The Book of Ruth
The
Book of Ruth is often overlooked, but it is a very important book in the
Bible. Ruth was King David’s
Great-Grandmother. She was a
Moabite (one of the enemies of Israel), but she was loyal to her mother-in-law,
Naomi, and converted to the Israelite Religion (which would later be called
Judaism).
This
Book takes place at the same time as the Book of Judges, but it was probably
put into writing many years later.
Notice
the themes of the book:
1.
God provides (Grain is often used in this book)
2.
Redeemer (Boaz is a redeemer – one who makes things right – this is
also looking forward to a Redeemer of All of Israel – who ended up being Jesus
Christ)
3.
Ruth is a “woman of valor” – The only other time this is used is in
Proverbs 31. She is faithful to
Naomi. (In the Jewish order of the Bible, Ruth comes right after Proverbs)
4.
Death and New Life
5.
Faithfulness
6.
God Restores
In
Jewish congregations, Ruth is read on the Jewish Holiday of Shavuot. This commemorates Moses receiving the
Torah (the first 5 books of the Bible) from God. Shavuot is also called Pentecost because it happens 50 Days
after the Passover Holiday. This
book was probably read when the Holy Spirit came to the first Christians. Shavuot also celebrates the grain
harvest. In ancient times, grain
was very important because it was life.
The Torah is also “life” as is the rest of the Bible to Christians.
Here’s
a Bit of Biblical Humor about the Book of Ruth, but yet it contains a lot of
truth: For all the single ladies in such a hurry to get married here is
a piece of Biblical advice. Ruth patiently waited for her mate Boaz. So while
waiting on your Boaz, please do not settle for any of his relatives ...
Brokeaz, Poaz, Lyinaz, Cheatinaz, Dumbaz, Cheapaz, Lockedupaz, Goodfornothinaz,
Lazyaz or Marriedaz and especially his third cousin Beatinyoaz. Please wait on
your Boaz and make sure he respects Yoaz!
What follows is a literal translation from Hebrew to English
that we did in my Hebrew Class.
You’ll see that some of the sentences may seem awkward. This is part of the trouble of
translation. Hebrew and English
are 2 unrelated languages, and do not always have a word for word translation. So, when translating, translators have
to take the meaning (and sometimes they have to guess what is meant) and make
the best decision they can.
Compare this with your own Bible and see how it is different and the
same. I put some notes in
parentheses so that you can understand certain things better.
Chapter 1
1. In
the day when the Judges judged there was a famine in the land. A man from Bethlehem (lit. “House of
Bread”) of Judah went to sojourn in the field of Moab; he, his wife, and his
two sons.
2. The
name of the Man was Elimelech (lit. “My God is King”) and the name of his wife
was Naomi (lit. “My delight), and the names of his two sons were Mahlon (lit.
“sick”) and Chilion (lit. “weakening), Ephrathites from Bethlehem of
Judah. And they went (or entered)
to the field of Moab, and they stayed there.
3. Elimelech,
the husband of Naomi died, and she was left with her two sons.
4. And
they married Moabite women one named Orpah (lit. “gazelle”), and the second
named Ruth (lit. “friend”). And
they dwelt there about ten years.
5. (Then)
also the two, Malhon and Chilion died and the woman was left without her two sons
and without her husband.
6. And
she and her daughters-in-law arose and returned from the field of Moab because
they heard from the field of Moab that the LORD had visited his people and gave
bread (or food) to them.
7. She
went down (left) from the place where she was living with her daughters-in-law
with her and she went on the road (or way) to return to the land of Judah.
8. And
Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Turn back each of you to her mother’s
house, May the LORD show you the faithfulness that that you have made with the
dead and with me.
9. “May
the LORD give to you and may you find rest in the house of your husband,” and
she kissed them and they raised their voices and wept.
10. And they
said to her “We will return with you to your people.”
11. And Naomi
said “Return, my daughters, to your people. Go from me. Why
should you go with me? Do I have
sons in my womb to be husbands for you?
12. “Return,
my daughters, because I am to old for a man. And even if I said ‘there is hope for me, also if tonight I
were with a man, and I also gave birth to sons
13. “should
you wait until they are grown on this account so as not to be with a
husband? No my daughters because
it is more bitter for me than for you because the hand of the LORD has struck.
14. And they
raised their voices and wept, and Orpah kissed the mother-in-law and Ruth clung
to her.
15. And she
said, “Behold, return with your sister-in-law to your people and to your
gods. Follow after your
sister-in-law.”
16. But Ruth
said, “Do not press me not to follow you and to turn from after you; because
where you go, I will go, and where you stay, I will stay, your people will be
my people and your God will be my God,
17. “And where
you die, I will die and there I will be buried. And thus the Lord will do to me and add to me and indeed
only death will separate you and me.”
18. And she saw that she was determined to
go with her and she stopped speaking to her (or trying to convince her not to
go).
19. And the
two of them went and entered Bethlehem, and when they entered Bethlehem, the
whole city buzzed over them and said, “Is this Naomi?”
20. And she
said to them, “Why do you call me Naomi?” Call me Mara (meaning bitter) because Shaddai (Meaning: The Almighty) has embittered me greatly!
21. “I left
full, and the LORD caused me to return empty. How can you call me Naomi when Shaddai (The Almighty) has brought harm upon me?”
22. And Naomi
returned and Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law with her came from the field
of Moab and entered Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.
Chapter 2
1. And
to Naomi, there was a relative of her husband, a man, a mighty man of valor,
from the family of Elimelech (lit. My God
is King) named Boaz.
2. And
Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field, and let me
glean corn after those in whose eyes I find favor.” And she said to her, “Go my daughter.”
3. She
went and entered and gleaned in the field after the reapers and the chance
chanced her (by chance she came) to
the plot of the field of Boaz who was from the family of Elimelech.
4. And
behold! Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, “The Lord be with
you.” And they said to him, “May the Lord bless you.”
5. And
Boaz said to the lad in charge of the reapers, “Who is that young girl?”
6. The
lad over the reapers answered and said, “That girl, she is the Moabite who
returned with Naomi from the Field of Moab.
7. “She
said, ‘Let me glean and let me gather among the sheaves of corn behind the
reapers’ and she entered and she stood from morning until now – as for this
one, her sitting…in the house…a little.” (Intentional
broken speech – Possible because the Lad was nervous – similar to how people
stutter to find words when they are nervous).
8. And
Boaz said to Ruth, “Have you not heard my daughter, don’t go glean from another
field, and don’t leave from this, and you shall cling to my maidens.
9. Let
your eyes be in the field in which you are harvesting and follow after
them. I have commanded the lads
not to touch you. When you are
thirsty go to the buckets and drink from those from which the lads draw
(water).”
10. And she
fell to her face, and prostrated (herself) to the ground and said to him, “Why
have I found favor in your eyes that you would recognize me, a foreigner?”
11. And Boaz
answered and said to her, “It was told
to me (emphasized in Hebrew) all that you did for your mother-in-law after
the death of your husband. You
left your father and your mother and land of your birth and came to a people
that you did not previously (“Previously” in Hebrew is said “yesterday three days ago”) know.
12. “May the
LORD repay your deed, and may your reward be full from the LORD God of Israel
under whose wings you sought refuge.”
13. And she
said, “Why do I find favor in your eyes, my lord, that you have comforted me
and have spoken to the heart of your servant though I am not like one of your
servants?”
14. And Boaz
said to her, “At the time to eat (meal time), come here and eat some of the
bread and dip your morsel in vinegar and sit beside the reapers.” And he picked up and offered grain to
her. And she ate, was satisfied,
and had some left over.
15. When she
got up to glean, Boaz ordered his servants, saying to them, “Let her glean even
among the sheaves and do not humiliate her.
16. And also
you shall draw out (stalks of wheat) for her from among the sheaves and leave
them for her, and she shall pick them, and you shall not rebuke her.”
17. And she
gleaned in the field until evening and beat what was gleaned about an ephaph (ancient unit of measurement) (of)
barley.
18. And she
carried it, and entered the city.
And her mother-in-law saw what she gleaned, and she (Ruth) took it out
and gave her what she had left over after her fill.
19. The
mother-in-law said to her, “Where did you glean today? And where did you
work? Blessed is he who is
regarding you!” She told her
mother-in-law whom she worked with saying, “The name of the man I worked with
is Boaz.”
20. And Naomi
said to her daughter-in-law, “Blessed is he by the LORD who did not forsake his
faithfulness with the living and with the dead.” And Naomi said to her, “The man is near to us (he is a relative), he is one of our
redeemers.” (Custom at that time was that the nearest relative would marry a
widow)
21. And Ruth
the Moabite said, “Also, it is that he said to me, ‘You shall cling to my lads
until they complete all my harvest.’”
22. And Naomi
said to her daughter-in-law, Ruth, “It is good my daughter that you go out with
his maidens that they may not come upon you in another field.”
23. And she
clung to Boaz’s maidens to glean until the harvest of barley and the harvest of
wheat finished and she dwelled with her mother-in-law.
Chapter 3
1. And
Naomi, her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, will I not seek a resting
place that will be good for you?
2. “And
is not Boaz our relative whose maidens you were with? Behold! He will
be winnowing at the threshing floor of barley tonight
3. “And
wash, anoint, and place a garment upon yourself and you will go down to the
threshing floor. Don’t let
yourself become known to the man until he is finished eating and drinking.
4. “And
let it be that when he lies down that you know the place where he lies down
there and go and uncover the place of his feet (place of feet COULD have sexual connotations, but not necessarily),
and he will tell you what you should do.”
5. And
she said to her, “All that you said to me, I will do.”
6. And
she went down to the threshing floor and she did everything according to which
her mother-in-law commanded her.
7. And
Boaz ate and drank and his heart was glad, and he went to lie down at the edge
of the granary. And she, entered
with secrecy and uncovered the place of his feet, and she lay down.
8. Halfway
through the night, the man was stirred, he turned over, and behold – a woman –
lying down at the place of his feet.
9. And
he said, “Who are you?” And she said, “I am Ruth, your maidservant – spread the
skirt of your garment over your maidservant since you are a redeemer (possibly a proposal of marriage).”
10. And he
said, “Blessed are you by the LORD, my daughter, you have made your latter
faithfulness greater than your former faithfulness; not going after young men
whether poor or rich.
11. “And now,
my daughter, because all that you say I will do for you because the whole gate
of my people (meaning all of my people)
knows that you are a woman of virtue (eshit
hail – Only other usage of this is in Prov. 31:10).
12. “And now
indeed it is true that I am a redeemer, but there is a redeemer nearer than I
(meaning: there is a closer relative).
13. Stay here
tonight, and when it is morning, if he redeems you, good, let him redeem, and
if he does not desire to redeem you, I myself will redeem you as surely as the
LORD lives (This is a VERY STRONG oath – not to be taken lightly). Lie down until morning.”
14. And she
lay down at the place of his feet until morning, and she rose before a man
could recognize his neighbor (meaning: while it was still dark), and he said,
“Do not let it be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.”
15. And he
said, “Present the shawl which is upon you and hold firm to it.” And she held
firmly and he measured 6 (measures of ) barleys , and he placed it on it and he
went to the city.
16. And she
went to her mother-in-law, and she (Naomi) said, “Who are you my daughter?” And
she made clear to her all that the man had done for her.
17. And she
said, “The 6 (measures of) barley he gave to me because he said to me, ‘do not
go back empty to your mother-in-law.”
18. And she
(Naomi) said, “Stay, my daughter
until you know how the matter will fall because the man will not be still until
he has finished the matter today.
Chapter 4
1. Boaz
went to the gate and sat down there, and behold, the redeemer passed by whom
Boaz spoke about. He said, “Come,
sit here, So-and-So.” And he came and sat.
2. Then
he took 10 elder men of the city and said, “Sit here,” and they sat.
3. He
said to the redeemer, “Naomi, now returned from the field of Moab must sell the
plot of land – the field – of our relative, Elimelech.
4. “I
said the matter to you to say buy in front of the men and in front of the
elders of my people. If you will
redeem, redeem. But if you will
not redeem, tell me that I may know because there is not anyone to redeem but
you, and I come after you.” And he said, “I will redeem”
5. And
Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi from Ruth the
Moabite, the wife of the dead one, you have acquired to raise up the name of
the dead over his inheritance.”
6. And
the redeemer said, “I myself am not able to redeem, lest I ruin my own
inheritance. You yourself redeem
my right of redemption because I am not able to redeem.
7. Formerly
in Israel concerning the right of redemption and concerning the right of exchange,
this is how every matter was established: A man would remove his sandal and
give it to his neighbor. This was
confirmation in Israel.
8. And
the redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it,” and he removed his sandal.
9. And
Boaz spoke to the elders and said, “You all are witnesses to this today that I
have acquired everything that belongs to Elimelech and everything that belongs
to Chilion and Malhon from the hand of Naomi.
10. “And also Ruth the Moabite, the wife of
Malhon, I have acquired to be a wife in order to establish the name of the dead
over his inheritance and so the name of the dead will not be cut off from his
brothers and from the gate of his place.
You are witnesses today.”
11. And all the people that were in the
gates said, “Witnesses, may the LORD make the woman enter into your house like
Rachael and Leah (in Genesis), the 2 of whom built the house of Israel. Make valor in Ephrata and call a name
in Bethlehem.
12. “May your house be like the house of
Perez whom Tamar bore to (the tribe of) Judah from the offspring which the LORD
will give to you from this young girl.”
13. And Boaz took Ruth, and she came for him
a wife, and he went to her. And
the Lord gave to her pregnancy, and she gave birth to a son.
14. And the women said to Naomi, “ Blessed
be the Lord that did not leave you without a redeemer this day and may his name
be called in Israel.
15. And let him be to you a restorer of life
(or soul) and sustain your old age because your daughter-in-law who loves you
bore him, which is better to you than 7 sons (meaning: Ruth is better than 7
sons).”
16. And Naomi took the little boy, and she
placed him on her bosom, and she became to him a nurse.
17. And the female inhabitants called a name
to him (meaning: named him) saying, “A son has been born to Naomi, and they
called his name Obed (trans: servant)
who was the father of Jesse, father of David.
18. These are the generations of Perez: Perez begot Hezron,
19. Hezron
begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminidab.
20. Amminidab
begot Nahshon, Nahshon begot Salmah
21. Salmon
begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed.
22. And Obed
begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David.
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