There is no reason for you to return to Judah with me! Ruth 1:3 Commentaries: Then Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died; and she was left with her two sons. And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons. 1:1-5 Elimelech's care to provide for his family, was not to be blamed; but his removal into the country of Moab could not be justified. Naomi saw singleness (widowhood for her) and childlessness as a curse, while Paul taught that singleness could facilitate ministry to others and to God (1 Corinthians 7:32-35). She would have been very much at home in our Postmodern world. It must have been on Naomis watch that these two sons married their Moabite wives Orpah and Ruth. Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. The tale begins not in Israel or Judah but in Moab, where the Israelite Naomi and her husband, Elimelech, and her two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, went during a famine in Judah. Look with me at these words from Genesis 19, taking up just after the account of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and Lots escape, along with his daughters: 30 Lot went up from Zoar with his two daughters and settled in the mountains because he was afraid to live in Zoar. He stood in the opening and blocked it with his body. The contrast between Ruth and Orpah. We are not told how wide-spread it was, but we do know that it affected Bethlehem (which ironically means house of bread). (1) There is no clear link to a particular time, to a particular judge, or to a particular event recorded in the Book of Judges. Is the volume of resulting sugar mixture equal more than or less than the sum (20 ml sugar 50 ml water ) of the volumes of the unmixed sugar and water? Not long afterward he died, and his two sons married Moabite In Judges 3, we read that the Israelites were subject to Eglon, king of Moab, for 18 years.8 Since the Moabites were not Canaanites, marriage to a Moabite was not strictly forbidden.9 Nevertheless, Moabites were not only regarded as aliens or foreigners, but also as second class citizens. Marriage to a Moabite was not something one did to gain status in Israel. Sixth, Elimelechs family left God. In the past, Naomi was always portrayed in a somewhat flattering way. He could have helped more, since he was wealthy. Take note of the fact that Ruths covenant is not a short-term commitment; it is a lifetime commitment. The Bible did not say how this happened, but the household was now comprised of three widows. Both women initially refused to heed Naomis exhortation to leave her and return to Moab. And so this older daughter persuaded her younger sister that both of them needed to get their father drunk, and then each should lie with him, so that they might produce offspring for their father. Elimelech Weisblum 1717 Tykocin, Kingdom of Poland. We should notice that it was not until after Elimelechs death that they married. And his little boys died too. I think I understand generally what Paul is saying here, based upon the promise in Jeremiah: 33 But I will make a new covenant with the whole nation of Israel after I plant them back in the land, says the Lord. At this point in time, one would not think that Naomi would be at the top of the list in the hall of faith: 13 These all died in faith without receiving the things promised, but they saw them in the distance and welcomed them and acknowledged that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth. The Moabites were the result of the initiative and immorality of Lots oldest daughter. One manifestation of Gods mercy, expressed through His sovereignty, is His providential working at times when there appears to be no hope. I hate to say this, but after being involved in ministry for many years, I would have to say that some of the worst counsel I have ever heard has come from well-meaning Christians. Naomi, so to speak, put all of her eggs into one basket marriage and bearing children. When he saw that his generation scorned great men, he said, Surely I shall go from here so that I will not be caught among them (Zohar Chodosh 77a). God is always at his work. ), Handbook of Ugaritic Studies (1999), index, 841. I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts and minds. What a relief it is to leave Judges behind and come to the Book of Ruth! WebThe Bible Exposition Commentary: The meaning of redemption. 3 Then Elimelech, Naomis husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons. There her husband died, and her sons married Moabite women named Ruth and Orpah. Perhaps one reason why the author does not make a major point out of the theme of divine judgment is because his purpose is to emphasize divine mercy, not only as God provided food for His people, but also in His providential provision of a family and a posterity for Naomi and Elimelech. In the midst of her affliction and hopeless despair, God is at work preparing for the gracious things He is about to reveal to her and to the reader. Ruth becomes a true Israelite in spite of Naomis persistent encouragement to return to her Moabite roots. In short, Naomi is a picture of Israels spiritual condition at this point in their history. Major Gift. Her name means "ewe," while that of her siste, Elam Not only is Naomi unable to provide these women with husbands (and thus with children), God is also dealing harshly with her. Fearing they would be overrun by the Israelites, Balak (king of Moab)4 hired Balaam to curse Israel. And so they did. When it sees people coming, it immediately runs away. Would man who truly believes that His God is King abandon his people at the time of famine? The mans name was Elimelech. Such is not the case, my friend, and seeing her as some kind of heroine will distort our understanding of the message of this wonderful book. Part of the story about Naomi plays there, and another part in Bethlehem. Naomis people (Israel) would be her people, and Naomis God would be her God. 22 Feb. 2023 . No, it is realized as I desire and is fulfilled as I intend (Isaiah 55:8-11). Ruth has an uncanny grasp of Israels religion and has chosen to embrace it as her own. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. They need new or different husbands to marry and to bear children. Rabbi Shimon Ben Gamliel said: The ancestors who used the power of Divine Inspiration drew names out of (future) events; we who do not have access to Divine Inspiration, draw names from our forefathers (Genesis Rabbah 37,7)., What does the name Elimelech mean? . Encyclopaedia Judaica. Ill attempt to support my conclusions as we proceed in our study of this book. As they entered Bethlehem, they became the talk of the town. This is completely secular thinking. It was a good number of years ago that I sat in on an excellent elective class taught by my friend, Tom Wright. Naomi doesnt mention that these women would likely not find an Israelite husband. Naomi seems to be encouraging Ruth to accompany Orpah as she returns home. 4 So her sons married Moabite women. Within the Cite this article tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. It was completed by more than twenty biblical scholars who worked directly from the best currently available Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. And thus there is no evidence of repentance on her part at this point in time. That strongly suggests that she was still a Moabite at heart, still an idolater at heart. Naomi should teach us to be careful about accepting the counsel of those who seem to be well meaning. She then kissed both of them, a very clear signal of dismissal. Elimelech was severely punished for his failings but the good within him was preserved and rewarded and he became the progenitor of the Royal line. The son of the oldest daughter was named Moab; the son of the younger daughter was named Ammon. WebElimelech died, leaving Naomi with only her two sons. Mahlon married Ruth in Moab while Kilion married Ruth's sister Orpah. 4 The LORD said to Moses, Arrest all the leaders of the people, and hang them up before the LORD in broad daylight, so that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel. 5 So Moses said to the judges of Israel, Each of you must execute those of his men who were joined to Baal-peor (Numbers 25:1-5). Machlon and Chillon died also both of them. Apparently Elimelech abandoned his people because they scorned their leaders. It must be, the Sages reasoned, that Elimelech misread his destiny. . Even if I thought that there was hope that I could get married tonight and conceive sons, 13 surely you would not want to wait until they were old enough to marry! Orpah and Ruth were committed to returning to Israel with their mother-in-law. Who would carry on his line? 1 Copyright 2010 by Robert L. Deffinbaugh. But when there was a famine in the land, they moved to the neighboring country of Moab. Probably they were sickly children, and not likely to be long-lived. Ruth and Naomi are very different people. And so they, like Lots daughters (the oldest one in particular), devised a scheme whereby the line would be preserved, albeit apart from faith and obedience to Gods Word. Who would want Naomi for a mother-in-law? The name (Phoen. Lot and his family were spared, but his wife died (turned to salt) because she looked back. 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. Without a doubt, this is the most amazing and distressing thing Naomi has said so far. Due to the famine in Israel during the time of the Judges, Elimelech crossed over to Moab, where he and his two sons died. Who was Elimelech? Moabs hostility and opposition to Israel continued on into the period of the Judges. He is the ancestor of the Ammonites of today (Genesis 19:30-38, emphasis mine). How did Elimelech know that strict justice was (loose) in the world? He keeps loyal love; that is, He is a God who perseveres in His love, and thus He is a covenant-keeping God. We will return with you to your people., 11 But Naomi replied, Go back home, my daughters! Now I should stop to say that I firmly believe in the sovereignty of God, that God is in absolute control of everything that takes place on this earth. Text Copyright And Gideon said to them: I shall not rule over you and my son shall not rule over you, Hashem shall rule over you (Judges 8, 22). She had to leave her family, her homeland, and her gods and go to the place of Gods blessing. Is this the behavior of a leader who loves and cares for his people, even if they do not fully deserve his respect? We shall see more about this in chapter 3. For my intense suffering is too much for you to bear. Which is greater 36 yards 2 feet and 114 feet 2 inch? <> Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. No, my daughters, you must not return with me. May the Lord show you the same kind of devotion that you have shown to your deceased husbands and to me! Such people are in misery, and honestly, they make those around them miserable as well. WebRuth 1:2. As you will recall, Mrs. A Christian wife is having difficulties in her relationship with her husband, and she shares this with a Christian friend. %PDF-1.5 Though a widow, Naomi still had her two sons to provide for and protect her. In this emergency, she was proposing an unconventional solution to their problem. 5 Then Naomis two sons, Mahlon and Kilion, also died. Elimelech was one of the great men and authorities in Israel. A Jew who knows the law and doesnt live by it is not really a true Jew. Both were traveling with Naomi as she made her way toward Israel. She views God as harsh and uncaring, doling out affliction and trouble in a way that is completely unrelated to her attitudes and actions. Thus, we cannot say with certainty that the story of Ruth occurs late in the period of the judges, though this seems likely. But here is where the similarity ends. From these events, we can easily see that the Moabites were no friend to Israel. But when she urged Ruth to return to her pagan god(s), that was the worst unkindness of all. The usual pattern is the reverse; first, we are told a mans name and familial antecedents and only then are his actions described. in 1971. Call me Mara because the Sovereign One has treated me very harshly. In our text, Naomis conversation with her daughters-in-law is couched in language that gives the appearance that she is encouraging them to return to their families and their land because this would be in their best interest. Naomi tended to focus only on herself, on her lack of sons to give in marriage, and on her lack of a child to carry on the family line. Once again I would suggest that Naomis strong urging for Ruth and Orpah to return was as much for her interests as for her daughters-in-law. A godly Israelite would not only trust in the one true God, Yahweh, they would also know that there are no other gods. Ruth focused on Naomi and her need and on Naomis people and their God. 18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped trying to dissuade her. And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons. And they will do this because they believe they are doing their friend a favor. Bildungswesen. WebThe Bible Exposition Commentary: The meaning of redemption. Naomi felt that God was against her, and every indication is that she felt God had dealt with her in a harsh and severe way. One would have to begin by saying that these two women have a fair bit in common. Now, Naomi urges both of her daughters-in-law to go back home to their own land21 and to their mothers homes22 and to find a new Moabite husband, so that they might have security.23 While God promised to bless all those who blessed Abraham and his offspring, Naomi told her daughters-in-law that to stay with her would be to share in the curse God had placed upon her.24 As the story of Ruth and Boaz unfolds, God promises are fulfilled, while Naomis warning and instructions are proven to be false. Many years later, the Israelites were camped on the plains of Moab, across the Jordan River from Jericho, poised to enter the Promised Land. We find Ruth contrasted with Orpah, and then with Naomi. The woman was left of her two sons and her husband , The Lord had visited his people in giving them bread . God sees things not as we see them. Only death will be able to separate me from you!. Encyclopedias almanacs transcripts and maps. No details, however, are given, as, on the one hand, no blame is attached to the conduct The inference is clear: to remain with Naomi has no promise of blessing and every reason to expect that they will share in her divinely-imposed affliction. Naomi adds one final argument in favor of Orpah and Ruth returning home to Moab. To her, Gods blessings should appear now, in the form of bread, an eligible bachelor (marriage), and babies. You will note from the first verse of chapter 1 that the setting for the story of Ruth is the times of the judges. Her commitment is not just to Naomi; it is a lifetime commitment to Israel and to her God. 33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! He deals out Justice, rejecting the bad and rewarding the good. It follows, therefore, that these characters must be important in setting the theme of the book. We assume that names of Biblical characters are not accidental but reflect their essense or memorialize pivotal events of their lives. and lifts up the needy from the garbage pile, 9 He makes the barren woman of the family. HADAD , an early Semitic god, first appears in texts written in the Old Akkadian dialect and in Eblaite (third millennium). Following their deaths, his wife Naomi returned to Beth-Lehem together with her daughter-in-law *Ruth (Ruth 1:13; 2:1, 3; 4:3, 9). EphrathitesThe ancient name of Beth-lehem was Ephrath (Ge 35:19; 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). Naomi instructs us to beware of Calvinism run amuck. Let us reflect on these contrasts for a moment. WebWhen a severe famine struck Israel, Elimelech took his wife Naomi and their two sons across the Jordan and south to the land of Moab, in the hope of finding a living there. It is not for us to say how far those are right who see in the death of Elimelech and his sons Gods punishment for the disregard of His Naomi heard that the famine in Judah had ended and food was now available in Bethlehem ( Ruth 1:6 ), so she determined to return. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah went to live as a resident foreigner in the region of Moab, along with his wife and two sons. What is A person who sells flower is called? She has chosen to permanently leave her homeland and family and to embrace Israel, the Israelites, and Israels God as her own, forever. Ruth is never dealt with as a second-class believer. Orpah succumbed to Naomis reasoning and chose to pursue what appeared to be in her best interest. She was one who received Gods blessings because she blessed one of Abrahams offspring by remaining with her and committing to care for her.28 Ruth was a woman who committed herself for a lifetime, and she did so in spite of her national pride, her family affections, the example of her sister-in-law, and the urgings of her mother-in-law. This is the edited manuscript of Lesson 1 in the series, Ruth: A Story of Redemption, prepared by Robert L. Deffinbaugh on January 10, 2010. He is slow to anger, and He does forgive sin. 32 Come, lets make our father drunk with wine so we can have sexual relations with him and preserve our family line through our father. 33 So that night they made their father drunk with wine, and the older daughter came and had sexual relations with her father. There they made a new home and seemed to do well (the Bible does not give us many details) until Elimelech died. Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. Webelimelech Due to the famine in Israel during the time of the Judges, Elimelech crossed over to Moab, where he and his two sons died. Following their deaths, his wife Naomi returned The second clue that this name is meant to be interpreted is how the verse presents it. 2 Then I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great, so that you will exemplify divine blessing. If Naomi had other sons, she could give them to these women in Levirate marriage, but she has no other sons. To walk in the steps of Abraham, one like Ruth would need to: (1) leave her relatives; (2) leave her homeland; and, (3) trust God to bless her as she sought to bless her mother-in-law. 17 Wherever you die, I will die and there I will be buried. 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