Elimelech Takes His Family to Live in Moab

1 And it happened in the days when the judges ruled,[fn] there was a famine in the land, and a man from Bethlehemof Judah went to reside[fn] in the countryside of Moab—he and his wife and his two sons. 2 And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephraimites from Bethlehem in Judah. And they went to the countryside of Moab and remained there.

3 But Elimelech the husband of Naomi died and she was left behind with her two sons.[fn] 4 And they took[fn] for themselves Moabite wives. The name of the onewas Orpah and the name of the other was Ruth. And they lived there about ten years. 5 But both[fn] Mahlon and Kilion died, and the woman was left without her two sons and without her husband.