Lux Domini

Ruth 1

Chapter context

What is happening in Ruth 1?

hesedprovidenceloyaltyredemption

Ruth 1 belongs to the opening movement of the book, especially the section often described as famine, migration to Moab, and widowhood. Ruth is a short narrative of loss, loyal love, field gleaning, redemption, marriage, and the hidden providence that leads toward the house of David. Read this chapter with the wider themes of hesed, providence, and loyalty in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.

1 Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.   2 And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.   3 And Elimelech Naomi’s husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.   4 And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years.   5 And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.   6 Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread.   7 Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.   8 And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother’s house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.   9 The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.   10 And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.   11 And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?   12 Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons;   13 Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me.   14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.   15 And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.   16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:   17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.   18 When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.   19 So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?   20 And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.   21 I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?   22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.  

Study helps

Glossary

Bethlehem Place v. 1-2, 19, 22

House of bread. (1. ) A city in the “hill country” of Judah. It was originally called Ephrath ( Gen. 35:16 , 19; 48:7; Ruth 4:11 ). It was also called Beth-lehem Ephratah ( Micah 5:2 ), Beth-lehem-judah. Modern identification: Bethlehem.

Moab Place v. 1-2, 4, 6, 22

Biblical region. Modern identification: Kerak.

Chilion Person v. 2, 5

The pining one, the younger son of Elimelech and Naomi, and husband of Orpah, Ruth’s sister ( Ruth 1:2 ; 4:9 ).

Elimelech Tribe v. 2-3

God his king, a man of the tribe of Judah, of the family of the Hezronites, and kinsman of Boaz, who dwelt in Bethlehem in the days of the judges.

Naomi Person v. 2, 8, 11, 19-22

The lovable; my delight, the wife of Elimelech, and mother of Mahlon and Chilion, and mother-in-law of Ruth (1:2, 20, 21; 2:1).

Orpah Person v. 4, 14

Forelock or fawn, a Moabitess, the wife of Chilion ( Ruth 1:4 ; 4:10 ). On the death of her husband she accompanied Naomi, her mother-in-law, part of the way to Bethlehem, and then returned to Moab.

Ruth Person v. 4, 14, 16, 22

A friend, a Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, whose father, Elimelech, had settled in the land of Moab.

City People v. 19

The earliest mention of city-building is that of Enoch, which was built by Cain ( Gen. 4:17 ). After the confusion of tongues, the descendants of Nimrod founded several cities (10:10-12).