INTRODUCTION TO RUTH 1 This chapter treats of a family that removed from the land of Canaan to the land of Moab on account of a famine, where the father of it and his two sons died, and each of them left a widow, Ruth 1:1 the mother-in-law proposed to return to her own country, and set forward with... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW IT CAME TO PASS, IN THE DAYS WHEN THE JUDGES RULED,.... So that it appears that this history is of time and things after the affair of Micah, and of the concubine of the Levite, and of the war between Israel and Benjamin; for in those times there was no king nor judge in Israel; but to what time... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE NAME OF THE MAN WAS ELIMELECH,.... Which signifies "my God is King", as he was King over Israel. 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 so Jarchi; and it is very... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ELIMELECH, NAOMI'S HUSBAND, DIED,.... According to Josephus x, after he had dwelt in the land ten years, and had married his two sons to Moabitish women; but, as Alshech observes, the text shows that while he was living they were not married to them, but after his death; and it is said of them o... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY TOOK THEM WIVES OF THE WOMEN OF MOAB,.... Not before they were proselyted to the Jewish religion, as Aben Ezra thinks, and which seems plainly to be the case of Ruth; at least she was so afterwards, if not before; and also of Orpah, as the same writer concludes from Ruth 1:15 though others... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MAHLON AND CHILION DIED ALSO BOTH OF THEM,.... As well as their father, in the land of Moab, after they had lived with their wives in it about ten years; the Targum is, "because they transgressed the decree of the Word of the Lord, and joined in affinity with strange people, their days were cut... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SHE AROSE WITH HER DAUGHTERS IN LAW, THAT SHE MIGHT RETURN FROM THE COUNTRY OF MOAB,.... After the death of her two sons, and having heard of the ceasing of the famine in Israel, she had a desire to go into her own country, where she would have better opportunities of serving the Lord; and havi... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE SHE WENT FORTH OUT OF THE PLACE WHERE SHE WAS,.... What part of Moab she had dwelt in, and now removed from, is not said; it is called the country or field of Moab, she returned from; hence some have thought, that she and her husband, and her sons, did not live in any of the cities of Moab... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NAOMI SAID TO HER TWO DAUGHTERS IN LAW,.... When they were come, as it is very probable, to the utmost limits of the land of Moab, and to the borders of the land of Israel: GO, RETURN EACH UNTO HER MOTHER'S HOUSE: the mother's house is mentioned, and not the father's, not because they had no fa... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD GRANT YOU,.... Some make a supplement here, the Targum a perfect reward, Aben Ezra an husband; and so Josephus says c, she wished them happier marriages than they had with her sons, who were so soon taken from them; but a supplement seems needless, for what follows is connected with the wis... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY SAID UNTO HER,.... When they had eased themselves in cries and tears, and had recovered their speech: SURELY WE WILL RETURN WITH THEE UNTO THY PEOPLE; to be proselyted, as the Targum; not only to dwell with them, but to worship with them.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NAOMI SAID, TURN AGAIN, MY DAUGHTERS,.... Supposing this resolution of theirs only arose from a natural affection, and not from any love to the God or people of Israel; at least doubting whether it was so or not, and willing to try whether anyone, or both of them, were really from a principle of... [ Continue Reading ]
TURN AGAIN, MY DAUGHTERS, GO YOUR WAY,.... This she repeated still to try their affections to her, and especially whether there was any real love to the God of Israel, his people, and worship, but still proceeds upon the same topic: FOR I AM TOO OLD TO HAVE AN HUSBAND; and can never think of marryi... [ Continue Reading ]
WOULD YOU TARRY FOR THEM TILL THEY WERE GROWN?.... It is not to be thought that they would tarry till she was married and had children, and then till these infants were grown up to men's estate, and be marriageable; for though Tamar tarried for Shelah, yet he was born, and of some years of age, thou... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY LIFTED UP THEIR VOICE, AND WEPT AGAIN,.... Not being able to bear the thought of parting, or that they must be obliged to it: AND ORPAH KISSED HER MOTHER IN LAW; gave her the parting kiss, as the Jews e call it; and which was used by other people f; but not without affection to her, and to... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SHE SAID,.... That is, Naomi to Ruth, after Orpah was gone: BEHOLD, THY SISTER IN LAW IS GONE BACK UNTO HER PEOPLE, AND UNTO HER GODS; meaning Orpah, who was the wife of her husband's brother, as the word used signifies; she was not only on the road turning back to her own country and people, b... [ Continue Reading ]
AND RUTH SAID, ENTREAT ME NOT TO LEAVE THEE, OR TO RETURN FROM FOLLOWING AFTER THEE,.... Do not make use of any arguments to persuade me to go back: or "do not meet me", or "be against me" h; do not meet me with objections, or be in my way, or an hinderance to me, in going along with thee; do not be... [ Continue Reading ]
WHERE THOU DIEST WILL I DIE, AND THERE WILL I BE BURIED,.... She was determined to abide with her unto death, and not only was desirous to die as she did, but where she should die; in the same country, cottage, and bed, and be laid in the same grave, in hope of rising together at the resurrection of... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN SHE SAW THAT SHE WAS STEADFASTLY MINDED TO GO WITH HER,.... That she was strong in her resolutions, and steadfast in her determinations not to go back to her own country, but to go forward with her; and nothing could move her from the firm purpose of her mind, which was what Naomi wanted to mak... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THEY TWO WENT UNTIL THEY CAME TO BETHLEHEM,.... Went on their way directly till they came to it, without lingering or staying by the way, at least not unnecessarily, and not for any time; and they kept together, though Ruth was a younger woman, and could have gone faster, yet she kept company wit... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SHE SAID, CALL ME NOT NAOMI, CALL ME MARA,.... The one signifying "prosperity", according to Josephus m, and the other "grief"; but he is not always correct in his interpretation of Hebrew words, or to be depended on; by this indeed her different states are well enough expressed, and he rightly... [ Continue Reading ]
I WENT OUT FULL,.... Of my husband and children, as the Targum; of children and riches, as Aben Ezra and Jarchi; wherefore some Jewish writers blame her and her husband for going abroad at such a time, and ascribe it to a covetous disposition, and an unwillingness to relieve the poor that came to th... [ Continue Reading ]
SO NAOMI RETURNED,.... Aben, Ezra thinks this is to be understood of her returning at another time; but it is only an observation of the writer of this history, to excite the attention of the reader to this remarkable event, and particularly to what follows: AND RUTH THE MOABITESS HER DAUGHTER IN L... [ Continue Reading ]