Allthe peoplewhowere in the court,and the elders,said,"[We are] witnesses.May the LORDmakethe womanwho is cominginto your homelike Racheland Leah,bothof whombuiltthe houseof Israel;and may you achievewealthin Ephrathahand becomefamousin Bethlehem.
Now Ephronwas sittingamongthe sonsof Heth;and Ephronthe HittiteansweredAbrahamin the hearingof the sonsof Heth;[even] of allwho wentin at the gateof his city,saying,
They blessedRebekahand saidto her, "May you, our sister,Becomethousandsof tenthousands,And may your descendantspossessThe gateof those who hatethem."
Now Labanhad twodaughters;the nameof the olderwas Leah,and the nameof the youngerwas Rachel.
So it cameabout in the morningthat, behold,it was Leah!And he saidto Laban,"Whatis thisyou have doneto me? Was it not for Rachelthat I servedwith you? Whythen have you deceivedme?"
Leahconceivedand borea sonand namedhim Reuben,for she said,"Becausethe LORDhas seenmy affliction;surelynowmy husbandwill loveme."
the sonsof Leah:Reuben,Jacob'sfirstborn,then Simeonand Leviand Judahand Issacharand Zebulun;
the sonsof Rachel:Josephand Benjamin;
So she wrotelettersin Ahab'snameand sealedthem with his seal,and sentlettersto the eldersand to the nobleswhowere livingwith Nabothin his city.
Salmathe fatherof Bethlehem[and] Harephthe fatherof Beth-gader.
Behold,we heardof it in Ephrathah,We foundit in the fieldof Jaar.
The wisewomanbuildsher house,But the foolishtearsit downwith her own hands.
Her husbandis knownin the gates,When he sitsamongthe eldersof the land.
"I signedand sealedthe deed,and calledin witnesses,and weighedout the silveron the scales.
"But as for you, BethlehemEphrathah,[Too] littleto be among the clansof Judah,From you One will goforthfor Me to be rulerin Israel.His goingsforthare from longago,From the daysof eternity."
AND YOU, BETHLEHEM,LANDOF JUDAH,ARE BY NO MEANSLEASTAMONGTHE LEADERSOF JUDAH;FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTHA RULERWHOWILL SHEPHERDMY PEOPLEISRAEL.'"
"But ifthe mandoes not desireto takehis brother'swife,then his brother'swifeshall goup to the gateto the eldersand say,'My husband'sbrotherrefusesto establisha namefor his brotherin Israel;he is not willingto performthe dutyof a husband'sbrotherto me.'
then his brother'swifeshall cometo him in the sightof the elders,and pullhis sandaloffhis footand spitin his face;and she shall declare,'Thusit is doneto the manwhodoes not buildup his brother'shouse.'
The nameof the man[was] Elimelech,and the nameof his wife,Naomi;and the namesof his twosons[were] Mahlonand Chilion,Ephrathitesof Bethlehemin Judah.Now they enteredthe landof Moaband remainedthere.
