Read verse 3: Elimelech dies; we are given know details but it makes me wonder if this is more punishment from the Lord. In that day, blessings were tied to the land and having left the land could've brought more punishment.
Read verse 4: Our titular character now enters the scene... Mahlon and Chilion both marry Moabite women, Ruth and Orpah, respectively. They live in Moab for ten years. This is a much bigger deal than it seems. Israelites were given instructions to never marry foreigners, especially not Moabites and Ammonites (Deut. 23:3).
Read verse 5: And now Naomi's two sons die too. Just like with their father, we are given no details about whether this was natural or further punishment from God. The death of Naomi's husband and now sons takes away any financial security she may have had. In this day, women could not work, so without men, they are in a rather destitute situation.
Read verses 6-7: Naomi hears that the famine in Israel has ended and so Naomi decides to return and take her daughters-in-law with her.
Read verses 8-9: Naomi must start having second thoughts because she suddenly changes her mind and tried to convince her daughters-in-law to return home and not come along with her. Maybe she realizes that returning with two Moabites will let the people know how much she hand her family had sinned upon leaving.
Read verse 10: They say no, we'll go with you.
Read verses 11-13: Naomi says she isn't going to find a new husband, and even if she did, it would be too long for her to have a son of marrying age. She's bitter at the Lord.
Read verse 14: They are clearly women-crying, hugging and kissing...
Read verse 15: Evidently Orpah had kissed Naomi good-bye cause Naomi is now telling Ruth to return home like Orpah just did.
Read verses 16-17: This passage is considered to be Ruth's conversion-my guess is Ruth trusted in the God of Israel at some point in the ten years she was married to Mahlon and now that she's being tested, we are seeing the evidence of that conversion. She forsakes her Moabite gods for the One True God. "At a time when the Israelites were forsaking the Lord and following the gods of the Cannanites and Moabites (Jdg. 2:12-15), Ruth is shown forsaking those gods to follow the Lord." (Sailhamer 214)
Her conversion, then, is more of a political/cultural conversion. She's now an Israelite who will take part in the customs and practices of Israel, not only spiritually, but also culturally. This makes her free to marry an Israelite, which will become important later.
Read verse 18: Naomi, understandably, has no response and the two continue on their way.
Read verses 19-21: Ruth and Naomi return to Bethlehem. People think they recognize her and start asking around. She responds with lots of drama, saying call me Mara (bitter) not Naomi (pleasant) because the Lord has brought calamity upon me. Hold up, what?! If you recall, she chose to disobey by leaving. She brought the calamity upon herself!
Read verse 22: This verse gives a little summary statement for us, with an added detail. Ruth and Naomi arrive in Bethlehem from Moab at the time of the barley harvest.
Application:
- Decisions have consequences. Good decisions have good consequences, bad decisions have bad consequences. Don't blame God when you suffer consequences of your decisions!
- Know what you're going to do in a situation before it arises. Remove the pressure and temptation of sinning in the moment.
In Sunday School, we all took turns teaching the Book of Ruth. I only actually taught chapter 3, but the rest of the chapters are here as well.
Works Cited:
John H. Sailhamer. NIV Compact Bible Commentary.
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