Ruth 1

Rth 1:1 And it happened in the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem-judah went to live in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.

When the judges ruled - We know not under what judge this happened; some say under Ehud, others under Shamgar. The Jewish chronology carries it up as high as the times of Eglon, king of Moab, when Ehud was judge; another commentator puts this history between the third and fourth chapters of Judges, and so must belong to the times of Ehud or Shamgar. Still another thinks it refers to the times of Deborah and Barak. Others, 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. And another places it in the time of Jephthah; such is the uncertainty about the time referred to:

There was a famine - Probably occasioned by the depredations of the Philistines, Ammonites, etc., carrying off the corn as soon as it was ripe, or destroying it on the field.

and a certain man of Bethlehemjudah; so called to distinguish it from another Bethlehem in the tribe of Zebulun, Jos_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:

A famine in the land - in the land of Israel, and not merely in the neighbourhood of Bethlehem. The time of this famine cannot be determined with certainty, although it supposed that it may be the devastation of the land by the Midianites (Judges 6); and there are several things which favor this. For example, the famine must have been a very serious one, and not only have extended over the whole of the land of Israel, but have lasted several years, since it compelled Elimelech to emigrate into the land of the Moabites; and it was not till ten years had elapsed, that his wife Naomi, who survived him, heard that Jehovah had given His people bread again, and returned to her native land (Rth_1:4, Rth_1:5).Now the Midianites oppressed Israel for seven years, and their invasions were generally attended by a destruction of the produce of the soil Judges 6:3-4 And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the sons of the east, even they came up against them. And they camped against them and destroyed the increase of the earth, until you come to Gaza. And they left no food for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass from which famine must necessarily have ensued. Moreover, they extended their devastations as far as Gaza (Jdg_6:4).

To sojourn in the fields of Moab - to live as a stranger there.

Rth 1:2 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 Bethlehem-judah. And they came to the fields of Moab and stayed there.

Elimelech - That is, God is my king. 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 it is very likely he was, especially if it be true what is said the Jewish chronology, 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, Rth_2:. The Rabbins say, that Elimelech was the son of Salmon, who married Rahab; and that Naomi was his niece.

Naomi – Beautiful, amiable, sweet, pleasant

Mahlon – Infirmity, sickness

Chilion - Finished, completed, consumption

Ephrathites - Bethlehem was otherwise called Ephratha. The ancient name of Beth-lehem was Ephrath (Gen_35:19; Gen_48:7), which was continued after the occupation of the land by the Hebrews, even down to the time of the prophet Micah (Mic_5:2).

Rth 1:3 And And Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died. And she was left, and her two sons.

Rth 1:4 And they took wives for themselves from the women of Moab. The name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth. And they lived there about ten years.

The two sons married Moabite women after their father died. One view says this was a violation of the Mosaic law Deuteronomy 7:3 Nor shall you make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughter to his son, nor shall you take his daughter to your son. Deuteronomy 23:3 An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of Jehovah. Even to their tenth generation they shall not enter into the congregation of Jehovah forever, Ezra 9:2 For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons. So the holy seed has mixed themselves with the people of those lands. Yes, the hand of the leaders and overseers has been chief in this sin Nehemiah 13:23 In those days I also saw Jews who lived with women from Ashdod, Ammon, and from Moab and Jewish writers say that the early deaths of both the young men were divine judgments inflicted on them for those unlawful connections. Alternative view is that marriage with daughters of the Moabites was not forbidden in the law, like marriages with Canaanitish women (Deu_7:3); it was only the reception of Moabites into the congregation of the Lord that was forbidden (Deu_23:4).

Ruth was the wife of the older brother, Mahlon Rth_4:10.

Rth 1:5 And Mahlon and Chilion also died, both of them. And the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.

And Mahlon and Chilion died - The Targum adds, And because they transgressed the decree of the word of the Lord, and joined affinity with strange people, therefore their days were cut off.

Rth 1:6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law so that she might return from the fields of Moab. For she had heard in the fields of Moab how Jehovah had visited His people in giving them bread.

The Lord had visited his people – The Targum says this is because of the righteousness of Ibzan the judge, and because of the supplications of pious Boaz. This is tradition and not in scripture.

giving them bread - that He had been kind and gracious to the people of Israel, by granting them plenty of provisions.

Rth 1:7 And she went out of 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.

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:

Rth 1:8 And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, Go, return each one to her mother's house. May Jehovah deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.

Mother’s house - The mention of the mother’s house, which the separation of the women’s house or tent from that of the men facilitates, is natural in her mouth, and has more tenderness in it than father’s house would have had; it does not imply the death of their fathers Ruth 2:11 And Boaz answered and said to her, It has been fully shown to me all that you have done to your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, And you left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before now. In Eastern countries women occupy apartments separate from those of men, and daughters are most frequently in those of their mother.

The dead - With my sons, your husbands, while they lived.

Rth 1:9 May Jehovah grant you that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voice and wept.

The Lord grant you - she wished them happier marriages than they had with her sons, who were so soon taken from them.

Rth 1:10 And they said to her, Surely we will return with you to your people.

surely we will return with thee unto thy people - to be proselyted, as the Targum says; not only to dwell with them, but to worship with them.

Rth 1:11 And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters. Why will you go with me? Are there yet sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?

Are there yet sons in my womb - This alludes to the custom that when a married brother died, without leaving posterity, his brother should take his widow; and the children of such marriages were accounted those of the deceased brother. Genesis 38:11 Then said Judah to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, Remain a widow at your father's house until Shelah my son is grown. For he said, Lest perhaps he die also, as his brothers did. And Tamar went and lived in her father's house; Deuteronomy 25:5 If brothers live together, and one of them dies and has no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry outside to a stranger. Her husband's brother shall go in to her and take her as a wife for himself, and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her.

Rth 1:12 Turn again, 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 also tonight, and should also bear sons,

Rth 1:13 would you wait for them until they were grown? Will you shut yourselves up, not to have a husband? No, my daughters, for it makes me very sad for your sakes that the hand of Jehovah has gone out against me.

it grieveth me much - Hebrew, I have much bitterness

the hand of the Lord is gone out against me--that is, she was not only not in a condition to provide them with other husbands, but so reduced in circumstances that she cannot think of them being subjected to privations with her. The arguments of Naomi prevailed with Orpah, who returned to her people and her gods. But Ruth remained with her.

Rth 1:14 And they lifted up their voice and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law. But Ruth clung to her.

And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law – Ruth 1:14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again; and Orpha kissed her mother-in-law and returned to her people; but Ruth followed her. (Septuagint) adds and returned to her own people.

Rth 1:15 And she said, Behold, Your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. Return after your sister-in-law.

unto her gods - They were probably both idolaters, their having been proselytes (Jewish converts while in Moab) is an unfounded conjecture. Chemosh was the grand idol of the Moabites. The conversion of Ruth probably commenced at this time.

Rth 1:16 And Ruth said, Do not beg me to leave you, to return from following after you. For where you go, I will go. Where you stay, I will stay. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.

Rth 1:17 Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May Jehovah do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me.

if anything but death parts you and me - And it appears that she was true to her engagement; for Naomi was nourished in the house of Boaz in her old age, and became the fosterer and nurse of their son Obed, Ruth 4:15-16 And he shall be to you as a restorer of life, and one who cheers your old age. For your daughter-in-law who loves you has borne him, she who is better to you than seven sons. And Naomi took the child and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse to it.

the Lord do so to me - this is the form of oath she used for confirmation of what she had said May the Lord deal with me is found 11 times in 1,2 Samuel and 1,2 Kings. 1Samuel 3:17 And he said, What is the word which He has said to you? Please do not hide it from me. God do so to you, and more also, if you hide a thing from me of all the words that He said to you. 1Samuel 14:44 And Saul answered, God do so and more also, for you shall surely die, Jonathan. 1Kings 2:23 And King Solomon swore by Jehovah, saying, May God do so to me, and more He shall do, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his life. 2Kings 6:31 And he said, May God do so, and more also, to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.

Rth 1:18 When she saw that she was determined to go with her, then she quit speaking to her.

Rth 1:19 And both of them went until they came to Bethlehem. And it happened when they had come to Bethlehem, all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?

all the city was moved about them--The present condition of Naomi, a forlorn and desolate widow, presented so painful a contrast to the flourishing state of prosperity and domestic bliss in which she had been at her departure.

that all the city was moved about them - the news of their arrival was soon spread throughout the place Ruth 1:19 And they went both of them until they came to Bethleem: and it came to pass, when they arrived at Bethleem, that all the city rang with them, and they said, Is this Noemin? ( Septuagint)

Rth 1:20 And she said to them, Do not call me Naomi, call me Mara. For the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.

The Almighty – Shaddai. He who is self-sufficient, has taken away the props and supports of my life. The name “Almighty” is almost unique to the Pentateuch and to the Book of Job. It occurs twice in the Psalms, and four times in the Prophets. This was the name of God that the Patriarchs knew, before God revealed Himself to Moses.

Call me not Naomi - That is, beautiful or pleasant.

Call me Mara - That is, bitter; one whose life is grievous to her.

Rth 1:21 I went out full, and Jehovah has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since Jehovah has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?

The Lord hath testified against me - The phrase is very commonly applied to a man who gives witness concerning (usually against) another in a court of justice Exo_20:16; 2Sa_1:16; Isa_3:9. Naomi in the bitterness of her spirit states that the Lord Himself turned against her, and was bringing her sins up for judgment.

Rth 1:22 And Naomi returned; and Ruth, who was of Moab, her daughter-in-law, was with her, returning out of the fields of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.

in the beginning - At the beginning of Spring; for the barley harvest began immediately after the passover, and that festival was held on the 15th of Nisan. Beginning of barley harvest; which began on the second day of the feast of unleavened bread, on the "sixteenth" of Nisan, when they offered the sheaf of the firstfruits to the Lord, and then, and not till then, might they begin their harvest.