Ruth 1

Ru 1:1 In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land, and a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab.

In the days when the judges ruled – The ‘judges’ spoken of were not legal functionaries, but people raised up by God to be deliverers in a time of national trouble. These were days of:-

1. Sinfulness, Jud 2:11
2. Servitude, Jud 2:14
3. Sorrow, Jud 2:15
4. Scarcity, Jud 6:6 Ru 1:1

‘The story of Ruth takes place sometime during the period of the rule of the judges. These were dark days for Israel, when “everyone did as he saw fit.” {Jud 17:6 21:25} But during those dark and evil times, there were still some who followed God. Naomi and Ruth are beautiful examples of loyalty, friendship, and commitment – to God and to each other.’ (Life Application Bible)

There was a famine – The severity of which may have been made worse by unsettled times which characterised the period of the Judges. In the days of Gideon, for example, we know that the Midianites destroyed both cattle and produce, Judg 6:3f.

The land is, of course, Canaan. Palestine has rather uncertain rainfall, and so drought, and consequently famines, were quite common, taking place during the lifetimes of Abraham, Ge 12:10; David, 2Sa 21:1; and Elijah, 1Ki 17:1. Local variations could occur, so that a famine in Judah might not affect neighboring Moab. Morover, the chaotic time of the judges (Jud 21:25; cf 6:3f) would have exacerbated matters.

A man – God is interested the concerns of individuals as well as the issues of the cosmos.

Bethlehem – means ‘House of Bread’, a name which indicates its unusual fertility.

Went to live for a while – Moving house is a stressful experience. It means turning your back on familiar people and places, and finding your way in a new environment.

Moab was the son of Lot, the evil fruit of the incestuous relation of Lot with one of his daughters, Gen 19:36f. Moabites had hired Balaam to curse Israel {Nu 22:1-8} during Israel’s pilgrimage to Canaan.

Moab was fifty miles away, south-east across the Dead Sea. It was populated by people descended from Lot, Ge 19:37. Their worship of the Chemosh seems to have involved human sacrifice. Moab was one of the nations that oppressed Israel during the period of the judges, {Jud 3:12ff} so there was hostility between the two nations. The famine must have been quite severe in Israel for Elimelech to move his family here. They were called Ephrathites becase Ephrath was an earlier name for Bethlehem. Even if Israel had already defeated Moab, there would still have been tensions between them.

Ru 1:2 The man’s name was Elimelech, his wife’s name Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there.

The man’s name was Elimelech – Like other Hebrew authors, the writer of this book shows an interest in people’s names. ‘Elimelech’ means ‘My God is King’, and our author may be wanting to remind us of the irony of a man with such a name lacking confidence in the sovereign care of Yahweh.

Naomi means ‘pleasant’; ‘delightful’, cf. 1:20.

They were Ephathites – The meaning of this term is uncertain. It may be that Ephrathah was a clan name of a family in Bethlehem whose importance made the clan name a synonym for the city. If so, Elimelech and his family are members of the local aristocracy. This is borne out by the indication that Naomi was clearly not a nobody when she returned, v19, and by her exclamation that she had left for Moab as a wealthy person, v21.

They went to Moab and lived there – Perhaps the writer of this book wishes us to understand that this was not a wise move on the part of Elimelech. Those who stayed at Bethlehem fared well (v6), whereas Elimelech and his two sons all perished in Moab. Elimelech’s widow, Naomi, was left in much more difficult straits than if they had remained at Bethlehem. So, Elimelech’s move to Moab may have been motivated in part by a lack of faith in God’s providence. Nevertheless, the rest of the book demonstrates ‘that God’s gracious providence is not bound by man’s foolishness’ (Atkinson).

Ru 1:3 Now Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons.

‘There was almost nothing worse than being a widow in the ancient world. Widows were taken advantage of or ignored. They were almost always poverty stricken. God’s law, therefore, provided that the nearest relative of the dead husband should care for the widow; but Naomi had no relatives in Moab, and she did not know if any of her relatives were alive in Israel.

Even in her desperate situation, Naomi had a selfless attitude. Although she had decided to return to Israel, she encouraged Ruth and Orpah to say in Moab and start their lives again, even though this would mean hardship for her. Like Naomi, we must consider the needs of others and not just our own. As Naomi discovered, when you act selflessly, others are encouraged to follow your example.’ (Life Application Bible)

Ru 1:4 They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years,

Orpah and…Ruth – These are Moabite names. They were, by upbringing, worshipers of Chemosh.

Ru 1:5 both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.

One disaster follows another. Surely, Naomi neither expected nor deserved this? How can she continue to believe in a God who treats her in this way? She might even have been tempted to say, “Lord, if this is how you treat your friends, it is no wonder that you have so few!”

Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband – ‘Naomi…was alone, without home, husband, sons, fellowship, or hope of inheritance. What did the worship of Yahweh mean to her now?’ (Atkinson) The OT presents only a partial and shadowy hope in life beyond death. Naomi had to face the prospect that with the death of her husband and her two sons both their name and their inheritance would be lost.

Ru 1:6 When she heard in Moab that the LORD had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, Naomi and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there.

When she heard – Naomi had not cut off the lines of communication with her homeland. Nor, as we shall learn shortly, had she allowed her faith in Yahweh to die even though she was living amongst those who knew him not. We can be encouraged by such faithfulness. ‘Faith…is a living mobile, not a still life. And when some parts swing for a time in the shadow, we trust that they will again emerge into the light as they have many times before.’ (Atkinson)

The Lord – The Book of Ruth is rich in its revelation of who Yahweh is. Here, he is the one who comes to meet his people in their need. The character of God dominates the narrative. It was this Lord who had come to the aid of his people. The report was not that the weather had changed for the better, or that the economy had improved, or that the invaders had departed. No: all is traced to the hand of God. All other factors are second causes. The concentrate on these encourages us to seek to manipulate them; to conentrate on God is the First Cause motivates us to look to him in prayer and faith.

Ruth 1:7  With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah.

Ru 1:8 Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the LORD show kindness to you, as you have shown to your dead and to me.”

‘Desolate Naomi repeatedly urges her daughters-in-law to return to their original homes in Moab; {Ru 1:8,11-12,15} she has nothing to offer them.’ (NIV Study Bible)

Naomi’s love and concern for her daughters-in-law is expressed in prayer. ‘Prayer is, as it were, the flip side to the doctrine of providence. Prayer is the acknowledgement, not of the psychological benefit of some mythological exercie, but of the fact that we believe that God is there, God cares, God rules and God provides, and believe it in such a way that we ready to do something on that basis, namely speak to him. Providence reminds us of our creatureliness and dependence on God, and that together with all men, we stand under God’s lordship; prayer is an activity by which we acknowledge that we cannot be our own lord. Providence reminds us that everything is not ultimately absurd or meaningless; prayer is our way of expressing our “yes” to the conviction that God is working his purposes our in nature, in men, in history. Providence is a reminder that the Lord is a God of grace and generosity; prayer is our way of responding to his invitation to be a member of his covenant family, his son or daughter, his co-worker in this world. Providence reminds us that the living God is not an irresistible fate before whom we can only keep silent and passive; prayer is our response to God’s invitation to share fellowship with him, an expression of our union with him. (Atkinson)

“The Lord” – Naomi uses the word ‘Yahweh’, the personal name of the God of Israel, rather than the general word ‘Elohim’ or else ‘Chemosh’, one of the principal gods of the Moabites. {Nu 21:29 1Ki 11:7}

“Kindness” – The underlying word is one of covenant relationship – ‘steadfast love and faithfulness’. It is a word which ‘combines the warmth of God’s fellowship with the security of God’s faithfulness’ (Motyer).

Ru 1:9 “May the LORD grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.” Then she kissed them and they wept aloud

“Rest in the home of another husband” – ‘In antiquity there were, of course, few jobs for women, especially in rural areas, so that marriage was almost the only career open to a woman. It was the one thing that promised stability. Naomi saw no future for the young women in her own country. Being Moabites they would be less likely to remarry in Israel. And what else could they do there other than share her poverty?’ (Leon Morris)

They wept aloud – They were torn between their love for Naomi and their hope of finding stability and support in a second marriage.

Ruth 1:10  and said to her, “We will go back with you to your people.”

Ru 1:11 But Naomi said, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands?”

“Am I going to have any more sons” – and even if so, would you be content to wait until they were of marriagable age (v13)?

‘Naomi’s comment here…refers to “Levirate marriage,” the obligation of a dead man’s brother to care for the widow. {De 25:5-10} This law kept the widow from poverty and provided a way for the family name of the dead husband to continue. Naomi, however, had no other sons for Ruth or Orpah to marry, so she encouraged them to reamin in their homeland and remarry. Orpah agreed, which was her right. But Ruth was willing to give up the possibility of security and children in order to care for Naomi.’ (Life Application Bible)

Under the Levirate law (referred to by Naomi in 1:11-13), when a man died childless his brother was bound to raise an heir to him by the widow. This law extended to the next of kin, hence Naomi’s plan. Ruth, by her action in verse 7, was claiming this right. It is complicated by the fact that Boaz is not in fact Elimelech’s closest kinsman, but he promises to take up her case.

Ruth 1:12  Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me-even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons-

Ru 1:13 “would you wait until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord’s hand has gone out against me!”

“The Lord’s hand has gone out against me!” – ‘These…words arise from a conviction that underlies the whole of this book, namely, that things do not happen by chance. God is a sovereign God and he brings to pass what he will. Thus Naomi can ascribe responsibility for what has befallen her to no-one but him.’ (Leon Morris)

‘They had each lost a husband. Naomi had lost a husband and two sons as well. Moreover, the young widows could remarry and thus find security and happiness. For Naomi there was no prospect other than a lonely old age.’ (Leon Morris)

‘Despite the pain – even anger – Naomi still holds on to the fact that what she has received is somehow from the Lord’s hands. What is impressive is the truthfulness of her life before God. There is no hiding of the feeling, no pretence that her anger is not there, no sweeping aside with either Stoic upper-lip-stiffness, nor with false affirmations that all in fact feels well.’ (Atkinson)

We do well to remember that ‘Christians grieve too’, although not as those who have no hope. Death has indeed lost its sting, but we must not deny the pain of partnig to those who are bereaved. Did not even Jesus weep at the tomb of a friend?

Even though she perceives the Lord’s hand in the famine, in the bereavements, and in the apparent hopelessness of the present situation; even though she experiences God almost as her enemy (“The Lord’s hand has gone out against me!”), she still refers to God by his covenant name of Yahweh.

Ruth 1:14  At this they wept again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-by, but Ruth clung to her.

Ruth 1:15  “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.”

Ru 1:16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.”

‘There must have been something very beautiful in Naomi’s life thus to win the devotion and love of Ruth, first to herself and then to her God.’ (A.M. Hodgkin, Christ in all the Scriptures, 59)

‘This classic expression of loyalty and love discloses the true character of Ruth. Her commitment to Naomi is complete, even though it holds no prospect for her but to share in Naomi’s desolation.’ (NIV Study Bible) Cf 2Sa 15:21

‘The Targum…gives the following interpretation of these verses:- “And Ruth said, ‘Entreat me not to leave thee, for I desire to become a proselyte.’ And Naomi said, ‘We are commanded to keep the Sabbath and other holy days, and on it not to travel more than two thousand cubits.’ And Ruth said, ‘Whither thou goest, I will go.’ And Naomi said, ‘We are commanded not to lodge with Gentiles.’ Ruth answered, ‘Where thou lodgest, I will lodge.’ And Naomi said, ‘We are commanded to observe the one hundred and thirteen precepts.’ Ruth answered, ‘What they people observe, that will I observe, as if they had been my people of old.’ And Naomi said, ‘We are commanded not to worship with any strange worship or strange gods.’ Ruth answered, ‘Thy God shall be my God.’ Naomi said, ‘It is our custom, if at all possible, to be buried in our own country.’ Ruth answered, ‘Where thou diest, I will die.’ Naomi said, ‘We have a family place for burial.’ Ruth answered, ‘And there I will be buried also.’ (World’s Bible Handbook, 137)

Spurgeon comments that ‘affection for the godly should influence us to godliness’, and adds the following particulars:-

1. The influence of companionship.
2. The influence of admiration.
3. The influence of instruction.
4. The desire to cheer the godly persons whom we love.
5. The fear of separation.

Spurgeon also notes that ‘resolves to godliness will be tested’. Ruth’s resolve had been tested by:-

1. ‘The poverty and the sorrow of her mother-in-law.’ ‘Naomi said, “The Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me;” yet Ruth says, “Thy God shall be my God.”‘
2. ‘When she was bidden to count the cost.’ Naomi had set before her the hopelessness of her prospects. Those who would say to Christians, ‘Your God will be my God’ should realise what they may have to give up, as well as what they stand to gain.
3. ‘The apparent coldness of one in whom she trusted.’
4. ‘The drawing back of her sister-in-law.’
5. ‘The silence of Naomi.’

Ruth 1:17  Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.”

Ruth 1:18  When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.

Ruth 1:19  So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”

Ru 1:20 “Don’t call me Naomi, ” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter.”

‘Naomi’ means ‘pleasant’; whereas ‘Mara’ means ‘bitter’.

“The Almighty” – This translates the Heb. Shaddai.

‘Naomi had experienced severe hardships. She had left Israel married and secure; she returned widowed and poor. Naomi changed her name to express the bitterness and pain she felt. Naomi was not rejecting God by openly expressing her pain. However, she seems to have lost sight of the tremendous resources she had in her relationship with Ruth and with God. When you face bitter times, God welcomes your honest prayers, but be careful not to overlook the love, strength, and resources that he provides in your present relationships. And don’t allow bitterness and disappointment to blind you to your oportunities.’ (Life Application Bible)

‘Naomi recognised that the tragedies of her life were not accidents but that the hand of God had been in each of them. God is the Almighty, the one who controls all the circumstances of life. He is not powerless in the presence of evil, but remains the sovereign God, who can make all things work together for the good of his children, Ro 8:28.’ (Wycliffe Bible Commentary)

Ru 1:21 “I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.”

“The Lord has afflicted me” – see Job 1:21. It was not possible for Naomi at the time to understand that God’s plan for both her and Ruth was for good, and not for evil. But as Christians we know more clearly than her that this is often God’s way. It was just so with the cross of Christ. At the climax of his suffering, our Lord cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” At the very moment that he feels forsaken by God, he is still able to call him, “My God, my God.” Christ was once forsaken by God so that we might never be. We may come to him with our burdens of guilt and sorrow and shame, and cast our burdens on him.

Ruth 1:22  So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning.