What's behind Ruth's story?

When Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there. With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah.

Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the Lord show you kindness, as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands and to me. May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.”

Then she kissed them goodbye and they wept aloud and said to her, “We will go back with you to your people.”

But Naomi said, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands? Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons— would you wait until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord’s hand has turned against me!”

At this they wept aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.

“Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.”

But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.

So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”

“Don’t call me Naomi,” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.”

So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning.

SOURCE

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE): The Book Of Ruth 1

BACKSTORY

Ruth by Alexandre Cabanel, 1868

The story initially starts with two Moabite women, Ruth and Orpah, who married two sons of Elimelech and Naomi. Naomi (meaning “pleasant”), wife to Elimelech, a character in a story written in the Book of Ruth, biblical canon called Ketuvim, or Writings ( author - unknown), losses her husband and eventually her two sons.

The family initially settled in the land of Moab (Moab means seed of father to others promised land) to escape famine in Judah. After the death of Naomi's husband and two sons die, she insists on returning to her native home-Bethlehem and tries to convince her daughters-in-law to return to their native homes as well. Orpah does so, but Ruth refuses to leave Naomi, declaring (Ruth 1:16–17),

“Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die, I will die—there will I be buried.”

Ruth accompanies Naomi to Bethlehem and later marries Boaz, a distant relative of her late father-in-law.

An explanation given as to why Naomi, her daughter-in-law, return to their native lands was because of the high possibility they could face molestation, later indicated by Boaz in his directives to protect Ruth. Biblical texts describes the birth of the Moabites incestuous ( See Gen 19:37), and the women of Moab seduced the Israelites into idolatry during the wilderness period ( See Numbers 25:1-2). Thus sexually available Moabite women would have been viewed as dangerous.

The story continues as Ruth works hard, gains favor with Boaz, and they eventually marry. Ruth bore Boaz, a boy, named Obed, the future father of Jesse, who would become the father of King David.

The Book of Ruth is a scenario believed by Christian followers on how God turns bad situations into miraculous marvels. Ruth- a Moabite, was considered inferior by the Israelites, redeemed by Boaz, a distant relative to her father-in-law. In other words, the National Shrine Organization puts it this way:

The Book of Ruth is a beautiful example of how God can take a hopeless situation and turn it into something glorious. The story begins in tragedy – with famine, and the death of Ruth and Naomi’s husbands. But because Ruth is loyal and faithful, God rewards her. Not only is Ruth redeemed by Boaz, but she also becomes an ancestor to the future king of Israel. In Ruth and Naomi’s lifetimes, the Israelites looked down upon the Moabites, considering them to be an inferior people. In selecting Ruth, God chose one of the “least of these” as the basis for the lineage of not only the future king of Israel, but for the Messiah who would save the world. God’s choice to include Ruth in the story of divine redemption shows that his grace is for all people, and that no person is too insignificant to be used for his glory.

For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Steven Wick News Letter.

We here at the Steven Wick Blog are so proud of our work, we’d like to thank you for being a part of our community.

However, our mission to share so much from music, literature, lifestyle to fashion is a 24/7 undertaking! We need your help to continue our work. Your financial donation will help us not only keep the lights on, but enable us run many more stories in the future to come.

As a blogging site, we completely rely on community support. None of our efforts would be possible without the help of donors. Please donate here.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME

If you decide to purchase any item using our authorized referral/affiliate links, be aware, we may receive a portion of the sales as commission, i.e. if you purchase a product/service.

To shop, select or click buttons, links or images, you will be redirected to product pages. Please, carefully research before you purchase. Feel free to share and leave a comment, we would love to hear from you. Your feedback is very important to us.

For more like this, music, literature, news, fashion, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Steven Wick News Letter.

We here at the Steven Wick Blog are so proud of our work, we’d like to thank you for being a part of our community. However, our mission to share so much from music, literature, lifestyle to fashion is a 24/7 undertaking! We need your help to continue our work. Your financial donation will help us not only keep the lights on, but enable us run many more stories in the future to come. DONATE HERE

Message Of Gratitude

We deeply appreciate your contribution in making our blog the top brand among customers.

Without you as our readers, we wouldn't have achieved this level of success. Your satisfaction is our utmost priority, and we assure you that we will always be a reliable source for your entertainment needs.

Your trust in us is invaluable, and we are grateful for your generous donations as our readers.

A number of you took an extra effort and opted to contribute as monthly donors. By doing so, your generous contribution is multiplied by twelve throughout the year, thereby amplifying the impact you have on our work. Your dedication truly makes a significant change, and we sincerely appreciate your valuable support.

Your support has been instrumental in our brand's success.

Thank you for being with us throughout the past year.

As we continue to grow and enhance our business, we pledge to prioritize your needs and interests.

Best Regards