worship and sacrifice to the Lord God of Sabaoth at Selom: and there were Heli and his two sons Ophni and Phinees, the priests of the Lord.
[4] And the day came, and Helkana sacrificed, and gave portions to his wife Phennana and her children. [5] And to Anna he gave a prime portion, because she had no child, only Helkana loved Anna more than the other; but the Lord had closed her womb. [6] For the Lord gave her no child in her affliction, and according to the despondency of her affliction; and she was dispirited on this account, that the Lord shut up her womb so as not to give her a child. [7] So she did year by year, in going up to the house of the Lord; and she was dispirited, and wept, and did not eat.
[8] And Helkana her husband said to her, Anna: and she said to him, Here am I, my lord: and he said to her, What ails thee that thou weepest? and why dost thou not eat? and why does thy heart smite thee? am I not better to thee than ten children?
[9] And Anna rose up after they had eaten in Selom, and stood before the Lord: and Heli the priest was on a seat by the threshold of the temple of the Lord.
[10] And she was very much grieved in spirit, and prayed to the Lord, and wept abundantly. [11] And she vowed a vow to the Lord, saying, O Lord God of Sabaoth, if thou welt indeed look upon the humiliation of thine handmaid, and remember me, and give to thine handmaid a man-child, then will I indeed dedicate him to thee till the day of his death; and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink, and no razor shall come upon his head.
[12] And it came to pass, while she was long praying before the Lord, that Heli the priest marked her mouth. [13] And she was speaking in her heart, and her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: and Heli accounted her a drunken woman. [14] And the servant of Heli said to her, How long wilt thou be drunken? take away thy wine from thee, and go out from the presence of the Lord. [15] And Anna answered and said, Nay, my lord, I live in a hard day, and I have not drunk wine or strong drink, and I pour out my soul before the Lord. [16] Count not thy handmaid for a pestilent woman, for by reason of the abundance of my importunity I have continued my prayer until now. [17] And Heli answered and said to her, Go in peace: the God of Israel give thee all thy petition, which thou hast asked of him. [18] And she said, Thine handmaid has found favour in thine eyes: and the woman went her way, and entered into her lodging, and ate and drank with her husband, and her countenance was no more sad.
[19] And they rise early in the morning, and worship the Lord, and they go their way: and Helkana went into his house at Armathaim, and knew his wife Anna; and the Lord remembered her, and she conceived. [20] And it came to pass when the time was come, that she brought forth a son, and called his name Samuel, and said, Because I asked him of the Lord God of Sabaoth. [21] And the man Helkana and all his house went up to offer in Selom the yearly sacrifice, and his vows, and all the tithes of his land. [22] But Anna did not go up with him, for she said to her husband, I will not go up until the child goes up, when I have weaned him, and he shall be presented before the Lord, and he shall abide there continually. [23] And Helkana her husband said to her, Do that which is good in thine eyes, abide still until thou shalt have weaned him; but may the Lord establish that which comes out of thy mouth: and the woman tarried, and suckled her son until she had weaned him.
[24] And she went up with him to Selom with a calf of three years old, and loaves, and an ephah of fine flour, and a bottle of wine: and she entered into the house of the Lord in Selom, and the child with them. [25] And they brought him before the Lord; and his father slew his offering which he offered from year to year to the Lord; and he brought near the child, and slew the calf; and Anna the mother of the child brought him to Heli. [26] And she said, I pray thee, my lord, as thy soul liveth, I am the woman that stood in thy presence with thee while praying to the Lord. [27] For this child I prayed; and the Lord has given me my request that I asked of him. [28] And I lend him to the Lord all his days that he lives, a loan to the Lord: and she said,
Chapter 2
[1] My heart is established in the Lord, my horn is exalted in my God; my mouth is enlarged over my enemies, I have rejoiced in thy salvation. [2] For there is none holy as the Lord, and there is none righteous as our God; there is none holy besides thee. [3] Boast not, and utter not high things; let not high-sounding words come out of your mouth, for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and God prepares his own designs. [4] The bow of the mighty has waxed feeble, and the weak have girded themselves with strength. [5] They that were full of bread are brought low; and the hungry have forsaken the land; for the barren has born seven, and she that abounded in children has waxed feeble. [6] The Lord kills and makes alive; he brings down to the grave, and brings up. [7] The Lord makes poor, and makes rich; he brings low, and lifts up. [8] He lifts up the poor from the earth, and raises the needy from the dunghill; to seat him with the princes of the people, and causing them to inherit the throne of glory: [9] granting his petition to him that prays; and he blesses the years of the righteous, for by strength cannot man prevail. [10] The Lord will weaken his adversary; the Lord is holy. Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor let the mighty man boast in his strength, and let not the rich man boast in his wealth; but let him that boasts boast in this, to understand and know the Lord, and to execute judgement and justice in the midst of the earth. The Lord has gone up to the heavens, and has thundered: he will judge the extremities of the earth, and he gives strength to our kings, and will exalt the horn of his Christ.
And she left him there before the Lord,11 and departed to Armathaim: and the child ministered in the presence of the Lord before Heli the priest. [12] And the sons of Heli the priest were evil sons, not knowing the Lord. [13] And the priest’s claim from every one of the people that sacrificed was this: the servant of the priest came when the flesh was in seething, and a flesh-hook of three teeth was in his hand. [14] And he struck it into the great caldron, or into the brazen vessel, or into the pot, and whatever came up with the flesh-hook, the priest took for himself: so they did to all Israel that came to sacrifice to the Lord in Selom. [15] And before the fat was burnt for a sweet savour, the servant of the priest would come, and say to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest, and I will by no means take of thee sodden flesh out of the caldron. [16] And if the man that sacrificed said, First let the fat be burned, as it is fit, and take for thyself of all things which thy soul desires: then he would say, Nay, for thou shalt give it me now; and if not I will take it by force. [17] So the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord, for they set at nought the offering of the Lord.
[18] And Sam
uel ministered before the Lord, a child girt with a linen ephod. [19] And his mother made him a little doublet, and brought it to him from year to year, in her going up in company with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. [20] And Heli blessed Helcana and his wife, saying The Lord recompense to thee seed of this woman, in return for the loan which thou hast lent to the Lord: and the man returned to his place.
[21] And the Lord visited Anna, and she bore yet three sons, and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the Lord.
[22] And Heli was very old, and he heard what his sons did to the children of Israel. [23] And he said to them, Why do ye according to this thing, which I hear from the mouth of all the people of the Lord? [24] Nay my sons, for the report which I hear is not good; do not so, for the reports which I hear are not good, so that the people do not serve God. [25] If a man should at all sin against another, then shall they pray for him to the Lord; but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall intreat for him? But they hearkened not to the voice of their father, because the Lord would by all means destroy them. [26] And the child Samuel advanced, and was in favour with God and with men.
[27] And a man of God came to Heli, and said, Thus says the Lord, I plainly revealed myself to the house of thy father, when they were servants in Egypt to the house of Pharao. [28] And I chose the house of thy father out of all the tribes of Israel to minister to me in the priest’s office, to go up to my altar, and to burn incense, and to wear an ephod. And I gave to the house of thy father all the offerings by fire of the children of Israel for food. [29] And wherefore hast thou looked upon my incense-offering and my meat-offering with a shameless eye, and hast honoured thy sons above me, so that they should bless themselves with the first-fruits of every sacrifice of Israel before me? [30] Therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel, I said, Thy house and the house of thy father shall pass before me for ever: but now the Lord says, That be far from me; for I will only honour them that honour me, and he that sets me at nought shall be despised.
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