And Naomi said, "Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? have I yet sons that they may be your husbands? Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should even have a husband, and should also bear sons; would ye therefore tarry till they were grown? would ye therefore stay from having husbands? nay, my daughters: for it grieveth me much for your sakes, for the hand of the Lord is gone forth against me." And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law; but Ruth clave unto her. And she said, "Behold thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people, and unto her god: return thou after thy sister-in-law." And Ruth said, "Entreat me not to leave thee, and to return from following after thee; for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God; where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me." And when she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, she left off speaking unto her. B. THE ARRIVAL IN BETHLEHEM So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and the women said, "Is this Naomi?" And she said unto them, "Call me not Naomi, call me Mara; for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty; why call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?" So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her; and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest. =§55. In the Barley Field= (Ruth 2) A. THE GLEANERS And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth; and his name was Boaz. And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, "Let me now go to the field, and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor." And she said unto her, "Go, my daughter." And she went, and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and she happened to light on the portion of the field belonging unto Boaz. And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, "The Lord be with you." And they answered him, "The Lord bless thee." Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, "Whose damsel is this?" And he answered, "It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab: and she said, 'Let me glean, I pray you, and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.' So she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, save that she tarried a little in the house."