Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What does Ruth Chapter 1 mean?

It is the time of the judges, and the Israelites live in a volatile cycle of their own making (Judges 2:16–19). Times of peace are followed by a loss of zeal for God and a turn to pagan idols. God responds with famine and conquering enemies. When the people reach their limit of suffering, they cry out in repentance and beg for mercy. God sends a judge, like Deborah (Judges 4:4–5), Gideon (Judges 6:11), or Samson (Judges 13:24–25), to beat back the conquerors and return the rebel hearts to their God. But with peace brings complacency, and the people have short memories.

Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and their sons Mahlon and Chilion find themselves in a season of judgment. The territory of Judah around Bethlehem is in such a severe famine the family flees to Moab. This was a nation founded by a man conceived through an incestuous relationship between Lot and his daughter (Genesis 19:30–38). Moab was the culture which hired a prophet to curse the non-threatening Israelites; when that failed, Moab sent its women to seduce the men into adultery and idolatry (Numbers 22—24; 25:1–5; 31:16). Elimelech and Naomi’s time in Moab is no kinder; within ten years, Elimelech, Mahlon, and Chilion are dead, and Naomi is left with two Moabite daughters-in-law (Ruth 1:1–5).

Meanwhile, God has blessed Bethlehem again. Naomi hears the famine is over. She would rather live out her heartbroken and destitute days among her own people than in Moab, so she plans to return home. Her daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, insist on coming with her, showing a level of love and faithfulness uncommon even in Israel. Naomi cannot bear it. She can give the two women nothing in Israel. In Moab, at least they have a chance to find new husbands and new lives. Orpah reluctantly agrees and returns home. Ruth refuses to leave Naomi’s side (Ruth 1:6–14).

Naomi tries to persuade her stubborn daughter-in-law, but Ruth will have none of it. Naomi is her family, so the Israelites must be her people and the Israelite God must be her God. Despite Naomi’s inconsolable bitterness, Ruth sees something in her that makes leaving everything behind an easy decision. Only their deaths will separate them (Ruth 1:15–18).

When the women reach Bethlehem, Naomi’s old friends are delighted to see her. Naomi cannot reciprocate. She left Bethlehem empty of food but full of family. She returns empty of everything that matters. She insists the women call her “Mara,” or “Bitterness.” As she sees it, no one whom God has cursed should be called “Pleasant” (Ruth 1:19–21).

The skilled narrator ends the chapter with a hint of things to come: the famine is over and the barley is ripe (Ruth 1:22).

Ruth will use this to her advantage as she goes to a field and requests permission to scavenge after the harvesters are done with their work (Ruth 2:1–2). It so happens the landowner, Boaz, is one of Elimelech’s kinsman-redeemers who is obliged to buy Elimelech’s land which will give Naomi a living. Yet Naomi has grander plans; if Boaz can give them money to live on, why can’t he give her an heir—and provide security for Ruth, as well (Ruth 3:1)?

Chapter Context
Ruth chapter 1 introduces the tumultuous life of a Jewish woman in the era of the judges (Judges 2:16–19). The Israelites have entered the Promised Land but have only half-heartedly pursued God’s command to drive out the depraved Canaanites. Too often, they rejected God for foreign idols. God responds with war and famine. In the face of one such famine in Judah, Elimelech and Naomi take their two sons and flee to Moab. After ten years, when the famine is lifted, Naomi returns to Bethlehem with all that is left of her family: one daughter-in-law. They encounter Boaz, whose character is explained more in chapter 2.

Verse by Verse

Verse 1. In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.

Without Moses and Joshua as national leaders, the Israelites do as they wish (Judges 17:6; 18:1; 21:25), including worshiping the idols referred to as Baals and Ashtaroth (Judges 2:11–13). God had warned the Israelites of many potential curses they would experience if they disobeyed Him; famine is on the list (Leviticus 26:18–20). Faced with starvation in the region of Judah around Bethlehem, an Israelite man named Elimelech (Ruth 1:2) takes his wife Naomi and their sons, Mahlon and Chilion, to Moab.

Moab has a poisonous relationship with Israel. Its founder was the son of drunken incestuous relations between Abraham’s nephew Lot and Lot’s daughter (Genesis 19:30–38). When the Israelites passed Moab on their way into the Promised Land, the Moabite king first tried to curse God’s people and then lured them with women (Numbers 22:1—25:9). God punished the Moabites by banning them from temple worship for ten generations, and Israelites were not to “seek their peace or their prosperity” forever (Deuteronomy 23:3–6). Throughout the time of the judges, the Israelites oscillated between conquering the Moabites or being conquered by them. For an Israelite family to settle in Moab to escape God’s judging famine must have been humiliating, especially since “Elimelech” means “my God is king.”

“Bethlehem in Judah” differentiates the town from the Bethlehem in Zebulun. “Bethlehem” means “house of bread” which makes the famine even more ironic and tragic. “Sojourn” is a specific term. It means the family aren’t migrants passing through with minimal legal protection, but neither are they residents with full legal protection.

The “days when the judges ruled” were between the time of Joshua’s death and Saul’s coronation as king (Joshua 24:29; 1 Samuel 10); scholars disagree on the timing, but it was roughly between 1350 and 1050 BC.

The specific time in which Ruth lives is also debated. Some think it was between the judges Ehud (Judges 3:26–30) and Jephthah (Judges 11:4–6), around 1275–1100 BC, when Israel dominated Moab. Others look to the genealogy in Ruth 4:18–22 and consider that even if Boaz, Obed, and Jesse were old when their sons were born, a date later in the era of the judges would be more appropriate. Jesse is described as “advanced in years” when David defeats Goliath (1 Samuel 17:12), but he is still alive when David reaches adulthood (1 Samuel 22:3).

Context Summary
Ruth 1:1–5 opens Naomi’s story with a short but devastating account of tragedy. The era of the judges was a period of lawlessness and idolatry in Israel (Judges 2:16–19). In one response to Israel’s sin, at least around Bethlehem, God sends a famine in judgment. Elimelech and Naomi take their two sons to Moab where the sons marry Moabite wives. Sadly, within ten years all three men are dead, leaving a Jewish woman and two Moabite daughters-in-law forced to fend for themselves.

Verse 2. The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there.

This statement provides the names of the people mentioned at the start of the chapter (Ruth 1:1). An Israelite family—parents and two sons—flee the famine in Judah around Bethlehem. They settle in Moab, a nation regularly at war with Israel. In order to do this, Elimelech would have had to sell his land—the family inheritance that God provided. “Elimelech” means “God is my king.” “Naomi” means “pleasant.” “Bethlehem” means “house of bread.”

Scholars debate the meaning of the sons’ names. It’s possible that “Mahlon” means “sickly,” and “Chilion” means “frailty, mortal.” Both sons will pass away while in Moab (Ruth 1:4), leading some interpreters to see those as placeholders simply noting the son’s fate. Others suggest the names are derived from machol and kalal, meaning “dancing” and “perfected.” As literal names, they would have been given long before the move to Moab and their untimely deaths. These are all possibilities, but none are the least important to the message of this book.

Bethlehem is, of course, well-known to the Bible story. Rachel, Jacob’s favorite wife, was buried there after giving birth to Benjamin (Genesis 35:16–19). David is from there as is his descendent, Jesus the Messiah (1 Samuel 16:1; Luke 2:1–21).

The term “Ephrath” is less certain. It refers to the region surrounding Bethlehem and is sometimes used to refer to Bethlehem, itself. It also seems to be the name of a clan in Bethlehem. Judah’s son Perez had two sons (Genesis 46:12). Boaz, and therefore David and Jesus, is descended from Perez’s grandson, Ram (Ruth 4:18–19). Ram’s brother Caleb, sometimes spelled Chelubai, married a woman named Ephrath (1 Chronicles 2:19). It’s unlikely the clan and region are named after her; she would have lived in Egypt when the Israelites were enslaved there.

The phrase translated “country of Moab” most literally means “fields of Moab,” referring to physical land, not the cultural or political nation. The term refers to a specific agricultural region, although we don’t know where. Likewise, we don’t know what the family did there, why they stayed so long, or why the sons took wives from Moab and didn’t go back to Israel. That so many things are left unsaid implies those details aren’t necessary to grasp the point of the story. This book is about a young Moabite widow showing lovingkindness to her widowed Israelite mother-in-law. She demonstrates so much love that she dedicates her life to make sure the mother is recompensed for her loss.

The larger lesson is about God’s lovingkindness, even for widows. He not only cares for their needs, but He also places Ruth in the ancestral line of King David and the Messiah, Jesus.

Verse 3. But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons.

An Israelite couple, Elimelech and Naomi, along with their two sons, have fled a famine in Bethlehem and settled in Moab (Ruth 1:1–2). At some point in their ten-year stay (Ruth 1:4), Elimelech dies. When, precisely, he passes away is not stated. The flow of the story suggests this happened soon after the move to Moab, likely before the two sons had married their wives. As is typical with ancient literature, the book of Ruth leaves out details Westerners would prefer to know. Also, among these mysteries are where in Moab they settle, what they do there, and how Naomi survives without her husband.

Scripture does tell us how, only a few generations before, the Israelites were traveling up the Jordan River toward the crossing by Jericho. There, the Moabites proved antagonistic toward their cousins. The Moabite king hired the prophet Balaam to curse the nation. When God prevented Balaam from uttering any word against the Israelites, Balaam suggested the Moabite women go down and seduce the Israelite men from their wives and their God (Numbers 22:1—25:5; 31:16).

The conditions of Elimelech’s death are also a mystery. Bible scholars, of course, have theories, and they all seem to include divine judgment. One theory is that Elimelech disobeyed God by leaving the Promised Land and fleeing to the Israelites’ enemy in Moab. Specifically, he sold his family inheritance, given by God, to live amongst idol-worshiping pagans.

A second is similar: that God condoned the family’s move to Moab but that they should have returned sooner. Some think that God told Elimelech to return, but he refused. There’s absolutely no evidence for this—in fact, the famine apparently won’t be lifted until years after Elimelech’s death (Ruth 1:6).

Scripture gives no reason for Elimelech’s untimely demise. As far as the story of Ruth and Naomi is concerned, Elimelech is simply a character involved in the early plot, not a major character requiring detailed attention. The focus is on Naomi, his widow. Elimelech dies, leaving his wife alone with two sons, though not for long.

Verse 4. These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. They lived there about ten years,

Naomi is an Israelite who fled to Moab with her husband and two sons when Bethlehem was struck by a famine. Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, has died, but she still has her two sons, Mahlon, which might mean “sickly,” and Chilion, which may refer to something “frail” (Ruth 1:2).

This verse gives a glimpse of an underlying cultural theme of that era: children and grandchildren are essential for the safety and strength of the family. Naomi apparently feels this so acutely that she would rather the boys marry in Moab than wait until the family can return to Israel and find wives from their own people.

The relationship between the Moabites and Israelites has been strained ever since the Israelites passed by their cousins on their way to the Promised Land. Afraid of the Israelites’ strength, the king of Moab hired the prophet Balaam to curse the fledgling nation. When that didn’t work, Balaam suggested the Moabite women entice the Israelite men. Many of the men succumbed, having relations with the women, and worshiping their gods (Numbers 22:1—25:5; 31:16).

The propriety of Mahlon’s and Chilion’s marriages are debated. Because the Moabites refused to show the traveling Israelites hospitality, God banned Moabites from entering the “assembly of the Lord” to the tenth generation (Deuteronomy 23:3–4). Israelites are forbidden to marry women from the nations they dispossess in the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 7:1–4), and after the Babylonian exile, Jews are not allowed to marry foreign women (Ezra 9:1—10:44). But it’s unclear if an Israelite man is banned from marrying a Moabite woman at this time—especially if she converted to Yahweh worship.

The timing is also uncertain. We aren’t told if the “ten years” is the total amount of time Naomi and her sons live in Moab or the amount of time they live there after the sons married. If Ruth 1:3–4 are strictly chronological, which seems the case, the three stay ten years after Mahlon and Chilion are married. This would work to Naomi’s advantage in that they have strong ties to two resident families, but even that convenience is shattered when the men die.

Verse 5. and both Mahlon and Chilion died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.

Ten or more years before, Naomi fled a famine in Bethlehem with her husband and two sons. Although her homeland had no food, she felt full because she had her family. Now, no amount of food can fill the void left by her loss (Ruth 1:21). Her husband and sons have died. She is a foreign widow in an enemy nation. Her rights as a foreigner and a woman are already minimal; having no living male relative means she could not be more exposed.

Because of the vulnerability of widows, God makes extensive compensations for them in the Mosaic law. He promises that if someone oppresses a sojourner or a widow, He will hear the victims’ cry and visit burning wrath on the abusers (Exodus 22:21–24). Every three years, the people are to store their tithes for Levites, the fatherless, widows, and sojourners (Deuteronomy 14:28–29). Farmers in Israel are forbidden to harvest all the way to the edges of their fields or go back over their fields and olive trees a second time; they are to leave some for the sojourner, fatherless, and widow (Deuteronomy 24:19–22). But Naomi isn’t in Israel.

Commentators suggest Naomi is the Bible’s female version of Job. Job lost more because he was richer and had more children, but because of his gender and the fact that he could own land, he could not sink as low as Naomi. For the same reasons, Job had reasons to think he could rise again—and he does (Job 42:12–13). Naomi is too old to even try to marry and have another son. There is nothing she can do to reclaim the status of her former life.

As with Naomi’s husband, Elimelech, we aren’t told why Mahlon and Chilion die. Their names might hold a clue, as possible interpretations of Machlon and Kilyown are “sickly” and “frail” (Ruth 1:2). This is not universally accepted, however. The Targum—a paraphrase of the Old Testament—blames their deaths on the fact that they married Moabite women. The Midrash and the Talmud, in instances such as Bava Batra 91a.8, claim God struck them because they left Israel in the first place. The Bible doesn’t give those details. They aren’t needed, since causes of the men’s deaths have no bearing on the story. The story belongs to Naomi and Ruth.

Naomi will have to rely on only two things. First, she hears the famine is over in Bethlehem. If she goes home, she will still need charity to survive, but it will be the kindness of friends and family rather than some-time-enemies. The second blessing is the faithfulness of Mahlon’s wife, Ruth (Ruth 1:16–18). By the end of the story, Naomi will find that Ruth is, indeed, more of a blessing than seven sons (Ruth 4:15).

Verse 6. Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the fields of Moab that the Lord had visited his people and given them food.

Naomi has spent ten years trying to survive. First, she fled with her husband and two sons to Moab when their home region of Bethlehem was struck with famine. When her husband died, she tried to keep the family line going by finding wives for her sons. Now, her sons have died without children, and Naomi’s scrambling again (Ruth 1:1–5). In that culture and era, widowed, childless women were especially vulnerable; they were effectively without any means of support.

Fortunately, while working the fields of Moab, she hears that the famine in Israel is over. She can go home. It will be humiliating to return to her hometown only to ask for charity, but the despair and bitterness she feels with the loss of her family is even worse.

It’s natural that, at first, her daughters-in-law would be expected to go with her. It seems that it isn’t until they’ve begun the journey that Naomi has second thoughts. The implications of returning to Israel are different for the younger women than they are for her. It will be hard enough for an older Israelite widow to return to Israel. Two young Moabite widows will be vulnerable to much more than starvation.

“Return” marks one end of an inclusio with Ruth 1:22. An “inclusio” is a repeated word or phrase identifying the beginning and end of a related section of text. In fact, the word “return” is used eight times between this verse and the end of the chapter. As Ruth 1:6 is the summary introduction of Naomi’s return to Bethlehem, Ruth 1:22 is the summary epilogue.

In the book of Ruth, the characters often call on God to bless another (Ruth 1:9; 2:4, 12, 20; 3:10) or accuse God of bringing them hardships (Ruth 1:20), but the narrator rarely mentions Him. Here is one of the few times God is described as working directly in the story. The other is 4:13: “…and the LORD gave her conception, and she bore a son.” God giving the Israelites food led to God giving Ruth a son which led to God giving Israel a king which led to God giving the world a Savior (Matthew 1:5–16).

“Visited” is from the Hebrew word pāqaḏ’. It means “to stop, see, and do something about.” The word is also used to describe God’s concern over Israelite slavery (Exodus 4:31). The basis of God’s visitation to Bethlehem is the fulfillment of His covenant with Moses. He had promised that if Israel disobeyed, He would send famine (Leviticus 26:18–20). Apparently, the Israelites repented of their sins, and God is blessing them again (Leviticus 26:40–42).

Context Summary
Ruth 1:6–14 records Naomi receiving good news: the famine in Bethlehem is over. She and her family fled to Moab ten years prior. Now, her husband and sons are gone, but she has two loving daughters-in-law. At first, they accompany her. Yet Naomi becomes convinced their arrangement cannot work. Orpah and Ruth can live with her in poverty, or they can find rest in a new family. After a persuasive argument, Orpah tearfully agrees to leave, but Ruth stays. Naomi is bitter now, but Ruth will prove to be everything the mourning widow needs.

Verse 7. So she set out from the place where she was with her two daughters-in-law, and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah.

An Israelite widow living in Moab, Naomi, has heard that the famine in Bethlehem is over. She decides to return home. Her two daughters-in-law, widows of Naomi’s late sons, go with her (Ruth 1:4–6).

Orpah and Ruth, Naomi’s daughters-in-law, clearly love her deeply. In modern times, societies emphasize the individual over the clan. This makes it harder to understand the close relationship between a woman and her husband’s relatives one would find in ancient cultures. At first, it seems perfectly reasonable to Orpah and Ruth to stay with Naomi. As they approach Bethlehem, however, it seems Naomi realizes that these young, unprotected Moabitesses will face hardship and even danger in Israel. They will be seen as outsiders, even enemies (Numbers 22:1—25:5; 31:16), unlikely to find husbands on their own, at risk from cruel men and with no other family to rely on.

Naomi makes the hard choice to tell them to return to their birth-families so they can find new husbands who will care for them (Ruth 1:8–13).

The details many Western readers would prefer are not given; they’re not important to the story. We don’t know where in Moab Naomi and her husband Elimelech settled. Nor do we know what route Naomi and her daughters-in-law take to Bethlehem. They may go south, around the southern shore of the Dead Sea, cross the Jordan, and make the long trek north to Bethlehem, just a few miles south of Jerusalem. Or they may travel north and cross near Jericho.

Judah is the tribe controlling the territory surrounding Bethlehem. It is the largest tribe of Israel, other than Manasseh, and hosts the future capital, Jerusalem. Prominent descendants of Judah include David, Solomon, and Jesus. Bethlehem of Judah distinguishes it from the Bethlehem in Zebulun.

Verse 8. But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother ‘s house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.

Naomi and her daughters-in-law have been making the arduous trek from Moab on the east side of the Dead Sea to Bethlehem (Ruth 1:1–7). The details of the events and the women’s motivations are unclear. Orpah and Ruth are Moabites. Their husbands, Naomi’s sons, have died. They are free to return to their birth-families and seek out other husbands who can give them security and a family. Why did they start to come with Naomi, and why does she try to turn them around? Perhaps the closer Naomi gets to Israel, the more she realizes how difficult life will be for pagan, widowed, Moabite women to live in Israel. And, as a widow herself, there is nothing Naomi can do to protect them.

“Kindly” is from the Hebrew word hesed. Hesed means “loyalty, reliability, kindness, compassion.” It is the predominant quality of God that characterizes the covenants He made with the Israelites (Genesis 39:21; Exodus 15:13; Psalm 36:5). Scholars suggest Naomi uses the statement “May the LORD deal kindly with you” as a formal declaration, ending a relationship. Naomi is releasing the women from all obligation to her.

Hesed, sometimes translated as “steadfast love” or “lovingkindness” is a major theme in Ruth’s story. Soon, Ruth will remark on Boaz’s similar expression of kindness (Ruth 2:13), Naomi will admit God has been kind (Ruth 2:20), and Boaz will honor Ruth’s kindness to Naomi (Ruth 3:10). God shows His lovingkindness and covenant faithfulness directly and through the kindness of those who fear Him.

Verse 9. The Lord grant that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband!” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept.

Naomi has allowed her daughters-in-law to accompany her from their home in Moab (Ruth 1:1–7). However, it seems the closer she gets to Bethlehem, the more she realizes the Moabite widows will have nothing in Israel. Naomi is not anticipating an easy life for herself in Israel. She has no close male relative to take her in. She cannot claim ownership of her husband’s land. She is past the age of childbearing, so there is no chance she can remarry. Life will be grueling, but she will be home, and the famine is over (Ruth 1:6).

This means the two young Moabite women will have an even harder life. The Mosaic law includes stipulations to protect sojourners and widows (Exodus 22:21–24; Deuteronomy 14:28–29; 24:19–22). Yet the very existence of those laws suggests how often hardship and injustice were inflicted on such persons. Their only chance for sustenance is to glean: to follow behind hired workers and pick out scraps of grain and fruit left behind. But workers are very efficient, and there will not be much to take. And while in the fields, they will be vulnerable to the attacks of the workers, themselves.

And if Naomi dies while they are in Israel, their situation will be even worse.

Naomi is mired in depression but can still think of what’s best for Orpah and Ruth. They should stay in Moab. In fact, they should go back to their birth-families. Their parents can arrange marriages with Moabite men. They can raise their families and worship their gods. They will have rest. Rest from the wandering and the fear and the food insecurity. After all, what Israelite man would want to marry a Moabitess? It was Moabitesses who seduced Israelite men away from their wives and their God when the Israelites came to settle in the Promised Land (Numbers 25:1–9). Only sons of Naomi would want to marry them, and she is past the age of childbearing (Ruth 1:10–13).

Even though Naomi is bitter towards God for the loss of her husband and sons (Ruth 1:20–21), when it comes to blessing the women she loves, God is all she has. There is something in Naomi’s heart deeper than resentment, and both Orpah and Ruth would have seen it. She was probably different from the Moabite women they know. Her God was certainly different from the idols of the Moabites.

Orpah, tearfully, finally agrees to leave. Unlike the modern world, goodbyes such as this were usually permanent; once the women move on to new lives, they have no reason to expect to ever meet again. Ruth, however, wants whatever Naomi has (Ruth 1:14–17).

Verse 10. And they said to her, “No, we will return with you to your people.”

Ten years before, an Israelite family settled in Moab because God had sent a famine to their hometown of Bethlehem. In the interim, the husband died, the two sons married, and then the sons died. Naomi is left with her two Moabite daughters-in-law (Ruth 1:1–5).

While working in the field one day, Naomi hears from other workers that the famine is over (Ruth 1:6). In Israel, she will not be able to hold her husband’s land. She is too old to remarry. She apparently has no close family to care for her. But she will be home. She will be able to glean for food (Leviticus 23:22). And even though she is bitter at God for her losses (Ruth 1:20–21), she will be able to worship Him, surrounded by others who do the same.

At first, her daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, accompany her (Ruth 1:7–9). They love their mother-in-law so much they can’t bear the thought of leaving her alone. Having lived with a loving Israelite family, they may not understand the history behind the Moabites and the Israelites. A few hundred years before, when the Israelites marched up from the Sinai Peninsula to the river ford near Jericho, the Moabite king hired the prophet Balaam to curse them. God prevented Balaam from speaking any words but God’s blessings on His people. So, Balaam suggested the king send down Moabite women to entice the Israelite men away from their wives and the worship of their God. The temptation worked so well that God punished the Israelites with a massive wave of death (Numbers 22:1—25:9; 31:16).

Whether or not Orpah and Ruth know this, they should know that life will be much more difficult in Israel. They will be unmarried widows from a people God has cursed (Deuteronomy 23:3–6). Their future will be much brighter if they return to their parents and find new husbands.

At first, they refuse. Moving on to other families and regions, in that era of history, almost always meant a permanent “goodbye.” What Naomi suggests is a permanent separation. The younger women prefer to stay with Naomi and go to Israel with her. Naomi refortifies her argument and, eventually, Orpah reluctantly agrees and returns home. Ruth, however, clings to her mother-in-law, and that makes all the difference (Ruth 1:11–18).

Verse 11. But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb that they may become your husbands?

Naomi is heartbroken. Her husband and sons have died. Now she feels convicted to send away her two loving daughters-in-law. They are from Moab. Naomi is headed home to Bethlehem in Israel. There is little left for Naomi in Israel, but even less for Orpah and Ruth. Naomi understands that the only chance the women have for rest—from hunger, danger, loneliness, and destitution—is for them to remarry. Because of the sordid history of Moabite women and Israelite men (Numbers 25:1–9), their best chance is to return to their families and find Moabite husbands.

Orpah and Ruth refuse. They love Naomi and want to stay with her. She fights them with logic. The only way, she thinks, they can have rest but stay in Naomi’s life is if Naomi has more sons for them to marry. Sadly, Naomi has passed the age of childbearing. In that era, the likelihood that anyone would want to marry a woman too old for childbearing is very slim. If Orpah and Ruth stay with Naomi, they will not have rest; if they remarry, they will not be family.

Naomi is not thinking of a Levirate marriage, here (Deuteronomy 25:5–6). A Levirate marriage occurs when a man marries but dies before having an heir. The man’s brother is to marry the widow and give her a son who will inherit the first man’s property and position in the clan. Naomi’s husband, Elimelech, has property in Bethlehem, but it’s evident he has no brother—and since Naomi is no longer fertile, she wouldn’t marry, anyway. The only recorded time in Israel that a man’s property went to female heirs was with the daughters of Zelophehad who were allowed to keep the inheritance if they married within their tribe (Numbers 27:1–11). In that instance, however, Moses did say that if ever a man died without sons, then the inheritance should go to his daughters (Numbers 27:9), and he made contingencies for a man who died without children (Numbers 27:10–11). But Orpah and Ruth are not Elimelech’s daughters. The best Naomi can hope for is to find a kinsman of Elimelech who will buy his land so she can have money to live on.

The situation is tragic, no matter what happens. Families separated by marrying into different regions had no reason to expect they’d ever meet again. Orpah eventually leaves, but Ruth stays (Ruth 1:14). Levirate marriages pre-date the Mosaic law (Genesis 38), and Ruth may have already known of them. When Naomi points out Elimelech’s kinsman, and notes that if Ruth married him, he would take diligent care of her, Ruth challenges him to a Levirate marriage, as well. Fortunately, that man is Boaz, and he is more than willing (Ruth 3:11–13).

Verse 12. Turn back, my daughters; go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, even if I should have a husband this night and should bear sons,

This continues Naomi’s heartbreaking logic. She has been living in Moab for ten years and is now headed back to Bethlehem (Ruth 1:1–5). Her daughters-in-law have decided to come with her, but it seems the closer she gets to home, the more she realizes that’s a bad idea (Ruth 1:6–11).

She loves her daughters-in-law and does not regret that her sons’ wives are Moabitesses. But there is no reason to expect a future for them if they stay with her. She will return to Bethlehem, where she is at least a native Israelite. They are from the nation of Moab (Numbers 22:1—25:9; 31:16) and would be much more likely to survive if they return to their parents who can arrange new marriages for them. That is their only reasonable chance to find rest from poverty, hunger, and hardship: the only life which Naomi can offer.

Naomi has already pointed out that she is too old to bear more sons for them to marry. In fact, she is too old to remarry to even try to have sons! Her reasoning uses a technique called a “reduction to absurdity:” taking an assumption to its conclusion and showing how ridiculous it would be. Even if she could have sons, the younger women would need to stay with her until those sons were grown enough to marry (Ruth 1:13). Would they? The expected response is, “Of course not!” Orpah and Ruth need husbands now, while they are young enough to start their own families.

In Naomi’s thinking, there is no way the women can find rest and stay together. She expects to be miserable either way; she would rather not Orpah and Ruth be miserable on her account.

Verse 13. would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me.”

Scholars compare Naomi’s troubles to the experiences of Job. Both lose their livelihood and their children. Both know God has at least allowed it, both seem to suspect He has deliberately caused it. And both are convinced they’ve done nothing to deserve it (Job 1:13–22; 9:20–21; Ruth 1:20–21). Neither Naomi nor Job were being punished for sin, nor were they suffering the natural consequences of some unwise decision (Proverbs 1:31; 11:29).

Naomi is additionally heartbroken because God’s actions against her have hurt her daughters-in-law. She has resolved to return home to Bethlehem (Ruth 1:1–5), but she realizes Israel is no place for two young Moabite widows. They can either live with her or find husbands and have a good life. As much as she loves them, she does not want them to join her in her unavoidable poverty and hardship (Ruth 1:6–10).

At first, the women refuse to leave, but Naomi has a convincing argument. There is no chance that she can have more sons for Orpah and Ruth to marry. First, she’s too old. Second, who would marry her so that she could even try? Finally, even if she got married that very night and gave birth to sons nine months later, would Orpah and Ruth wait until the boys were old enough to marry? It’s much better if they separate now (Ruth 1:11–12).

Naomi’s view of God is tragic. She thinks His hand—His authority and power—has “gone out against” her. In her mind, God has intentionally, directly acted to harm her, as He would to punish someone in rebellion (Exodus 9:3; Deuteronomy 2:15; Judges 2:15). She’s even further grieved to think that the two women she loves most have been caught in the crossfire.

Eventually, Orpah sees her point and returns home (Ruth 1:8, 14). Ruth, however, stays. She hears Naomi’s lament against God, but has lived with the family and probably suspects this can’t be the whole story. She loves Naomi enough that she will disavow her own people and call herself an Israelite. She will even abandon her gods and claim Yahweh (Ruth 1:16–17).

Verse 14. Then they lifted up their voices and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

Naomi’s argument hits home. She sees no way her daughters-in-law can stay with her and yet be free from hunger and poverty. Ten years before, Naomi and her husband and sons fled the famine in Bethlehem—she knows what it feels like to be in need, and she doesn’t want that for Orpah and Ruth (Ruth 1:1–5). The first time the women wept was when Naomi seemed to formally dissociate herself from Orpah and Ruth, leaving them to the hand of God (Ruth 1:8–9). She did this out of love, freeing them from any responsibility to her.

Since then, Naomi has presented a logical argument as to why the younger women should return to their birth families. They cannot remain her daughters-in-law. She is too old to conceive more sons, and even if by some miracle she did, it would be absurd for the women to wait fifteen or so years until the boys are—barely—old enough to marry (Ruth 1:8–13).

Orpah is convinced. She loves Naomi and doesn’t want to leave, but she agrees there is nothing a Moabite widow can do for an Israelite widow living in Israel. She returns Naomi’s kiss and returns home. In this era of history, such goodbyes were assumed to be permanent; neither would have expected to see the other again.

For some reason, Ruth is more resolved. “Clung” is translated from the same root word as “hold fast” in Genesis 2:24—the attitude a husband should have toward his new wife as he leaves his parents. The term serves as a preview for Ruth’s vow.

As Orpah fades into the distance, Ruth explains to Naomi exactly what she intends. Ruth is exchanging her country, her home, her family, and her gods. If Naomi lives in the streets of Bethlehem, begging from the women who were once her peers, that’s where Ruth is going to be, as well. As Ruth sees it, there is nothing to discuss: she is staying with Naomi (Ruth 1:16–18).

Verse 15. And she said, “See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.”

Two women are on their way to Bethlehem, of the three who initially set out from Moab. Naomi moved out of Israel with her husband and sons ten years prior because of a famine. Since then, her husband and sons died, and she is left with two Moabite daughters-in-law. She sees no way the women can remain together without living in poverty. Naomi has convinced her daughter-in-law Orpah to return to her family and seek another husband. Ruth, however, is more resolved (Ruth 1:1–14).

Here, Naomi continues to try to convince Ruth to return to Moab. She uses peer pressure, noting Orpah’s departure. Yet Ruth clearly understands the implications of her choice. This includes personal, cultural, and religious consequences.

The Moabites worship Chemosh (Numbers 21:29). Not much about this idol is known except that the Israelites often betray God to worship it (1 Kings 11:7). Solomon’s worship of Chemosh is one of the reasons God split the nation (1 Kings 11:31–33). During the time of Jehoshaphat, one of Judah’s better rulers, the king of Moab thought their loss to the Israelites was because Chemosh was angry with them. To try to appease his god, Mesha sacrificed his son (2 Kings 3). Chemosh didn’t react, of course (1 Corinthians 8:4), and the plan was foiled (2 Kings 3:22–27).

In the next verse, Ruth systematically rebuts Naomi’s earlier arguments. Naomi tells her that Orpah has “gone back;” Ruth tells her, “Where you go I will go.” Naomi mentions Orpah’s people; Ruth says, “Your people shall be my people.” Naomi warns Ruth she will have to leave her gods; Ruth replies, “Your God [shall be] my God.” Naomi tells Ruth to “return after your sister-in-law,” Ruth responds, “Do not urge me to…return from following you.”

In fact, Ruth adds to her vow. She will not only live with Naomi, but she will also be buried with Naomi. And if she breaks this promise, she calls on God to strike her down (Ruth 1:17).

Context Summary
Ruth 1:15–18 records Ruth’s vow to Naomi. Naomi had insisted Ruth return to her parents and start a new family. Ruth explains that Naomi is her family. No matter where Naomi lives or dies, or who she worships, Ruth will be with her. Naomi is suffering under the belief that God intentionally singled her out for tragedy (Ruth 1:13). She doesn’t quite realize that God can show up in the heart of a Moabite widow.

Verse 16. But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.

God allowed the Israelites to be enslaved in Egypt for four hundred years in part to grow their culture and population, at some distance from a culture steeped in foreign gods, intending to solidify them as a unique nation. He gave them the Mosaic law to teach them how to stay away from foreign gods. Israel was to be an example to pagan nations of what the one true God expects of His followers (Leviticus 26). He did this because He had promised Abraham he would be the father of many nations and the nations would be blessed through him (Genesis 12:1–3; 17:4; 22:18).

Abraham did not father the nation of Moab. Moab was one of two sons conceived by a drunken Lot—Abraham’s nephew—and Lot’s two daughters (Genesis 19:30–38). While God had promised that those who blessed Abraham would be blessed (Genesis 12:3), Moab wanted to bring cursing on Israel (Numbers 22–24). When getting a prophet to curse the Israelites proved unsuccessful, Moab took another route: inviting Israel into sin so they would bring cursing on themselves. When the Israelites traveled up the eastern side of the Dead Sea, the Moabite king sent women to seduce the Israelite men and introduce them to their own god, Chemosh (Numbers 25:1–5). This temptation worked so well that King Josiah was still taking down Chemosh altars seven hundred years later (2 Kings 23:13).

Why, then, would a Moabite woman whose Israelite husband had died insist on leaving home to follow her mother-in-law back to Israel (Ruth 1:1–15)? They have no man to protect them, provide for them, or hold their land. Their choices to earn a living are begging, servitude, and prostitution. Despite all this, Ruth will not leave Naomi.

Plenty of non-Jews have praised Israel’s God, including the Queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10:9), Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 3:28–29), and Darius (Daniel 6:25–27). Only a handful are recorded as having chosen to abandon their gods and convert to Yahweh-worship: Rahab (Joshua 2:11), Naaman (2 Kings 5:15–19), and Ruth.

Naomi is bitter. She believes God has hunted her down and taken her husband and sons (Ruth 1:13). She feels God has abandoned her (Ruth 1: 21). And yet after living with Naomi’s family, Ruth is satisfied with Yahweh, the God of Israel. She will not return to her parents and seek a Moabite husband. She will follow Naomi to Bethlehem. Naomi’s husband sold their land; Ruth will lodge on the streets if that’s where Naomi is. She will reject her own people and claim the Israelites, no matter how hostile or dangerous they may be toward her. And she will worship Yahweh as her God.

In that culture, many believed that a person spent the afterlife with those who shared their tomb. So, even if Naomi dies in Israel, Ruth will stay and be buried in the same grave. To make her decision official, she uses the ancient words of oath: “May the LORD do so to me and more also” if she does not fulfill this vow (Ruth 1:17).

God is true enough to use a bitter woman (Ruth 1:20) from a spiritually adulterous people (Judges 2:16–19) to call the heart of a pagan woman whose people He has cursed (Deuteronomy 23:3–6).

Verse 17. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.”

Ruth finishes her vow to Naomi (Ruth 1:15–16). The young Moabite widow will not leave her widowed Israelite mother-in-law (Ruth 1:1–5) no matter what. If Naomi is going to go home to Bethlehem, Ruth will too. If Naomi lives in an inn or a relative’s house, or the street, Ruth will too. Ruth formally, passionately disowns her people and her gods and claims Israel as her people and Yahweh as her God.

Even more so, if Naomi dies in Bethlehem, Ruth will not leave her. She will live out her years near Naomi’s grave and be buried with her so that, in the understanding of the culture of the time, they can remain family in the afterlife. She swears this in the name of Yahweh. She understands the cost, and she is willing to pay it (Luke 9:57–62; 14:25–33).

The Bible mentions only one other woman who took the initiative to identify with the Israelites and their God: Rahab. Both women are from nations seen as enemies of the Israelites. Yet both are in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:5). But Rahab was given a promise of protection (Joshua 2:12–14). Ruth must place a deeper trust in her new God—the same God Naomi believes has intentionally sought her out for harm (Ruth 1:13).

The wording of Ruth’s oath is common in Scripture (1 Samuel 3:17; 25:22; 2 Samuel 19:13; 1 Kings 2:23). The consequence to be “done” isn’t always mentioned. Scholars suggest the oath-speaker would make a physical gesture evoking animal slaughter, inferring that if the oath weren’t fulfilled, the consequence was death.

Verse 18. And when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more.

Naomi fought hard for what she feels is best for Ruth, but now accepts that she’s lost the argument. After losing her husband and two sons in Moab, Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem (Ruth 1:1–6). She does not want her Moabite daughters-in-law to join her. She expects to be impoverished and humiliated in Bethlehem with no male relative to see to her needs. Her young, foreign, pagan, widowed daughters-in-law will face even more danger.

To that end, Naomi has explained very clearly why following her is a bad idea. She is too old to have more sons, and even if, by some miracle, she did, Orpah and Ruth would be foolish to wait until they were grown enough to marry. There is nothing Naomi can offer the women she loves so much (Ruth 1:7–13).

Orpah has decided to obey Naomi, return home, and seek a new husband—a perfectly wise and reasonable choice. Ruth will not. Ruth would rather abandon her home, her nation, her family, and her gods and follow Naomi to the grave. Naomi may have nothing more to offer her, but Ruth will dedicate her life to Naomi through the power of Naomi’s God, Yahweh (Ruth 1:14–17).

Having lived with Ruth for years, Naomi probably knows when it’s futile to try to change the woman’s mind. Before long, Naomi will come to realize God didn’t abandon her when He allowed her husband and sons to die. God gave her Ruth. Within a year, Ruth will find a man who is willing to redeem Naomi’s husband Elimelech’s property and bear a son in Elimelech’s name. Naomi will have her son through Ruth. Ruth will have a good husband and everything else Naomi wishes for her (Ruth 3:11; 4:13–17).

In addition, two generations later, Israel will have a godly king in Ruth’s great-grandson David (Ruth 4:21–22). And, finally, the Messiah, Jesus (Matthew 1:5–16).

Verse 19. So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them. And the women said, “Is this Naomi?”

Naomi and Ruth have finally arrived in Bethlehem. It has been ten years since Naomi lived here, and longer than that since she has seen the fields filled with barley, ready to harvest (Ruth 1:1–5). Ruth has likely never seen Bethlehem. Undoubtedly, she has heard about it since she was married to Naomi’s son. She is a Moabitess and, despite her vulnerable position as a young, unmarried, pagan foreigner, her first and only order of business is to take care of Naomi.

Naomi likely doesn’t know what to expect when she arrives. At this point in life, her hope is as dead as her husband and sons. The town—especially the women—are excited over her return. Their wondering question probably reflects the change in Naomi since they saw her last. The women ask if this is really the same person. They are more than likely happy to see her but would have made note of her desperate situation.

Assuming the local people are joyful, Naomi can’t return their sentiment. She abandons her name, which means “pleasant,” and insists the women call her Mara, which means “bitter.” In her mind, this is a better description, since she feels God has deliberately dealt her a series of tragedies (Ruth 1:13, 20).

Despite the fields filled with barley (Ruth 1:22)—proof that God has removed His judgment of famine and blessed His people again—Naomi has no hope. The loss of husband and sons would weigh on any woman to a depth which loving friends would not be able to reach. But Naomi has even more reasons to mourn: she lives in an ancient patriarchal society. Her late husband sold his family land when they fled to Moab. Her options are to beg, to scavenge enough from the fields to prevent starvation, to become a servant, or to become a prostitute. That she’s beyond childbearing age suggest the last three options would be especially difficult.

In addition, with the deaths of her sons, she has seen the end of her husband’s family line. His land is owned by another and will not go to Elimelech’s heir. She left this region as the wife of a landowner, having given him two heirs. She returns destitute and dishonored.

Context Summary
Ruth 1:19–22 describes Naomi’s return to Bethlehem. Ten years prior, she fled with an empty stomach, but also with a husband and sons who filled her hands with blessings. Now, Bethlehem can again fill her stomach, but her family has died. In her bitterness, she seems to forget the faithful, loving Moabite daughter-in-law who has followed her and vows to stay at her side. She will learn soon enough how God will use Ruth to restore her hope and her future.

Verse 20. She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.

The women of Bethlehem are excited and likely delighted to see Naomi. She has been gone for ten years. In that time, however, Naomi’s husband and two sons have died (Ruth 1:1–5). When she left Bethlehem, the famine emptied her stomach; as she returns, the loss of her family has emptied her hands of every blessing God had given her (Ruth 1:21).

In a somewhat melodramatic display, Naomi demands people refer to her with a new name. Nō’omi literally means “pleasant and lovely.” Mārā means “bitter” (Genesis 27:34; Proverbs 5:4; Isaiah 38:17). She is still referred to as “Naomi” throughout the story, but she believes God has given her nothing but bitterness, and so that is how she identifies herself.

“The Almighty” is El Shaddai. Naomi does not use “Yahweh,” the personal name of God given to the Jews as part of His covenant with them. “Almighty” reflects God’s power, sovereignty, and mystery. It is used throughout Scripture, but particularly in the account of Job, who also felt cursed by God despite his innocence and was surrounded by friends who could not help. By referring to God as “The Almighty” instead of “Yahweh,” Naomi is looking at her loss through the culture’s eyes. God has failed—or so she believes—to keep His covenant with her. He has taken everything, and she is too old to hope for restoration. There is nothing she can do.

Fortunately, through Ruth, Naomi will eventually remember Yahweh who promises to reward the faithful (Leviticus 26:3–13) and champion the widow (Exodus 22:22–24).

Verse 21. I went away full, and the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the Lord has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?”

Naomi is explaining her situation to the women of Bethlehem. Ten years before, she, her husband, and their two sons fled the town because of a famine and settled in Moab. Now, the famine has ended and she returns, but without her husband and sons who died in a foreign land (Ruth 1:1–6).

Part of her resentful story is to point out the irony of her predicament. When she left Israel, Naomi’s belly was empty because she had no food. Yet, poetically speaking, her hands were full because she had her family. Now, Bethlehem is filled with food—the barley is ready to harvest (Ruth 1:22), but the terrible loss has emptied her hands. She realizes that whatever the hardship of the famine would have brought them, it is nothing compared to this.

Because of this, she insists that her friends stop referring to her with the Hebrew word Nō’omi, meaning “pleasant and lovely.” God has “dealt very bitterly” with her, and that sourness infiltrates every part of her heart, so she says they should call her Mārā (Ruth 1:20).

“Empty” means “with empty hands, i.e., without a gift.” God tells the Israelites that certain events require a sacrifice, and they may not appear before Him empty-handed (Exodus 23:15; 34:20). At times, He also promised to fill their hands, such as when they left Egypt (Exodus 3:21). And when an Israelite releases an indentured servant, the master is to supply that servant with what he needs; he is not to leave “empty-handed” (Deuteronomy 15:12–13).

Naomi feels that by allowing her husband and sons to die, God has somehow suggested to others she is guilty and should be punished. But Naomi has done nothing wrong; she speaks as if God is not acting as He should. Like with Job, God’s actions run counter to expectations; He is supposed to take care of widows (Exodus 22:22–24), not abandon them to poverty. Again, Naomi uses “the Almighty,” referring to God as the sovereign ruler of the universe (Ruth 1:20). This choice, as opposed to something more personal, subtly implies He has abandoned His oath as Yahweh, the God who cares for His people.

What Naomi is too hurt to realize, for now, is that God’s work in her story isn’t finished. Her daughter-in-law’s role in this saga has just begun. Within a year, Naomi will have a new son through Ruth—and the women who try to comfort her now will praise Ruth as more valuable than seven sons (Ruth 4:13–17).

Verse 22. So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabite her daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.

The narrator completes the first chapter of the story with a synopsis and setup for what happens next. Naomi has returned to Bethlehem without her husband and sons (Ruth 1:1–5). Her widowed daughter-in-law, Ruth, insisted on accompanying her (Ruth 1:15–18).

This verse has two literary marks. One is the inclusio—a literary device marking either end of a passage—closing the section begun in Ruth 1:6. This completes the story of the “return from [Moab].”

The other technique is a chiasm: the use of mirror-images, or reversed order, to arrange information, with the key point at the center (Ruth 1:15–18). This verse forms a chiasm with Ruth 1:1. The earlier verse noted things in the order of time, Bethlehem, Moab, then participants. This verse reverses this to note participants, Moab, Bethlehem, and then time.

From here until Boaz has finished the legal proceedings, Ruth is pointedly and repeatedly identified as a “Moabite” (Ruth 2:2, 6, 21; 4:5, 10). This may be to highlight the fact that she is not a native to Israel. But it may also be that this Moabitess, who should be an enemy of Israel (Numbers 25:1–5), is the one person who cares the most for an Israelite widow. In fact, she is willing to surrender her future to make sure Naomi receives justice.

Bethlehem means “house of bread.” The name makes the famine even more tragic, but the famine makes the barley harvest even more cause for celebration. The barley harvest occurs around late April or early May and continues until the wheat harvest two weeks later. Because of the barley harvest, Ruth will meet Boaz. Because of Ruth’s devotion to Naomi, Boaz will insist Ruth continue to glean through the wheat harvest. By the end of the wheat harvest, God will redeem the losses the women have faced and bless Israel and the world in the process.

End of Ruth Chapter 1

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