Introduction & Prologue: The Book of Ruth begins by highlighting the Judges theme of Israel needing a king and exploring the misery and emptiness a singular family might experience during these dark times (Ruth 1:1–6). From a historical point of view, Ruth is a crucial hinge in the story of Israel, marking the transition from the age of the judges to the age of the kings … And faith to believe that God would provide for her and Naomi. The name Ru is found in the Old Testament only in the book which is so entitled. According to the biblical Book of Ruth, Ruth was a Moabite woman who married into an Israelite family and eventually converted to Judaism. Uncover his feet — Remove the clothes which are upon his feet; thereby to awake him; and lay thee down — She was not to lie down by his side, for that would have been immodest, but at his feet, in the posture of an humble supplicant. . Structure of the Book of Ruth. 1250. Metaphysical meaning of Ruth (mbd) Ruth, ruth (Heb.) "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia". The Bible tells us, “Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother, His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene. The law required property owners to leave some grain for the poor and widows, like Ruth - Ruth 2:1-23. On top of that, she had lost her husband and was living with her widowed mother-in-law named Naomi. They arrived at Bethlehem just at the beginning of barley harvest, and Ruth, going out to glean, chanced to go into the field of wheat, a wealthy man and a near kinsman of her father-in-law, Elimelech. Naomi’s grief and continued loss had created a bitterness of soul that defined her. Please enter your email address associated with your Salem All-Pass account, then click Continue. Ruth definition is - compassion for the misery of another. Yet, she’s brave and her faith doesn’t waver. Ruth is a book for all times, whether written in post‑exilic days or based upon very old oral traditions. Miracles are still possible, even in the midst of loss. Proud member It has preserved moreover the memory of an incident, the national significance of which may have passed away, but to which value will always be attached for its simplicity and natural grace. The Book of Ruth is included in the third division, or the Writings, of the Hebrew Bible; in most Christian canons it is treated as a history book and placed between Judges and 1 Samuel. In this story, we see a simple Moabite widow becoming an essential character in the powerful story of salvation woven in the Bible. And, being a Moabite woman, she received God's blessings despite her status as a gentile woman. The name Ru is found in the Old Testament only in the book which is so entitled. The most famous Moabite is Ruth (Ruth 1:4, 22). Boaz then adopted the customary and legal measures to obtain a decision. She also may not have great wealth or position. Many have regarded the book of Ruth as an inspiring piece of sacred literature with an important message. Story of Ruth. Not improbably also there is an allusion to this in the name itself. Ruth was the great-grandmother of David, who of course was in the ancestry of Jesus. Genesis 19:36 - 37 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father. From this point of view its peculiar interest lies in the close friendship or alliance between Israel and Moab, which rendered such a connection possible. Naomi was confident that Boaz would fulfill his promise, and advised Ru to wait in patience. All rights reserved. Dr. W. A. Criswell. Moreover, he directed the reapers to make intentional provision for her by dropping in her way grain from their bundles (Ruth 2:15). She’s simply a widow from an enemy nation. Thus Ruth, a Gentile, is among the maternal progenitors of our Lord ( Matthew 1:5 ). 5-29-60 8:15 a.m. To you who listen on the radio, you are sharing with us the services of the First Baptist Church in Dallas. The narrative is brief and told without affectation of style, and on that account will never lose its interest. Answer: In Ruth 3:4, Naomi encouraged Ruth to go to Boaz at night, saying, “When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Naomi and Ruth suffered terrible misfortune: the men in their family, including both their husbands, died. "Wash thy self therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the … We can learn many lessons from Ruth’s story, including these four. Definition for ruth (3 of 3) . For the literature, see RUTH, THE BOOK OF. She’s a widow from an enemy nation with no prospects. While many widows can relate to Ruth’s story, it’s a story so many can connect with. Their son, Obed, was like a son to Naomi (Ruth … She became the mother of Obed, the grandfather of David. Ruth was not a Jew. She is the great-grandmother of King David and hence an ancestor of the Messiah. The Book of Ru details the history of the one decisive episode owing to which Ru became an ancestress of David and of the royal house of Judah. "Entry for 'RUTH'". Naomi then decided to return to Palestine, and her two daughters-in-law accompanied her on her way (Ruth 1:7). The story is told in the Book of Ruth, part of the biblical canon called Ketuvim, or Writings. 1915. Through their son Obed they became the great-grandparents of King David. Upon the birth of a son in due course the women of the city congratulated Naomi, in that the continuance of her family and house was now assured, and the latter became the child's nurse. Important verses Person. From a Hebrew name that was derived from the Hebrew word רְעוּת (re'ut) meaning "friend". Doing the right thing isn’t always easy. In the Bible, a Moabite widow who left home with her mother-in … He is profoundly concerned for her, together with the stranger and the fatherless. Here is what I wrote in my book “Unusual Bible Interpretations: Ruth, Esther, and Judith.” The two widows, Naomi of Judea and Ruth the Moabite, return from Moab to … a friend, a Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, whose father, Elimelech, had settled in the land of Moab. Bible Study: Book of Ruth Chapter 3. And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” Since Ruth was a Moabite, she would have been allowed to glean parts of the leftover harvest since … In turn, Naomi was rewarded by Ruth’s unfaltering loyalty. He also raised from the dead the son of the widow of Nain and returned him to his mother (Luke 7:11-17), and, in the spirit of the prophets, condemned those who took advantage of widows (Matthew 23:24). The incarnate Son of God is like him. Please also opt me in for Exclusive Offers from Beliefnet’s Partners, From time to time you will also receive Special Offers from our partners. And thus, they say, the name Ruth means (Lady-) Friend or (Lady-) Companion. A severe famine in the land of Judah induced Elimelech, a native of Bethlehem --ephratah, to emigrate into the land of Moab, with his wife Naomi, and his two sons, Mahlon and Chilion. Encouraged by this incident, Naomi instructed Ruth to claim at the hand of Boaz that he should perform the part of her husbands near kinsman, by purchasing the inheritance of Elimelech and taking her to be his wife. of Naomi is the wife of Elimelech, and the mother of Mahlon and Chilion (Ruth 1:2). The name of Obed was given to the boy; and Obed through his son Jesse became the grandfather of David (compare Matthew 1:5,6; Luke 3:31,32). General Editor. First – obviously – we’re landing in the middle of the book of Ruth. OHL, 946, explains the word as an abstract noun = "friendship." The story is told in the Book of Ruth, part of the biblical canon called Ketuvim, or Writings. The pain Ruth must have been in was immense but she didn’t allow her past to hold her back. At the end of ten years Naomi now left a widow and childless, having heard that there was plenty again in Judah, resolved to return to Bethlehem, and her daughter-in-law Ruth returned with her. Interest and Importance of the Narrative: Thus, the life and history of Ru are important in the eyes of the narrator because she forms a link in the ancestry of the greatest king of Israel. Boaz accepted the charge thus transferred to him, the elders and bystanders bearing witness and pronouncing a formal blessing upon the union of Boaz and Ru (4:9-12). It is a contraction for re'uth perhaps signifying "comrade," "companion" (feminine; compare Exodus 11:2, "every woman of her neighbor"). Ruth was poor and a foreigner, but she listened to the advice of an older, wiser woman. In Scripture, widows are repeatedly the subject of miracles. God keeps a careful eye on the widow. It is a contraction for re'uth perhaps signifying "comrade," "companion" (feminine; compare Exodus 11:2, "every woman of her neighbor"). Salem Media Group. This is the name of the central character in the Book of Ruth in the Old Testament. Orpah yielded to persuasion, and returned to Moab; but Ru remained with Naomi. Ruth gleans grain in the field of Boaz. He summoned the near kinsman before ten elders at the gate of the city, related to him the circumstances of Naomi's return, with her desire that Ru should be married and settled with her father-in-law's land as her marriage-portion, and called upon him to declare his intentions. It also indicates that … On the death of Elimelech and Mahlon, Naomi came with Ruth, her daughter-in-law, who refused to leave her, to Bethlehem, the old home from which Elimelech had migrated. There, after an interval of time which is not more precisely defined, he died (Ruth 1:3), and his two sons, having married women of Moab, in the course of a further ten years also died, and left Orpah and Ru widows (Ruth 1:5). Spiritual lessons from the book of Ruth. The piety and fidelity of Ru are thus early exhibited in the course of the narrative, in that she refused to abandon her mother-in-law, although thrice exhorted to do so by Naomi herself, on account of her own great age and the better prospects for Ru in her own country. There she met and married Boaz. Article Images Copyright © 2020 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. (a female friend ) a Moabitish woman, the wife, first of Mahlon, second of Boaz, the ancestress of David and Christ,and one of the four women who are named by St. Matthew in the genealogy of Christ. God’s presence in the book of Ruth is felt in the “chance” meeting of Boaz and Ruth. Yet, God moves so mightily in her story and uses it to encourage millions. The learned body behind the NOBSE Study Bible Name List agrees and reads Female Companion for a meaning of the name Ruth. His life is an illustration for us of the compassion of Jesus, who is our Redeemer (Gal. In the Hebrew Bible, Ruth stands with the Song of Solomon, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, and Esther; together they make up the Megillot, five scrolls that are read at prescribed times on Jewish religious festivals. a book of the Bible bearing her name. They live in Bethlehem but move to Moab, where Mahlon marries Ruth and Chilion marries Orpah (see Ruth 4:10). Bibliography Information . God chose Ruth, a foreigner, to be part of the lineage of … The near kinsman, whose name and degree of relationship are not stated, declared his inability to undertake the charge, which he renounced in legal form in favor of Boaz according to ancient custom in Israel (Ruth 4:6). We studied the first two chapters already. The book, written in Hebrew in the 6th–4th centuries BC, tells of a Moabite woman, Ruth, accepting Yahweh, the God of the Israelites, as her God and the Israelite people as her own. The Lord helped heal that bitterness through the love story of Boaz and Ruth. At the beginning of the book, Ruth is living in her home in Moab; a place and people that the Israelites frowned upon. God is concerned about all people regardless of race, nationality, or status. Ruth Converts to Judaism From a more modern point of view the narrative is a simple idyllic history, showing how the faithful loving service of Ru to her mother-in-law met with its due reward in the restored happiness of a peaceful and prosperous home-life for herself. Ruth Ruth 3 Commentary Meaning Summary Sermon. Following Jewish customs, Ruth lets Boaz know he is a kinsman-redeemer and that she is eligible to marry him - Ruth 3:1-18. How to use ruth in a sentence. Compiled & Edited by BibleStudyTools Staff, Bible Dictionaries - Easton's Bible Dictionary - Ruth, Bible Dictionaries - Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary - Ruth, Bible Dictionaries - Smith's Bible Dictionary - Ruth, Encyclopedias - International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Ruth, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The fact that Ruth and other widows are mentioned in the Bible indicates that God is close to those who have experienced loss. 1. Ruth 1-4. 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