Lesson 44  Ruth: a love story

  • Read the Bible Background
  • Material skipped –
    • We are moving into a new segment with Ruth.  We will be looking at books that were written about events that took place during the years we have already looked at.
      Sessions 44-47 examine four Bibles stories not included in the chronological biblical story. Ruth, Job, Daniel, and Jonah are self-contained stories concerned with issues that affected Israel in a cosmo­politan age. After the fall of Jerusalem to Babylon, Judah moved into an age of world empires whose conditions differed from those in the period of Israel's ancestors, judges, and kings. These stories raise the following issues: marriage to non-Israelites (Ruth), the inclusion of non-Israelites among God's people (Jonah), assimilation to non-Israel­ite culture and religion (Daniel), and the problem of God's control over catastrophe (Job).
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  • Reading the story
    • Read – Ruth
    • Questions to consider

• Read Ruth 3:1-13. In accord with Naomi's instructions, Ruth ap­proached Boaz while he was sleeping and "uncovered his feet," startling Boaz. Those who read this story in He­brew find more humor in these images than En­glish readers since feet has a "double-meaning" in Hebrew. In Hebrew feet can be a polite way of speaking about genitals.
Now read the passage again and look for other suggestions of sexual intimacy. How might you "fill in the gaps" left by the narrator?

As you review the information in the "Bible Background" (paragraph 6) about the Hebrew word for wing/cloak, compare Ruth's request (3:9) with Boaz's earlier statement (2:11-12).
What does Ruth's request that Boaz spread his cloak over her imply?
How does 3:6-13 suggest a deeper level of meaning for Ruth's earlier response (2:13)?
Why is she not like one of his servants (2:13)?
How has he "comforted" her? (Com­pare David's consoling of Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 12:24.)

·        Read paragraphs 2-4 of the "Bible Background." Now read Ruth 1:6-18 and 4:1-12.
How does the story of Ruth answer the first question identified in paragraph 3 of the "Bible Background"?
 In what situa­tion might the question of marriage between Judeans and foreigners have been a problem?
When has the problem of "foreign marriage" been an issue in the twentieth century?

·        Now read Ruth 1:19-21 and 4:13-17.
Why do you think having descendants was so important in the biblical period1?
What are the modern reasons for having children? How have the reasons changed since ancient times?
Do you think God causes or prevents the birth of children?

 

 

 

  • Making the story your own

A variety of factors in the ancient world (diffi­culty of travel and long-distance communica­tion, limited cross-cultural contact) combined to make marriage between people of different back­grounds unusual and even forbidden. Though some restrictions are still present in the twentieth cen­tury, the factors that limited intermarriage are less prevalent in highly industrialized societies. Changes in communication, mobility, and immi­gration all make marriages between people of dif­ferent culture, religion, and ethnicity more likely.
How does the story of Ruth speak to our modern context?

Memory verse: Ruth 1:16

“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.”

 

Bible Background (taken from Journey through the Bible, Christian Board of Publications, 1995, p. 130)

'Using the form of a short story, the book of Ruth tells the story of Ruth and Naomi. (Other books written in a short story form include Esther and Jonah.) Some scholars date the composition of Ruth as early as the 10th century B.C.E. by arguing that Ruth has similarities to the "Joseph Story" (Genesis 37—50). Others, however, think the book reacts to the "mixed marriage" controversy during the 5th century B.C.E. after the Babylonian exile (as addressed in Ezra 10). These differences of opinion cannot be resolved easily because they have more to do with one's general presuppositions about the age of biblical texts than with concrete "evidence" in the story itself.

2 A more fruitful approach of study focuses on the literary artistry of the story as well as the problems that it addresses. Ruth has a symmetrical "A-B-B-A" structure in which chapters 1 and 4 (A) and chapters 2 and 3 (B) mirror each other. Chap­ters 1 and 4 provide a framework for the story, introducing background information (1) and con­cluding events (4). Chapters 2 and 3 explore the story in detail.

3The framework chapters (1 and 4) deal with two basic questions. First, do family obligations continue after the death of the husband of a foreign wife? The women of the book—Naomi, Orpah, and Ruth—address this question first (1:6-18). Two men—Boaz and the unnamed next of kin—take up the problem near the end of the book (4:1-12).

4Chapters 1 and 4 also take up a second ques­tion: Will God bless Naomi with descendants or not? Both chapters take up this question in a dia­logue between the women of Bethlehem and Naomi (1:19-21; 4:13-17). In fact, Naomi's situation un­dergoes a reversal in both chapters. In chapter 1 she initially appears with a husband and two sons before losing all three to death. In chapter 4 Ruth reverses the loss of her mother-in-law Naomi, re­storing her to prosperity. Boaz, Naomi's new pro­tector, ensures her future by enabling Ruth to bear a son. Yet the Bethlehem women affirm Ruth as

Naomi's real protector: "Your daughter-in-law...is more to you than seven sons" (4:15b).

5In chapters 1 and 4, which summarize larger periods of time, events move rather rapidly. Be­tween these framing chapters, the narrator slows the pace noticeably in chapters 2 and 3 to focus on the main characters Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz. In this middle section, the narrator highlights two inci­dents involving Ruth and Boaz. The first takes place in Boaz's field during the barley harvest. The second occurs at Boaz's threshing floor where the barley is being winnowed. Both chapters surround the encounter between Ruth and Boaz with "before and after" scenes starring Ruth and Naomi. Both times Ruth returns to Naomi laden with grain.

6The use of a Hebrew word with two meanings also secures the relationship between the two chap­ters. In the initial encounter, Ruth asks Boaz why he has responded favorably to her despite her status as a foreigner. Boaz replies that he has heard about her faithfulness to Naomi. He then offers the hope that Ruth will be fully rewarded by "the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge" (2:12b, italics added). The same Hebrew word means both wing and cloak. It shows up in chapter 3 when Ruth requests Boaz to spread his cloak over her (3:9). Thus Boaz himself becomes the protector and reward he hoped God would grant to Ruth.

7Finally, the abundance of food at the grain harvest in Boaz's field stands in sharp contrast to the famine that encourages Elimelech and Naomi to leave Judah for Moab. A series of ironies re­volves around the question of food. First, Bethlehem (literally, "house of bread") faces a famine. So Elimelech leaves the "place of bread" for the fields of Moab. However, immediately after arriving in Moab, Elimelech dies. Upon hearing that God has given bread to Judah, Naomi returns. The initial lack of bread and failed family line contrast with the abundant grain harvest and continued family in the fields of Boaz at Bethlehem. Did Elimelech's failure to remain in Judah demonstrate a lack of trust in God that resulted in Elimelech's disaster in Moab? The story of Ruth continues to speak to us today about the important role of women, and about placing trust in God in the midst of desperate situations.

 

 

 

 Scripture

Ruth

                                    CHAPTER 1                                  

 

In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land, and a

certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to live in the country of Moab, he and

his wife and two sons.

The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the

names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion; they were Ephrathites from

Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there.

But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons.

These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the

other Ruth. When they had lived there about ten years,

both Mahlon and Chilion also died, so that the woman was left without her two

sons and her husband.

Then she started to return with her daughters-in-law from the country of Moab,

for she had heard in the country of Moab that the LORD had considered his people

and given them food.

So she set out from the place where she had been living, she and her two

daughters-in-law, and they went on their way to go back to the land of Judah.

But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go back each of you to your

mother's house. May the LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the

dead and with me.

The LORD grant that you may find security, each of you in the house of your

husband." Then she kissed them, and they wept aloud.

They said to her, "No, we will return with you to your people."

But Naomi said, "Turn back, my daughters, why will you go with me? Do I still

have sons in my womb that they may become your husbands?

Turn back, my daughters, go your way, for I am too old to have a husband.

Even if I thought there was hope for me, even if I should have a husband tonight

and bear sons, would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, it has been far more bitter for me than for you,

because the hand of the LORD has turned against me."

Then they wept aloud again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to

her.

So she said, "See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her

gods; return after your sister-in-law."

But 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.

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!"

When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to

her.

So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they came to

Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them;  and the women said, "Is

this Naomi?"

She said to them, "Call me no longer Naomi, call me Mara, for the Almighty

has dealt bitterly with me.

I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty; why call me Naomi

when the LORD has dealt harshly with me, and the Almighty has brought calamity

upon me?"

So Naomi returned together with Ruth the Moabite, her daughter- in-law, who

came back with her from the country of Moab. They came to Bethlehem at the

beginning of the barley harvest.

 

 

 

                                    CHAPTER 2                                  

Now Naomi had a kinsman on her husband's side, a prominent rich man, of the

family of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz.

And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, "Let me go to the field and glean among

the ears of grain, behind someone in whose sight I may find favor." She said to

her, "Go, my daughter."

So she went. She came and gleaned in the field behind the reapers. As it

happened, she came to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the

family of Elimelech.

Just then Boaz came from Bethlehem. He said to the reapers, "The LORD be with

you." They answered, "The LORD bless you."

Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, "To whom does

this young woman belong?"

The servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, "She is the Moabite who

came back with Naomi from the country of Moab.

She said, 'Please, let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the

reapers.' So she came, and she has been on her feet from early this morning

until now, without resting even for a moment."

Then Boaz said to Ruth, "Now listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in

another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women.

Keep your eyes on the field that is being reaped, and follow behind them. I

have ordered the young men not to bother you. If you get thirsty, go to the

vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn."

Then she fell prostrate, with her face to the ground, and said to him, "Why

have I found favor in your sight, that you should take notice of me, when I am a

foreigner?"

But Boaz answered her, "All that you have done for your mother- in-law since

the death of your husband has been fully told me, and how you left your father

and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know

before.

May the LORD reward you for your deeds, and may you have a full reward from

the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge!"

Then she said, "May I continue to find favor in your sight, my lord, for you

have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, even though I am not one of

your servants."

At mealtime Boaz said to her, "Come here, and eat some of this bread, and dip

your morsel in the sour wine." So she sat beside the reapers, and he heaped up

for her some parched grain. She ate until she was satisfied, and she had some

left over.

When she got up to glean, Boaz instructed his young men, "Let her glean even

among the standing sheaves, and do not reproach her.

You must also pull out some handfuls for her from the bundles, and leave them

for her to glean, and do not rebuke her."

So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had

gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley.

She picked it up and came into the town, and her mother-in-law saw how much

she had gleaned. Then she took out and gave her what was left over after she

herself had been satisfied.

Her mother-in-law said to her, "Where did you glean today? And where have you

worked? Blessed be the man who took notice of you." So she told her

mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and said, "The name of the man with whom

I worked today is Boaz."

Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, "Blessed be he by the LORD, whose

kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!" Naomi also said to her, "The

man is a relative of ours, one of our nearest kin."

Then Ruth the Moabite said, "He even said to me, 'Stay close by my servants,

until they have finished all my harvest.'"

Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law, "It is better, my daughter, that you

go out with his young women, otherwise you might be bothered in another field."

So she stayed close to the young women of Boaz, gleaning until the end of the

barley and wheat harvests; and she lived with her mother-in-law.

 

 

 

                                    CHAPTER 3                                  

 

Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, "My daughter, I need to seek some

security for you, so that it may be well with you.

Now here is our kinsman Boaz, with whose young women you have been working.

See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor.

Now wash and anoint yourself, and put on your best clothes and go down to the

threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished

eating and drinking.

When he lies down, observe the place where he lies; then, go and uncover his

feet and lie down; and he will tell you what to do."

She said to her, "All that you tell me I will do."

So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had

instructed her.

When Boaz had eaten and drunk, and he was in a contented mood, he went to lie

down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came stealthily and uncovered his

feet, and lay down.

At midnight the man was startled, and turned over, and there, lying at his

feet, was a woman!

He said, "Who are you?" And she answered, "I am Ruth, your servant; spread

your cloak over your servant, for you are next-of-kin."

He said, "May you be blessed by the LORD, my daughter; this last instance of

your loyalty is better than the first; you have not gone after young men,

whether poor or rich.

And now, my daughter, do not be afraid, I will do for you all that you ask,

for all the assembly of my people know that you are a worthy woman.

But now, though it is true that I am a near kinsman, there is another kinsman

more closely related than I.

Remain this night, and in the morning, if he will act as next- of-kin for

you, good; let him do it. If he is not willing to act as next-of-kin for you,

then, as the LORD lives, I will act as next-of-  kin for you. Lie down until the

morning."

So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before one person could

recognize another; for he said, "It must not be known that the woman came to the

threshing floor."

Then he said, "Bring the cloak you are wearing and hold it out. " So she held

it, and he measured out six measures of barley, and put it on her back; then he

went into the city.

She came to her mother-in-law, who said, "How did things go with you, my

daughter?" Then she told her all that the man had done for her, saying, "He gave me these six measures of barley, for he said, 'Do not go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.'"

She replied, "Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out,

for the man will not rest, but will settle the matter today.  "

 

 

                                    CHAPTER 4                                  

No sooner had Boaz gone up to the gate and sat down there than the

next-of-kin, of whom Boaz had spoken, came passing by. So Boaz said, "Come over,

friend; sit down here." And he went over and sat down.

Then Boaz took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, "Sit down here";

so they sat down.

He then said to the next-of-kin, "Naomi, who has come back from the country of

Moab, is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our kinsman Elimelech.

So I thought I would tell you of it, and say: Buy it in the presence of those

sitting here, and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem

it, redeem it; but if you will not, tell me, so that I may know; for there is no

one prior to you to redeem it, and I come after you." So he said, "I will redeem

it."

Then Boaz said, "The day you acquire the field from the hand of Naomi, you are

also acquiring Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead man, to maintain the dead

man's name on his inheritance."

At this, the next-of-kin said, "I cannot redeem it for myself without damaging

my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem

it."

Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and

exchanging: to confirm a transaction, the one took off a sandal and gave it to

the other; this was the manner of attesting in Israel.

So when the next-of-kin said to Boaz, "Acquire it for yourself," he took off

his sandal.

Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, "Today you are witnesses that

I have acquired from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all

that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon.

I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, to be my wife, to

maintain the dead man's name on his inheritance, in order that the name of the

dead may not be cut off from his kindred and from the gate of his native place;

today you are witnesses."

Then all the people who were at the gate, along with the elders, said, "We

are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman who is coming into your house like

Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you produce

children in Ephrathah and bestow a name in Bethlehem; and, through the children that the LORD will give you by this young woman, may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah."

So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When they came together, the LORD

made her conceive, and she bore a son.

Then the women said to Naomi, "Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this

day without next-of-kin; and may his name be renowned in Israel!

He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for

your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has

borne him."

Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her bosom, and became his nurse.

The women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, "A son has been born

to Naomi." They named him Obed; he became the father of Jesse, the father of

David.

Now these are the descendants of Perez: Perez became the father of Hezron,

Hezron of Ram, Ram of Amminadab, Amminadab of Nahshon, Nahshon of Salmon, Salmon of Boaz, Boaz of Obed, Obed of Jesse, and Jesse of David.

 

 

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