An interesting textual parallel rounds out Ruth’s speech, indicating the extent to which Ruth is concerned here with Naomi’s needs. Her faith under the greatest trials has an impact on her daughter-in-law, Ruth, so that Ruth is ready to accept Naomi's God as her God. Leviticus 23:22 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God. She simply communicates presence. After this speech, spoken in the first chapter, the story moves on to tell of Ruth and Naomi’s life together. She swears that she will join the Israelites rather than the Moabites and will even follow the God of Israel. biblemail@oremus.org Technically, this poem needs work in meter, which is easily remedied; and, rhyme is sporadic, leading me to … His Word has no contaminations. 2 And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go into the fields and glean heads of grain after someone in whose sight I may find favor.” “Go ahead, my daughter,” Naomi replied. With such tragedy in her life, she decided to return home. Although most scholars interpret these verses as a lit- erary expression of fidelity, others suggest that they may refer to a contractual relationship in which 16 But Ruth said, "Do not press me to leave you or to turn back from following you! Why that is is evident in the text. Naomi Loses Her Husband and Sons. When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped trying to persuade her. 1 During the time # 1:1 Lit In the days of the judging of the judges, # Jdg 2:16–18 there was a famine in the land. While Orpah returned to her mother's home, Ruth clung to Naomi and told her that she will stay with her and that Naomi's God and people will be her God and people. As the story progresses, Naomi comes to believe that Ruth has a chance of finding "security" with Boaz, a kinsman. Her husband is Jewish. That sort of response would not have been possible had Naomi not set such an example in life, in faith and in loss. And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, Let me go, I pray thee, to the cornfields, that I may glean among the ears after whosoever shall show me favor. A night-time rendezvous is planned, and the encounter is favourable (see Ruth 3 for the story). So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab() 2 The man’s name was Elimelek, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion() They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah How we act is so important but how w… Ruth, Naomi’s daughter-in-law, became an important link in God’s larger purpose to bless all nations. Naomi departed from her native land with her husband and two sons to escape tough economic conditions. Read Ruth 1:16-17 ‘But Ruth said, “Do not press me to leave you or to turn back from following you! The Bible book of Ruth tells about God’s dealings with one family in Israel during the time of the Judges. Ruth declares her commitment in a well-known speech that culminates in her desire to die and be buried in the same land as Naomi (1:16-17). The Bechdel Test was designed to assess whether female film characters have an independent life outside of their relationship to male characters. It is likely that Ruth married Naomi’s son as a girl of 14 or 15, perhaps as old as 17, so she would have grown from that age to an adult of 24-27 years of age alongside Naomi and she appears to have bonded with her emotionally. BonnieQ - Ruth and Naomi's story is a beautiful one that every mother-in-law relates to: if they have such a daughter-in-law. Ruth then swears loyalty to Naomi in these words that anticipate the vow of the prophet Elisha to the prophet Elijah (2 Kings 2:2). The biblical storyteller chronicles how Ruth cared for Naomi by taking the only job available to a husbandless woman, gleaning. Naomi and Ruth, though greatly reduced in circumstances, and painfully pent up in present straits, were far from being Paupers. She refuses to leave. These words are often read at Christian wedding ceremonies and used in sermons to illustrate the ideal love that spouses should have for one another. It’s a love story, really. Naomi tries to convince Ruth to stay in Moab, but in a beautiful and moving speech, Ruth vows to stay with Naomi forever. While in Moab, her husband and sons all died. They came to the country of Moab and remained there. Ruth assured her that her faith was no longer in the false god of the Moabites but in the one true God of Naomi. Ruth made a commitment to follow Naomi’s God as well (Ruth 1:16). # Gn 12:10; 26:1; 43:1; 2Kg 8:1 A man left Bethlehem # Jdg 17:7; 19:1 in Judah with his wife and two sons to stay in the territory of Moab for a while. The words are written specifically for specific purposes. Ruth holds a thoroughly action-oriented, thoroughly pragmatic theology. When he dies, Ruth decides to return with his mother, Naomi, to Bethlehem in Israel. Naomi’s embittered speech to the townswomen had conveyed the enormity of her loss: “I left full and God returned me empty ( reikam )” ( Ruth 1:21). Deuteronomy 24:19-21 When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands…, Ruth -- 'friendship', a Moabite ancestress of David, Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular, Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular, Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular, Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine plural, Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that, Preposition-b | Noun - cdc | third person masculine singular, Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular, To come forth to, appear, exist, to attain, find, acquire, to occur, meet, be present, Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular, Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular. Where you go, I will go; Where you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people and your God my God. Naomi’s people would become her own people, for Ruth was ready to leave behind everything she knew in Moab—even the Moabite gods. The owner’s name was, Boaz. Verses 19-21 19 The two of them traveled until they came to Bethlehem. Doing the Right Thing Often Takes Great Sacrifice. Boaz, was kind to, Ruth, and invited her to join him and his workers for a meal. It’s not about God’s actions or intents, but her own. Ruth swears to follow Naomi, to lodge where she lodges. First, when Naomi's whole life seemed to cave in while in Moab, it was God who gave Ruth to Naomi. Ruth then swears loyalty to Naomi in these words that anticipate the vow of the prophet Elisha to the prophet Elijah (2 Kings 2:2). In 1:16 we learn that at the root of Ruth's commitment to Naomi is Ruth's commitment to Naomi's God: "Your God shall be my God." They were proprietors (see Ruth 4:3, 5). Ruth swears to follow Naomi, to lodge where she lodges. Many times I’ve gotten so discouraged by Satan, my own weak flesh, or another opposing entity, that I’ve finally resorted to speaking out loud the truth of Scripture. Open your Bibles to the book of Ruth. And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. Boaz, saw that, Ruth, was a good worker who cared for, Naomi. It had either been farmed out … We know this from two verses. Doing the right thing isn’t always easy. And she said to her, Go, my daughter. bible browser This part of the story contains Ruth’s famous speech of loyalty to her mother-in-law Naomi. Naomi’s silence following Ruth’s speech seems to imply that she consents to Ruth accompanying her, but it tells us nothing about whether she reciprocates Ruth’s feelings. Leviticus 19:9,16 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest…. Boaz’s speech to the unnamed kinsman (Ruth 4:5) is difficult. She swears that she will join the Israelites rather than the Moabites and will even follow the God of Israel. 17 Where you die, I will die there will I be buried.May the Lord do thus and so to me, and more as well,if even death parts me from you!, New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Ruth lives in Moab with her husband and her husband’s family. She would abandon the gods of Moab, and Ruth and Naomi would both be committed to the one true God of Israel. The figures of speech are there to draw our attention to specific messages in specific ways. She argues that the speech Ruth gave to Naomi was Ruth’s declaration of her undying love for Naomi and believes that because Ruth left her father’s family and decided to follow Naomi, this statement was symbolic of lifelong commitment (145). Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “I would like to go to the fields and glean among the ears of grain, behind someone who may show me kindness.” “Yes, daughter, go,” she replied; 3 Christian Bible Study Resources, Dictionary, Concordance and Search Tools. The man’s name was Elimelech, his wife’s name was Naomi, and his two sons were named Mahlon and Chilion—Ephrathites of Bethlehem in Judah. Ruth, however did not, but remained steadfast with her mother-in-law. She does not argue with Naomi’s perception of events, nor does she assert her own. On Ruth's return the next morning, Naomi -- Ruth's mother-in-law -- greets her in 3:16 this way: Used by permission. And throughout Christian history, Ruth's vow to Naomi has been used to illustrate the nature of the marriage covenant. Significantly, when Ruth said, “May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me” (verse 17), she uses the covenant name Yahweh. Naomi and by leaving her own parents and homeland and going into a foreign country, In that same speech to Ruth, Boaz concludes with the following: The “ LORD recompense you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you … Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, OT History: Ruth 2:2 Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi Let (Ru Rut.) Naomi pleaded once again with Ruth to do likewise. 16But Ruth said,Do not press me to leave you or to turn back from following you!Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge;your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Ruth will worship the God that Naomi believes abandoned her. Ruth's vow to Naomi in Ruth 1:16-17 is used in many wedding ceremonies today. All rights reserved worldwide. The little book of four chapters and 85 verses is named for Ruth, but a large part of the story is about the desperate plight of Naomi. Ruth declares “for wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you stay, I will stay. Do as your sister-in-law has done: leave! 3 ג Ruth is one of two books in our Bibles that is named after a woman, the other being Esther. v 2.5.1 This time, Orpah kissed her, took Naomi’s advice, and bid her farewell. I am blessed, for I have such a 'Ruth' in Sandy Christina. What, Ruth, didn’t realize was that the owner of the field was a relative of, Naomi. His speech to Ruth makes it clear that he knew of Naomi’s return from Moab and of Ruth’s faithfulness to her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told me.” Yet for some reason he never sought out Naomi or Ruth until she was before him, then he had to take notice. The words of the Lord are pure words. Ruth’s eloquent speech to Naomi uncovers an incredible treasure in our reading: the power of the spoken word. Boaz, then sent, Ruth, home with grain for, Naomi. In fact, it … Upon returning the Bethlehem, Ruth decided to go into the fields during the barley harvest to pick up leftover grains. Unlike Orpah, Ruth could wholeheartedly say that she wanted Naomi’s God, Jehovah, to be her own God as well. Boaz Meets Ruth 1 Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side, a prominent man of noble character from the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. But their property was not, for the time being, available for income or sustenance. So we have Ruth asking Naomi to cease with the petitions for her to leave and to stop following her. What comes next in Ruth’s speech is truly an amazing statement. Ruth, by chance, chanced upon the field of Boaz--a wealthy man and kinsman to Naomi--where Ruth could glean food. By interpreting one element as an enclitic mem, as found in Eblaite, and by making use of the alternative textual option known as the ketiv, a new meaning for Boaz’s claim emerges. | Prof. Gary Rendsburg The focus is on the quality of their relationship. http://nrsvbibles.org, obb 2 The man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife’s name was Naomi. But now Ruth gives her famous speech: “Do not press me to leave you! Naomi is the theologian of the book of Ruth. 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