What a Good Child

It seems fairly obvious where the book got it’s name from but Ruth is actually one of the books 3 main characters.

Is is remarkable that the book is even named after Ruth -

First: Ruth was not even an Israelite - she was a Moabite. This is the only book in the OT named after a non-Israelite.

Second” Ruth is not the main character of the book. (If you think of a book like a door that we open as we read then the key to the door is found at the beginning, in this case verse 2) - The story actually revolves around Naomi and her family. More importantly, the issues she finds herself in with no husband and her 2 male offspring dead as well.

Third: Character dialogue is of great importance in the book. Out of the 1,294 words in the book 678 or 52.4% of those words occur on the lips of the characters. Of the 3 main characters, Ruth has the least amount of dialogue.

Ruth seems to have been recognized as cannon from the beginning - 4 fragments found in the caves of Qumran (aka- the dead sea scrolls) attest to its importance in the Jewish community.

The placement of Ruth after Judges in the English Bible follows the arrangement of the Septuagint.

Josephus suggests that Ruth was attached to Judges and that it offers the reader a welcome relief. Judges developed the theme of Israel’s increasing spiritual infidelity, this book highlights the presence and nature of genuine spirituality.

Also, in contrast to the Canaanized characters in Judges all the personalities in Ruth display authentic faith and true covenant faithfulness.

There is no consensus on the author or date of writing.

Ruth 1 (CSB)

1 During the time of the judges, there was a famine in the land. A man left Bethlehem in Judah with his wife and two sons to stay in the territory of Moab for a while. 2 The man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife’s name was Naomi. The names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They entered the fields of Moab and settled there.

While we cannot determine the exact date we know the events in Ruth took place between the death of Joshua and the crowning of Saul as king.

Originally from Bethlehem a famine caused Elimelech, his wife Naomi and their two sons to leave adn seek refuge in Moab.

We need to keep in mind the relationship between the Israelites and Moabites. 1. The Moabites originate from the incestuous relationship of Lot and his daughter. 2. The Moabites resistance to letting Israel pass through their territory when leaving Egypt. 3. The Moabite women seduced the Israelite men causing their punishment by God. 4. Israel specifically excludes the Moabites and Ammonites from the assembly of the LORD. 5. Isreal was oppressed by Eglon as we read about in Judges 3.

3 Naomi’s husband, Elimelech, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4 Her sons took Moabite women as their wives: one was named Orpah and the second was named Ruth. After they lived in Moab about ten years, 5 both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and the woman was left without her two children and without her husband.

Not long after their arrival in Moab Elimelech died.

The author clearly shows us the reversal in roles - in vs 1-2 Naomi is introduced as Elimelech’s wife and the sons are his - now Elimelech is named as Naomi’s husband and they are now her 2 sons.

The husband is dead, this is bad, but all is not lost. Naomi still has 2 sons and once married their offspring will keep the family line alive.

Both sons take wives from the Moabite women which is not directly forbidden but only that the Moabites could not enter the congregation of the LORD top the 10th generation.

The author is not clear at what point these marriages took place. We are told after 10 years the 2 sons died - they did not have children.

It is thought that the men in the family were being punished by God for leaving Israel and/or marrying foreign women.

One would assume that the sons were not married that long before they died. The fact that they did not have children can lead us to 2 potential conclusions - 1. As mentioned, they weren’t married that long or 2. They were unable to have children for some reason - usually they would start trying to have children and without birth control the odds are slim that they would have gone 10 years without unless God had a reason for it.

6 She and her daughters-in-law set out to return from the territory of Moab, because she had heard in Moab that the Lord had paid attention to his people’s need by providing them food. 7 She left the place where she had been living, accompanied by her two daughters-in-law, and traveled along the road leading back to the land of Judah. 8 Naomi said to them, “Each of you go back to your mother’s home. May the Lord show kindness to you as you have shown to the dead and to me. 9 May the Lord grant each of you rest in the house of a new husband.” She kissed them, and they wept loudly. 10 They said to her, “We insist on returning with you to your people.”

Naomi heard that God had provided food for His people in Israel - maybe the famine was over.

The glory is given to God for providing, once again indicating the true spiritual depth of Naomi and her faith.

They packed up and headed back toward Bethlehem.

Somewhere along the way Naomi realized the reality of the situation. She had no husband and neither did the girls leaving them alone heading back. This means they have no means of support except maybe what ever Naomi had.

She released her daughter in laws from being with her and told them to go back home.

The girls must have loved Naomi blesses them asking God to show them favor because they were kind to her and her sons. Naomi truly wanted what is best for them but they didn’t want to go.

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 3: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel A. Naomi’s Appeal to Her Daughters-in-Law (1:6-15)

Their devotion, while remarkable in the light of what they were giving up to remain with Naomi, was at the same time high commendation of Naomi’s character. By following her, they were abandoning their families, friends, homeland, deities, and prospects for remarriage.

11 But Naomi replied, “Return home, my daughters. Why do you want to go with me? Am I able to have any more sons who could become your husbands? 12 Return home, my daughters. Go on, for I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me to have a husband tonight and to bear sons, 13 would you be willing to wait for them to grow up? Would you restrain yourselves from remarrying? No, my daughters, my life is much too bitter for you to share, because the Lord’s hand has turned against me.” 14 Again they wept loudly, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

Naomi tries to show them how irrational it would be for them to go with her.

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 3: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel A. Naomi’s Appeal to Her Daughters-in-Law (1:6-15)

The levirate law (Deut 25:5–10) provides for the marriage of a childless widow to a brother-in-law. If the daughters-in-law went with Naomi, as foreigners there would be little or no hope for them of remarriage and homes of their own.

Naomi points out that she is not having any more children and even if she did, why would they wait for those boys to grow up so they could marry.

Naomi has accepted her lot in life but the girls still had a chance.

Underlying the Book of Ruth and the theology of the OT is the belief that nothing happens by chance. God is sovereign and does whatever he desires.

it is a good switch from Judges where the constant statement was “and everyone did what was right in their own eyes” to Naomi who is putting the needs of her daughters in law above her own - not even her own flesh and blood.

Let’s not be too hard on Orpah, from the text it is clear she loved Naomi and was reluctant to leave her but she honored her mother in laws wishes and left. This meant she was returning to her people and their gods…

Orpah kissed her good bye BUT Ruth clung…

15 Naomi said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. Follow your sister-in-law.” 16 But Ruth replied: Don’t plead with me to abandon you or to return and not follow you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. 17 Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me, and do so severely, if anything but death separates you and me. 18 When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped talking to her.

Again Naomi tries to get Ruth to leave and return to her home and to her gods.

The belief was that a deity only had power in the geographical region occupied by its worshippers. This stand in stark contrast for the God of Isreal who had power (and showed it) everywhere.

Ruth’s pledge was not limited to just the journey to Bethlehem but was a commitment to share her home and circumstances.

Ruth renounced her people and their gods - “your people my people; you God my God”.

Only death could separate Ruth from Naomi and she swore a curse on herself if she did not keep the promise - she even used the covenant name of God.

Ruth’s devotion to Naomi should be praised but let’s not forget Naomi’s life so touched Ruth that it caused her to abandon her homeland and her gods.

Naomi realizing the determination of Ruth decided she would not push or even talk to her about leaving again.

19 The two of them traveled until they came to Bethlehem. When they entered Bethlehem, the whole town was excited about their arrival and the local women exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?” 20 “Don’t call me Naomi. Call me Mara,” she answered, “for the Almighty has made me very bitter. 21 I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has opposed me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?”

They made it back to Bethlehem - no small task because the road is plagued by thieves and with 2 women alone they would have been prime targets.

God had a plan to get them home.

Typical small town, when they arrived the whole town was excited for Naomi’s return.

The woman recognized Naomi but the years have taken a toll based on the exclaimation, “Can this be Naomi?”

Naomi means “pleasant” but she asks them to call her Mara which means “bitter”

Naomi attributes her plight to God not as an accusation but as an acknowledgment of His total control of all things.

Here the first part of the books theme is laid out - went away full but now empty.

22 So Naomi came back from the territory of Moab with her daughter-in-law Ruth the Moabitess. They arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.

Verse 22 recaps the events of the chapter but adds a piece of additional info.

It was the time of the barley harvest - April/May.

The wheat harvest would follow a few weeks later, setting the stage for what is about to take place.