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Famine in the land of Canaan in Israel.
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Elimelech and his wife Naomi went to live in Moab with their two sons(Mahlon and Chilion).
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Elimelech dies and Naomi is left with her two sons.
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Naomi's sons marry two women of Moab, Oprah and Ruth.
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When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to stay with her, they both set off on the road to Bethlehem.
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After 10 years, Mahlon and Chilion die. Naomi, Oprah, and Ruth were all widows and all they had was each other.
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When Naomi heard that the Lord has granted food for the people in Bethlehem, she decides to return along with Oprah and Ruth.
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Naomi then told her two daughter-in-laws, ‘Go back to your own mothers’ homes. May the Lord show you the same kindness you have show to your dead husbands and to me. May God help you find new husbands.’
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So she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. And they said to her, “Surely we will return with you to your people.”
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Orpah and Ruth wept again. Orpah kissed Naomi goodbye and returned home to her mother’s house. Ruth however clung hold of Naomi and would not let go
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‘Don’t urge me to leave you,’ Ruth replied. ‘Where you go I will go, where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God will be my God. Where you die I will die
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When they got there Ruth decided that she should do some kind of work. It was harvest time, so she worked in the fields following behind the harvesters and picked up any barley that they had dropped.
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The worker of the field came by and saw Ruth working. His name was Boaz and he was related to Elimelech(Naomi's husband).
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Boaz went to go talk to Ruth, he said to her, "Don't go work in any other field but stay here with the other servant girls. I will make sure you are safe and whenever you are thirsty go and get a drink from the water jars." When Ruth heard this she bowed down to Boaz and asked, "Why are you being so nice to me, I'm not even from here."
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Boaz replied, "I know what you've done for Naomi, you left your family and moved to a place you've never been. May the Lord reward you for your kindness."
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Ruth thanked Boaz and continued with her work. Boaz even ordered his workers to drop extra barley so Ruth could have more for herself. She took all the barley home and shared what she had with Naomi.
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Naomi encourages Ruth to seek marriage with Boaz.
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So Boaz took Ruth and married her. The Lord let her become pregnant, and she gave birth to a son named Obed, grandfather of King David and an ancestry of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
