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Ruth Chapter
One
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO RUTH 1
This
chapter treats of a family that removed from the land of Canaan to the land of
Moab on account of a famine
where the father of it and his two sons died
and
each of them left a widow
1:1 the mother-in-law
proposed to return to her own country
and set forward with her two
daughters-in-law
whom
when they had gone a little way with her
she entreated
to go back
and expostulated with them about it
1:6
upon which one of them did
but the other
Ruth
the subject of this book
resolved to go the journey with her
1:14 and they
both came to Bethlehem
the former residence of her mother-in-law Naomi
who
was greatly taken notice of by her old friends and acquaintance
to whom she
related her present circumstances
1:19.
Ruth
1:1 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 Bethlehem
Judah
went to dwell in the country
of Moab
he and his wife and his two sons.
YLT 1And it cometh to pass
in the days of the
judging of the judges
that there is a famine in the land
and there goeth a
man from Beth-Lehem-Judah to sojourn in the fields of Moab
he
and his wife
and his two sons.
Now it came to pass
in the days when the judges ruled
.... So that
it appears that this history is of time and things after the affair of Micah
and of the concubine of the Levite
and of the war between Israel and Benjamin;
for in those times there was no king nor judge in Israel; but to what time of
the judges
and which government of theirs it belongs to
is not agreed on.
JosephusF15 places it in the government of Eli
but that is too late
for Boaz
the grandfather of Jesse
the father of David
to live. Some Jewish
writers
as Jarchi
say it was in the times of Ibzan
who they sayF16
is the same with Boaz
but without proof
and which times are too late also for
this history. The Jewish chronologyF17 comes nearer the truth
which
carries it up as high as the times of Eglon
king of Moab
when Ehud was judge;
and with which Dr. LightfootF18 pretty much agrees
who puts this
history between the third and fourth chapters of Judges
and so must belong to
the times of Ehud or Shamgar. Junius refers it to the times of Deborah and
Barak; and othersF19
on account of the famine
think it began in
the times the Midianites oppressed Israel
and carried off the fruits of the
earth
which caused it
when Gideon was raised up to be their judge; AltingF20
places it in the time of Jephthah; such is the uncertainty about the time
referred to:
that there was a famine in the land; the land of Canaan
that
very fruitful country. The Targum says this was the sixth famine that had been
in the world
and it was in the days of Boaz
who is called Ibzan the just
and
who was of Bethlehemjudah; but it is more probable that it was in the days of
Gideon
as before observed
than in the days of Ibzan
and a certain man of Bethlehemjudah; so called to distinguish
it from another Bethlehem in the tribe of Zebulun
Joshua 19:15 which
had its name from the fruitfulness of the place
and the plenty of bread in it
and yet the famine was here; hence this man with his family removed from it:
and went to sojourn in the country of Moab; where there
was plenty; not to dwell there
but to sojourn for a time
until the famine was
over:
he and his wife
and his two sons; the names of each of
them are next given. par parF15 Antiqu. l. 5. c. 9. sect. 1.F16
T. Bab. Bava Bathra
fol. 91. 1. Tzemach David
par. 1. fol. 8. 2. Jarchi &
Abendana in loc.F17 Seder Olam Rabba
c. 12. p. 33.F18
Works
vol. 1. p. 48.F19 Rambachius in loc. & Majus in ib. so
Biship Patrick. Lampe Hist. Eccl. l. 1. c. 5. p. 22.F20 Theolog.
Hist. loc. 2. p. 84.
Ruth
1:2 2 The
name of the man was Elimelech
the name of his wife was Naomi
and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion—Ephrathites of
Bethlehem
Judah. And they went to the country of Moab and remained there.
YLT 2And the name of the man [is] Elimelech
and
the name of his wife Naomi
and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion
Ephrathites from Beth-Lehem-Judah; and they come into the fields of Moab
and
are there.
And the name of the man was Elimelech
.... Which
signifies "my God is King"
as he was King over Israel. In the times
of the judges
the government was a theocracy; the judges were raised up
immediately by the Lord
and ruled under him; the Targum calls him a great man
and so Jarchi; and it is very likely he was
especially if it be true what is
said the Jewish chronologyF21Seder Olam Rabba
c. 12. p. 34.
Shalshalet Hakabala
fol. 8. 1.
that he was the brother of Salmon
prince of
the tribe of Judah; and it is certain that Boaz the son of Salmon was a kinsman
of his
2:1
and the name of his wife Naomi; which signifies
"sweet
pleasant"
very likely a comely person
and of a sweet
disposition; a name of the same signification with Naamah
the sister of
Tubalcain
Genesis 4:22 and
according to the Talmudists she was Elimelech's brother's daughter; for they
sayF23T. Bab Bava Bathra
fol. 91. 1.
that Elimelech
Salmon
and
the kinsman (spoken of in this book)
and the father of Naomi
were all of them
the sons of Nahshon
prince of the tribe of Judah; the same Jarchi observes on 1:22.
and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion; which seem to
have their names from weakness and consumption
being perhaps weakly and
consumptive persons; and it appears they both died young. It is a tradition of
the Jews
mentioned by Aben Ezra
that these are the same with Joash and
Saraph
who are said to have dominion in Moab
1 Chronicles 4:22
which is not likely:
Ephrathites of Bethlehemjudah: Jarchi interprets
Ephrathites by men of worth and esteem; and the Targum is
"Ephrathites
great men of Bethlehemjudah'but no doubt they were called so
because Ephratah
was one of the names of Bethlehem
Genesis 35:19 so
called from its fruitfulness; though Aben Ezra thinks it had its name from
Ephratah the wife of Caleb; but it was so called in the time of Moses
as in
the passage referred to:
and they came into the country of Moab
and continued there; unto their
death; all excepting Naomi
who returned when she heard the famine was over.
Ruth
1:3 3 Then
Elimelech
Naomi’s husband
died; and she was left
and her two sons.
YLT 3And Elimelech husband of Naomi dieth
and she
is left
she and her two sons;
And Elimelech
Naomi's husband
died
.... According
to JosephusF24Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 9. sect. 1.)
after he
had dwelt in the land ten years
and had married his two sons to Moabitish
women; but
as Alshech observes
the text shows that while he was living they
were not married to them
but after his death; and it is said of them only that
they dwelt there about ten years; so that it is most probable that their father
died quickly after he came into the land of Moab: and she was left
and her two
sons; in a strange land
she without a husband
and they without a father.
Ruth
1:4 4 Now
they took wives of the women of Moab: the name of the one was Orpah
and
the name of the other Ruth. And they dwelt there about ten years.
YLT 4and they take to them wives
Moabitesses: the
name of the one [is] Orpah
and the name of the second Ruth; and they dwell
there about ten years.
And they took them wives of the women of Moab
.... Not
before they were proselyted to the Jewish religion
as Aben Ezra thinks
and
which seems plainly to be the case of Ruth; at least she was so afterwards
if
not before; and also of Orpah
as the same writer concludes from 1:15 though others are of a different opinion
and some
excuse their marriage
and others condemn it as unlawful
among whom is the
Targumist
who paraphrases the words
"and they transgressed the decree of
the Word of the Lord
and took to them strange wives of the daughters of
Moab;'however it was so permitted by the Lord
and ordered in Providence
that
from one of them the Messiah might spring:
and the name of the one was Orpah; she was married to
Chilion; and Alshech gathers from hence that the youngest was married first
before his brother:
and the name of the other Ruth the Targum adds
"the
daughter of Eglon
king of Moab;'and that she was his daughter
or the daughter
of his son
is a notion commonly received with the JewsF25T. Bab.
Nazir
fol. 23. 2. Sotah
fol. 47. 1. Sanhedrin
fol. 105. 2. Horayot
fol. 10.
2. Zohar in Deut. fol. 109. 2. though without any just foundation; she was
married to Mahlon
4:10
one PhiloF26Apud
Drusium in loc. asserts these two women to be own sisters
for what reason does
not appear; and a Jewish writerF1Shalshalet Hakabala
fol. 8. 1.
says they were both daughters of Eglon
king of Moab: and they dwelt there
about ten years; that is
Mahlon and Chilion
who married these women; which is
to be reckoned either from the time they came into the land
or from the time
of their marriage; the latter seems to be the case from the connection of the
words.
Ruth
1:5 5 Then
both Mahlon and Chilion also died; so the woman survived her two sons and her
husband.
YLT 5And they die also
both of them -- Mahlon and
Chilion -- and the woman is left of her two children and of her husband.
And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them
.... As well
as their father
in the land of Moab
after they had lived with their wives in
it about ten years; the Targum is
"because they transgressed the decree of
the Word of the Lord
and joined in affinity with strange people
their days
were cut off;'or shortened:
and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband; deprived both
of her husband and her sons
which was a great affliction
aggravated by her
being in a strange country; many are the afflictions of the righteous.
Ruth
1:6 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 that the Lord had visited
His people by giving them bread.
YLT 6And she riseth
she and her daughters-in-law
and turneth back from the fields of Moab
for she hath heard in the fields of
Moab that God hath looked after His people
-- to give to them bread.
Then she arose with her daughters in law
that she might return
from the country of Moab
.... After the death of her two sons
and having heard of the
ceasing of the famine in Israel
she had a desire to go into her own country
where she would have better opportunities of serving the Lord; and having no
heart to stay in Moab
an idolatrous country
where she had lost her husband
and her two sons; and therefore prepared for her journey
and set forward
and
her two daughters-in-law with her
to accompany her some part of the way; for
it does not appear to be their intention
at least at first setting out
to go
with her into the land of Canaan; and therefore it is only said
that they
arose
that she might return
&c.
for she had heard in the country of Moab: which was
near the land of Israel
the borders of it reaching to the salt sea; the Targum
says she heard it by the mouth of an angel
but it is highly probable it was by
common fame:
that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread; that he had
been kind and gracious to the people of Israel
by granting them plenty of
provisions; which might be their happy case after Gideon had vanquished the
Midianites
who came yearly
and destroyed and carried off the fruits of the
earth
which had caused a famine; see Judges 6:3. It
seems as if the famine had continued ten years
see 1:4
nor need this be thought incredible
since there was a famine in Lydia
which
lasted eighteen yearsF2Herodot Clio
sive
l. 1. c. 94. .
Ruth
1:7 7 Therefore
she went out from the place where she was
and her two daughters-in-law with
her; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah.
YLT 7And she goeth out from the place where she
hath been
and her two daughters-in-law with her
and they go in the way to
turn back unto the land of Judah.
Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was
.... What part
of Moab she had dwelt in
and now removed from
is not said; it is called the
country or field of Moab
she returned from; hence some have thought
that she
and her husband
and her sons
did not live in any of the cities of Moab
but
in a field; either because the Moabites would not suffer them to dwell in their
cities
only allowed them to pitch their tents in their fields; or they chose
to dwell there
that they might as much as possible avoid conversation with
them
and be preserved from their idolatry
and other corruptions:
and her two daughters in law with her; who
out of
respect to her
accompanied her some part of the way
as relations and friends
usually did:
and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah; they went
along with her to the border of the land of Judah
in her return thither; for
returning can only be said of her with any propriety
because her two daughters
had never been there; that was not the country from whence they came
and
therefore could not be said to return thither.
Ruth
1:8 8 And
Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law
“Go
return each to her mother’s house.
The Lord
deal kindly with you
as you have dealt with the dead and with me.
YLT 8And Naomi saith to her two daughters-in-law
`Go
turn back
each to the house of her mother; Jehovah doth with you kindness
as ye have done with the dead
and with me;
And Naomi said to her two daughters in law
.... When they
were come
as it is very probable
to the utmost limits of the land of Moab
and to the borders of the land of Israel:
go
return each unto her mother's house: the mother's
house is mentioned
and not the father's
not because they had no father
living; for it is certain Ruth had a father as well as a mother
2:11 but because mothers are most affectionate to their
daughters
and they most conversant together; and because women in those times
had apartments to themselves
and who used to take their daughters to them when
become widows; though such was the strong love of those young widows to their
mother-in-law
that they chose rather to dwell with her
while she lived in
Moab
than with their own mothers:
the Lord deal kindly with you
as ye have dealt with the dead
and
with me; that is
with their husbands
who were dead; as the Targum is
that they refused to marry men after their death; or rather it respects their
affectionate care of their husbands
and behaviour towards them when living
as
well as the respect they showed to their memory
at and since their death; and
also their filial duty to her
both before and since; and particularly
as the
Targum expresses it
in that they had fed and supported her.
Ruth
1:9 9 The
Lord grant that you
may find rest
each in the house of her husband.” So she kissed them
and they
lifted up their voices and wept.
YLT 9Jehovah doth grant to you
and find ye rest
each in the house of her husband;' and she kisseth them
and they lift up their
voice and weep.
The Lord grant you
.... Some make a supplement here
the Targum
a perfect reward
Aben Ezra an husband; and so Josephus saysF3Antiqu.
l. 5. c. 9. sect. 1.
she wished them happier marriages than they had with her
sons
who were so soon taken from them; but a supplement seems needless
for
what follows is connected with the wish
and contains the sum of it:
that you may find rest; each of you:
in the house of her husband; that is
that they might
each of them be blessed with a good husband
with whom they might live free
from brawls and contentions
as well as from the distressing cares of life
having husbands to provide all things necessary for them
and so from all the
sorrows and distresses of a widowhood estate:
then she kissed them; in token of her
affection for them
and in order to part with them; it being usual then as now
for relations and friends to kiss at parting:
and they lifted up their voice and wept; to think they
must part
and never see one another more; their passions worked vehemently
and broke out in sobs
and sighs
and tears
and loud crying.
Ruth
1:10 10 And
they said to her
“Surely we will return with you to your people.”
YLT 10And they say to her
`Surely with thee we go
back to thy people.'
And they said unto her
.... When they had eased
themselves in cries and tears
and had recovered their speech:
surely we will return with thee unto thy people; to be
proselyted
as the Targum; not only to dwell with them
but to worship with
them.
Ruth
1:11 11 But
Naomi said
“Turn back
my daughters; why will you go with me? Are there
still sons in my womb
that they may be your husbands?
YLT 11And Naomi saith
`Turn back
my daughters;
why do ye go with me? are there yet to me sons in my bowels that they have been
to you for husbands?
And Naomi said
turn again
my daughters
.... Supposing
this resolution of theirs only arose from a natural affection
and not from any
love to the God or people of Israel; at least doubting whether it was so or
not
and willing to try whether anyone
or both of them
were really from a
principle of religion inclined to go with her; and desirous that they would
thoroughly consider what they did
lest they should repent and apostatize
and
bring a reproach upon the true religion:
why will ye go with me? what reason can you
give? this she said in order to get out of them if there was any real
inclination in them to the true worship and service of God; though she keeps
out that from her own questions put to them as follows
that it might come
purely from themselves:
are there yet any more sons in my womb
that they may be your husbands? is there any
likelihood that I should ever have any sons to be instead of husbands
or
really husbands to you? can it be thought that at my age
supposing I had an
husband
or an husband's brother to marry me
that there is in me a natural
power of conceiving and bearing children? this therefore can surely be no
inducement to you to go along with me; for some
as Jarchi
think she refers to
the law of a husband's brother marrying his widow
and raising up seed to him
which was known among the Gentiles before it was given to Israel; see Genesis 38:8
to
which Aben Ezra rightly objects
that that law respects a brother by the
father's side
and not by the mother's only; to which may be added
that this
law was not binding on a brother unborn
but on one that was living before the
death of his brother; besides if this law had been in her mind
it would rather
have furnished out an encouraging reason them to go with her
since there were
kinsmen of her sons
to whom they might be married
as one of them afterwards
was.
Ruth
1:12 12 Turn
back
my daughters
go—for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I
have hope
if I should have a husband tonight and should also bear sons
YLT 12Turn back
my daughters
go
for I am too
aged to be to a husband; though I had said
There is for me hope
also
I have
been to-night to a husband
and also I have borne sons:
Turn again
my daughters
go your way
.... This she
repeated still to try their affections to her
and especially whether there was
any real love to the God of Israel
his people
and worship
but still proceeds
upon the same topic:
for I am too old to have an husband; and can never think of
marrying again on account of age
nor can you surely ever think I should
at
these years I am now arrived to:
if I should say I have hope; of marrying
and bearing
children; suppose that:
if I should have a husband also tonight; be married to
a man directly
suppose that:
and should also bear sons; conceive and bear
not
female but male children
allow that; all which are mere suppositions
and
could they be admitted
would not furnish out any reason why you should be
desirous of going with me.
Ruth
1:13 13 would
you wait for them till they were grown? Would you restrain yourselves from
having husbands? No
my daughters; for it grieves me very much for your sakes
that the hand of the Lord
has gone out against me!”
YLT 13for them do ye wait till that they grow up?
for them do ye shut yourselves up
not to be to a husband? nay
my daughters
for more bitter to me than to you
for the hand of Jehovah hath gone out
against me.'
Would you tarry for them till they were grown?.... It is not
to be thought that they would tarry till she was married and had children
and
then till these infants were grown up to men's estate
and be marriageable; for
though Tamar tarried for Shelah
yet he was born
and of some years of age
though not a grown man
Genesis 38:11.
would ye stay for them from having husbands? they were
young widows
and it was fit they should marry again; and it could not be
imagined that they would deny themselves having husbands
in expectation of any
sons of her's:
nay
my daughters; I am well satisfied you will never tarry
for them
nor deprive yourselves of such a benefit; it is unreasonable to
suppose it:
for it grieveth me much for your sakes; that she
could be of no manner of service to them
either to give them husbands
or to
support and maintain them
should they go with her; or "I have exceedingly
more bitterness than you"F4מר לי מאד מכם
"amaritudo mihi (est) valde prae nobis"
Montanus
Rambachius; so
Pagninus
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Drusius. ; her condition and
circumstances were much worse than theirs; for though they had lost their
husbands
she had lost both husband and children: or it was more bitter and
grievous to her to be separated from them
than it was for them to be separated
from her; her affection to them was as strong
or stronger than theirs to her;
or they had friends in their own country that would be kind to them
but as for
her
she was in deep poverty and distress
and when she came into her own
country
knew not that she had any friends left to take any notice of her:
that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me; in taking
away her husband and children
and reducing her to a low estate
penniless and
friendless; so poor
as it appears
that her daughter-in-law
when come to the
land of Canaan
was obliged to glean for the livelihood of them both
as in the
next chapter.
Ruth
1:14 14 Then
they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law
but Ruth clung to her.
YLT 14And they lift up their voice
and weep again
and Orpah kisseth her mother-in-law
and Ruth hath cleaved to her.
And they lifted up their voice
and wept again
.... Not being
able to bear the thought of parting
or that they must be obliged to it:
and Orpah kissed her mother in law; gave her the parting
kiss
as the JewsF5Bereshit Rabba
sect. 70. fol. 62. 4. Shemot
sect. 5. fol. 94. 4. call it; and which was used by other peopleF6"----discedens
oscula nulla dedi". Ovid. ep. 3. ver. 14. ; but not without affection to
her
and took her leave of her
as her kiss testified
since it must be so; and
being moved by her reasons
and having a greater inclination to her own country
than Ruth had; of the kiss at parting
see Genesis 31:28.
but Ruth clave unto her; hung about her
would
not part from her
but cleaved unto her in body and mind; forsaking her own
people
and her father's house; neither the thought of them
nor of her native
country
nor of not having an husband
or any likelihood of it
nor of poverty
and distress
had any manner of influence upon her
but determined she was to
go and abide with her.
Ruth
1:15 15 And
she said
“Look
your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her
gods; return after your sister-in-law.”
YLT 15And she saith
`Lo
thy sister-in-law hath
turned back unto her people
and unto her god
turn thou back after thy
sister-in-law.'
And she said
.... That is
Naomi to Ruth
after Orpah was
gone:
behold
thy sister in law is gone back unto her people
and unto
her gods; meaning Orpah
who was the wife of her husband's brother
as the
word used signifies; she was not only on the road turning back to her own
country and people
but to the gods thereof
Baalpeor or Priapus
and Chemosh
Numbers 21:29 from
whence Aben Ezra concludes
that she had been a proselyte to the true religion
and had renounced the gods of her nation
and retained the same profession
while her husband lived
and unto this time
and now apostatized
since she is
said to go back to her gods; and in this he is followed by some Christian
interpretersF7Clericus & Rambachius.
and not without reason:
return thou after thy sister in law: this she said
not that
in good earnest she desired her to return
at least to her former religion
only relates
though not as approving of
the conduct of her sister
rather as
upbraiding it; but to try her sincerity and steadfastness
when such an
instance and example was before her.
Ruth
1:16 16 But
Ruth said: “Entreat me not to leave you
Or to turn back from following
after you; For wherever you go
I will go; And wherever you lodge
I will
lodge; Your people shall be my people
And your God
my God.
YLT 16And Ruth saith
`Urge me not to leave thee --
to turn back from after thee; for whither thou goest I go
and where thou
lodgest I lodge; thy people [is] my people
and thy God my God.
And Ruth said
entreat me not to leave thee
or to return from
following after thee
.... Do not make use of any arguments to persuade me to go back:
or "do not meet me"
or "be against me"F8על תפגעי בי
"ne occurras mihi"
Vatablus
Rambachius; "ne obstes me"
Tigurine version; "ne adverseris mihi"
V. L. Drusius; so Junius
& Tremellius
Piscator. ; do not meet me with objections
or be in my way
or an hinderance to me
in going along with thee; do not be against it
for to
be against that was to be against her inclination
desires
and resolutions
and against her interest:
for whither thou goest I will go: let the country she was
going to be what it would
though unknown to her
and though she should never
see her own country any more:
and where thou lodgest I will lodge; though in ever so mean a
cottage
or under the open air:
thy people shall be my people; whom I shall choose to
dwell among
and converse with; whose religion
laws
and customs she should
readily comply with
having heard much of them
their wisdom
goodness
and
piety
of which she had a specimen and an example in Naomi
and by whom she
judged of the rest:
and thy God my God; not Chemosh
nor Baalpeor
nor other gods
of the Moabites
be they what they will
but Jehovah
the God of Naomi
and of
the people of Israel. So a soul that is truly brought to Christ affectionately
loves him
and heartily cleaves unto him
resolves in the strength of divine
grace to follow him
the Lamb
whithersoever he goes or directs; and is
desirous to have communion with none but him
and that he also would not be as
a wayfaring man
that tarries but a night; his people are the excellent of the
earth
whom to converse with is all his delight and pleasure; and Christ's God
is his God
and his Father is his Father: and
in a word
he determines to have
no other Saviour but him
and to walk in all his commands and ordinances.
Ruth
1:17 17 Where
you die
I will die
And there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me
and more also
If anything but death parts you and me.”
YLT 17Where thou diest I die
and there I am
buried; thus doth Jehovah to me
and thus doth He add -- for death itself doth
part between me and thee.'
Where thou diest will I die
and there will I be buried
.... She was
determined to abide with her unto death
and not only was desirous to die as
she did
but where she should die; in the same country
cottage
and bed
and
be laid in the same grave
in hope of rising together at the resurrection of
the just; having no regard at all to the sepulchres of her fathers
which
people in all ages and countries have been fond of being laid in
as an honour
and happiness. So with the Greeks and Romans
not only relations
but intimate
friends
and such as had a strong affection for each other
were sometimes
buried in the same grave
as Crates and PolemonF9LaYrt. in Vita
Cratet.
Paris and OenomeF11Strabo. Geograph. l. 13. p. 410.
and
othersF12Vid. Kirchman. de Funer. Roman. l. 3. c. 14. p. 433. ; see Galatians 2:20
the Lord do so to me
and more also
if ought but death part thee
and me; this is the form of oath she used for confirmation of what she
had said
and to put an end to the debate on this subject; what she imprecates
upon herself is not expressed
should she otherwise do than what she swears to;
leaving Naomi to supply it in her own mind
and as being what was not fit to be
named
and the greatest evil that could be thought to befall a perjured person.
Ruth
1:18 18 When
she saw that she was determined to go with her
she stopped speaking to her.
YLT 18And she seeth that she is strengthening
herself to go with her
and she ceaseth to speak unto her;
When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her
.... That she
was strong in her resolutions
and steadfast in her determinations not to go
back to her own country
but to go forward with her; and nothing could move her
from the firm purpose of her mind
which was what Naomi wanted to make trial
of:
then she left speaking unto her: that is
upon that head
of returning home; otherwise
no doubt
upon this a close
comfortable
religious conversation ensued
which made their journey the more pleasant and
agreeable.
Ruth
1:19 19 Now
the two of them went until they came to Bethlehem. And it happened
when they
had come to Bethlehem
that all the city was excited because of them; and the
women said
“Is this Naomi?”
YLT 19and they go both of them till their coming in
to Beth-Lehem; and it cometh to pass at their coming in to Beth-Lehem
that all
the city is moved at them
and they say
`Is this Naomi?'
So they two went until they came to Bethlehem
.... Went on
their way directly till they came to it
without lingering or staying by the
way
at least not unnecessarily
and not for any time; and they kept together
though Ruth was a younger woman
and could have gone faster
yet she kept
company with her ancient mother
and was no doubt very much edified and
instructed by her pious conversation; and it seems that they were alone
only
they two; for as they had no camels nor asses to ride on
but were obliged to
travel on foot
so they had no servants to wait upon them
and assist them in
their journey
such were their mean circumstances:
and it came to pass
when they were come to Bethlehem; had entered
the city
and were seen by some that formerly had known Naomi
or at least to
whom she made herself known:
that all the city was moved about them; the news of
their arrival was soon spread throughout the place
and the whole city rang of
it; so the Septuagint version
"all the city sounded"; it was all the
talk every where
it was in everybody's mouth
that Naomi
who had been so long
out of the land
and thought to be dead
and it was not expected she would
never return again
was now come; and this drew a great concourse of people in
a tumultuous manner
as the word signifies
to see her; and as it may denote a
corporeal motion of them
so the inward moving and working of their passions
about her; some having pity and compassion on her to see such a change in her
person and circumstances; others treating her with scorn and contempt
and
upbraiding her for leaving her native place
and not content to share the
common affliction of her people
intimating that she was rightly treated for
going out of the land at such a time into a strange country; and others were
glad to see their old neighbour again
who had always behaved well among them;
so the Syriac and Arabic versions
"all the city rejoiced"; many no
doubt knew her not
and would be asking questions about her
and others
answering them
which is commonly the case of a crowd of people on such an occasion:
and they said
is this Naomi? that is
the women of
the place said so
for the word is feminine; and perhaps they were chiefly
women that gathered about her
and put this question in a way of admiration; is
this Naomi that was so beautiful
and used to look so pleasant and comely
and
now so wrinkled and sorrowful
who used to dress so well
and now in so mean an
habit! that used to be attended with maidens to wait on her
and now alone!
for
as Aben Ezra observes
this shows that Elimelech and Naomi were great
personages in Bethlehem formerly
people of rank and figure
or otherwise there
would not have been such a concourse of people upon her coming
and such
inquiries made and questions put
had she been formerly a poor woman.
Ruth
1:20 20 But
she said to them
“Do not call me Naomi;[a] call me
Mara
[b] for the
Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.
YLT 20And she saith unto them
`Call me not Naomi;
call me Mara
for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly to me
And she said
call me not Naomi
call me Mara
.... The one
signifying "prosperity"
according to JosephusF13Antiqu.
l. 5. c. 9. sect. 2.
and the other "grief"; but he is not always
correct in his interpretation of Hebrew words
or to be depended on; by this
indeed her different states are well enough expressed
and he rightly observes
that she might more justly be called the one than the other; but the words
signify
the one "sweet" and pleasant
and the other "bitter"
see Exodus 15:23
and
the reason she gives confirms it:
for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me; had wrote
bitter things against her
brought bitter afflictions on her
which were very
disagreeable to the flesh
as the loss of her husband
her children
and her
substance; see Lamentations 3:15.
Ruth
1:21 21 I
went out full
and the Lord
has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi
since the Lord has testified
against me
and the Almighty has afflicted me?”
YLT 21I went out full
and empty hath Jehovah
brought me back
why do ye call me Naomi
and Jehovah hath testified against
me
and the Almighty hath done evil to me?'
I went out full
.... Of my husband and children
as the
Targum; of children and riches
as Aben Ezra and Jarchi; wherefore some Jewish
writers blame her and her husband for going abroad at such a time
and ascribe
it to a covetous disposition
and an unwillingness to relieve the poor that
came to them in their distress
and therefore got out of the way of them
on
account of which they were punished
so Jarchi on 1:1
see Judges 2:15 but
this is said without any just cause or reason that appears:
and the Lord hath brought me home again empty: deprived of
her husband
children
and substance; she acknowledges the hand of God in it
and seems not to murmur at it
but to submit to it quietly
and bear it
patiently:
why then call ye me Naomi; when there is nothing
pleasant and agreeable in me
nor in my circumstances:
seeing the Almighty hath testified against me
and the Almighty
hath afflicted me? had bore witness that that was not a name suitable for her; or
that she had sinned
and had not done what was well pleasing in his sight
as
appeared by his afflicting her; she seemed therefore to be humbled under a
sense of sin
and to consider afflictions as coming from the Lord on account of
it
and submitted to his sovereign will; the affliction she means was the loss
of her husband
children
and substance; see Job 10:17.
Ruth
1:22 22 So
Naomi returned
and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her
who
returned from the country of Moab. Now they came to Bethlehem at the beginning
of barley harvest.
YLT 22And Naomi turneth back
and Ruth the Moabitess
her daughter-in-law with her
who hath turned back from the fields of Moab
and
they have come in to Beth-Lehem at the commencement of barley-harvest.
So Naomi returned
.... Aben
Ezra thinks this is to be
understood of her returning at another time; but it is only an observation of
the writer of this history
to excite the attention of the reader to this
remarkable event
and particularly to what follows:
and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter in law with her
which
returned out of the country of Moab; to Bethlehem
the birth
place of the Messiah
and who was to spring from her a Gentile; and which
that
it might be the more carefully remarked
she is called a Moabitess
and said to
return out of the country of Moab:
and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest; which began
on the second day of the feast of unleavened bread
on the
"sixteenth" of Nisan
which answers to our March
and part of April
when they offered the sheaf of the firstfruits to the Lord
and then
and not
till then
might they begin their harvest; see Gill on Leviticus 23:10;
see Gill on Leviticus 23:14
hence the Targum here is
"they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of the
day of the passover
and on that day the children of Israel began to reap the
wave sheaf
which was of barley.'So the Egyptians and Phoenicians
near
neighbours of the Jews
went about cutting down their barley as soon as the
cuckoo was heard
which was the same time of the year; hence the comedianF14Aristoph.
in Avibus
p. 565. calls that bird the king of Egypt and Phoenicia. This
circumstance is observed for the sake of the following account in the next
chapter.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)