Bible Stories: Ruth (Part Ia) Poem by Dr John Celes

There was a famine in the land,
Governed by Judges at that time;
Elimelech left Bethlehem,
With wife, Naomi and two sons,
To stay in Moab for a while;
Mahlon and Chilion were their names,
Ephrathites of Bethlehem town;

Their father died while in Moab
The sons took Moabites as wives;
Orpah was one; the other, Ruth;
They lived for about ten years there;
The two sons too happened to die!

Naomi wanted to leave Moab
And come back to Judah, her place;
She told her daughters-in-law to
Return to each one’s mother’s house;
The Lord would deal with them kindly.

She kissed them each; they wept aloud!
They wanted to accompany her;
She told them they were very young;
If they felt, they could remarry;
She did not want them to suffer
Along with her in her old age;
The hand of God was against her!