1 Now it came to pass in the days H3117 when the judges H8199 ruled, H8199 that there was a famine H7458 in the land. H776 And a certain man H376 of Bethlehemjudah H1035 H3063 went H3212 to sojourn H1481 in the country H7704 of Moab, H4124 he, and his wife, H802 and his two H8147 sons. H1121
And there was a famine H7458 in the land: H776 and Abram H87 went down H3381 into Egypt H4714 to sojourn H1481 there; for the famine H7458 was grievous H3515 in the land. H776
And there was a famine H7458 in the land, H776 beside H905 the first H7223 famine H7458 that was in the days H3117 of Abraham. H85 And Isaac H3327 went H3212 unto Abimelech H40 king H4428 of the Philistines H6430 unto Gerar. H1642
Son H1121 of man, H120 when the land H776 sinneth H2398 against me by trespassing H4603 grievously, H4604 then will I stretch out H5186 mine hand H3027 upon it, and will break H7665 the staff H4294 of the bread H3899 thereof, and will send H7971 famine H7458 upon it, and will cut off H3772 man H120 and beast H929 from it:
Moreover he called H7121 for a famine H7458 upon the land: H776 he brake H7665 the whole staff H4294 of bread. H3899
The word H1697 of the LORD H3068 that came to Jeremiah H3414 concerning H1697 the dearth. H1226
And I also have given H5414 you cleanness H5356 of teeth H8127 in all your cities, H5892 and want H2640 of bread H3899 in all your places: H4725 yet have ye not returned H7725 unto me, saith H5002 the LORD. H3068
Is not the meat H400 cut off H3772 before our eyes, H5869 yea, joy H8057 and gladness H1524 from the house H1004 of our God? H430 The seed H6507 is rotten H5685 under their clods, H4053 the garners H214 are laid desolate, H8074 the barns H4460 are broken down; H2040 for the corn H1715 is withered. H3001 How do the beasts H929 groan! H584 the herds H5739 of cattle H1241 are perplexed, H943 because they have no pasture; H4829 yea, the flocks H5739 of sheep H6629 are made desolate. H816 O LORD, H3068 to thee will I cry: H7121 for the fire H784 hath devoured H398 the pastures H4999 of the wilderness, H4057 and the flame H3852 hath burned H3857 all the trees H6086 of the field. H7704 The beasts H929 of the field H7704 cry H6165 also unto thee: for the rivers H650 of waters H4325 are dried up, H3001 and the fire H784 hath devoured H398 the pastures H4999 of the wilderness. H4057
The field H7704 is wasted, H7703 the land H127 mourneth; H56 for the corn H1715 is wasted: H7703 the new wine H8492 is dried up, H3001 the oil H3323 languisheth. H535 Be ye ashamed, H3001 O ye husbandmen; H406 howl, H3213 O ye vinedressers, H3755 for the wheat H2406 and for the barley; H8184 because the harvest H7105 of the field H7704 is perished. H6
For thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 How much more when I send H7971 my four H702 sore H7451 judgments H8201 upon Jerusalem, H3389 the sword, H2719 and the famine, H7458 and the noisome H7451 beast, H2416 and the pestilence, H1698 to cut off H3772 from it man H120 and beast? H929
A fruitful H6529 land H776 into barrenness, H4420 for the wickedness H7451 of them that dwell H3427 therein.
Then spake H1696 Elisha H477 unto the woman, H802 whose son H1121 he had restored to life, H2421 saying, H559 Arise, H6965 and go H3212 thou and thine household, H1004 and sojourn H1481 wheresoever H834 thou canst sojourn: H1481 for the LORD H3068 hath called H7121 for a famine; H7458 and it shall also come H935 upon the land H776 seven H7651 years. H8141 And the woman H802 arose, H6965 and did H6213 after the saying H1697 of the man H376 of God: H430 and she went H3212 with her household, H1004 and sojourned H1481 in the land H776 of the Philistines H6430 seven H7651 years. H8141
And Elijah H452 the Tishbite, H8664 who was of the inhabitants H8453 of Gilead, H1568 said H559 unto Ahab, H256 As the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 liveth, H2416 before H6440 whom I stand, H5975 there shall not be dew H2919 nor rain H4306 these years, H8141 but according H6310 to my word. H1697 And the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 came unto him, saying, H559 Get H3212 thee hence, and turn H6437 thee eastward, H6924 and hide H5641 thyself by the brook H5158 Cherith, H3747 that is before H6440 Jordan. H3383 And it shall be, that thou shalt drink H8354 of the brook; H5158 and I have commanded H6680 the ravens H6158 to feed H3557 thee there. So he went H3212 and did H6213 according unto the word H1697 of the LORD: H3068 for he went H3212 and dwelt H3427 by the brook H5158 Cherith, H3747 that is before H6440 Jordan. H3383 And the ravens H6158 brought H935 him bread H3899 and flesh H1320 in the morning, H1242 and bread H3899 and flesh H1320 in the evening; H6153 and he drank H8354 of the brook. H5158 And it came to pass after H7093 a while, H3117 that the brook H5158 dried up, H3001 because there had been no rain H1653 in the land. H776 And the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 came unto him, saying, H559 Arise, H6965 get H3212 thee to Zarephath, H6886 which belongeth to Zidon, H6721 and dwell H3427 there: behold, I have commanded H6680 a widow H490 woman H802 there to sustain H3557 thee. So he arose H6965 and went H3212 to Zarephath. H6886 And when he came H935 to the gate H6607 of the city, H5892 behold, the widow H490 woman H802 was there gathering H7197 of sticks: H6086 and he called H7121 to her, and said, H559 Fetch H3947 me, I pray thee, a little H4592 water H4325 in a vessel, H3627 that I may drink. H8354 And as she was going H3212 to fetch H3947 it, he called H7121 to her, and said, H559 Bring H3947 me, I pray thee, a morsel H6595 of bread H3899 in thine hand. H3027 And she said, H559 As the LORD H3068 thy God H430 liveth, H2416 I have H3426 not a cake, H4580 but an handful H4393 H3709 of meal H7058 in a barrel, H3537 and a little H4592 oil H8081 in a cruse: H6835 and, behold, I am gathering H7197 two H8147 sticks, H6086 that I may go in H935 and dress H6213 it for me and my son, H1121 that we may eat H398 it, and die. H4191
Then there was a famine H7458 in the days H3117 of David H1732 three H7969 years, H8141 year H8141 after H310 year; H8141 and David H1732 enquired H1245 of H6440 the LORD. H3068 And the LORD H3068 answered, H559 It is for Saul, H7586 and for his bloody H1818 house, H1004 because he slew H4191 the Gibeonites. H1393
And it came to pass in those days, H3117 when there was no king H4428 in Israel, H3478 that there was a certain H376 Levite H3881 sojourning H1481 on the side H3411 of mount H2022 Ephraim, H669 who took H3947 to him a concubine H802 H6370 out of Bethlehemjudah. H1035 H3063 And his concubine H6370 played the whore H2181 against him, and went away H3212 from him unto her father's H1 house H1004 to Bethlehemjudah, H1035 H3063 and was there four H702 whole months. H2320 H3117
Nevertheless the LORD H3068 raised up H6965 judges, H8199 which delivered H3467 them out of the hand H3027 of those that spoiled H8154 them. And yet they would not hearken H8085 unto their judges, H8199 but they went a whoring H2181 after H310 other H312 gods, H430 and bowed H7812 themselves unto them: they turned H5493 quickly H4118 out of the way H1870 which their fathers H1 walked in, H1980 obeying H8085 the commandments H4687 of the LORD; H3068 but they did H6213 not so. And when the LORD H3068 raised H6965 them up judges, H8199 then the LORD H3068 was with the judge, H8199 and delivered H3467 them out of the hand H3027 of their enemies H341 all the days H3117 of the judge: H8199 for it repented H5162 the LORD H3068 because H6440 of their groanings H5009 by reason of them that oppressed H3905 them and vexed H1766 them.
And thy heaven H8064 that is over thy head H7218 shall be brass, H5178 and the earth H776 that is under thee shall be iron. H1270 The LORD H3068 shall make H5414 the rain H4306 of thy land H776 powder H80 and dust: H6083 from heaven H8064 shall it come down H3381 upon thee, until thou be destroyed. H8045
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Ruth 1
Commentary on Ruth 1 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 1
Ru 1:1-5. Elimelech, Driven by Famine into Moab, Dies There.
1. in the days when the judges ruled—The beautiful and interesting story which this book relates belongs to the early times of the judges. The precise date cannot be ascertained.
2. Elimelech—signifies "My God is king."
Naomi—"fair or pleasant"; and their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, are supposed to be the same as Joash and Saraph (1Ch 4:22).
Ephrathites—The 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).
Beth-lehem-judah—so called to distinguish it from a town of the same name in Zebulun. The family, compelled to emigrate to Moab through pressure of a famine, settled for several years in that country. After the death of their father, the two sons married Moabite women. This was a violation of the Mosaic law (De 7:3; 23:3; Ezr 9:2; Ne 13:23); and Jewish writers say that the early deaths of both the young men were divine judgments inflicted on them for those unlawful connections.
Ru 1:6-18. Naomi Returning Home, Ruth Accompanies Her.
6, 7. Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, that she might return from the country of Moab—The aged widow, longing to enjoy the privileges of Israel, resolved to return to her native land as soon as she was assured that the famine had ceased, and made the necessary arrangements with her daughters-in-law.
8. Naomi said unto her two daughters-in-law, Go, return each to her mother's house—In Eastern countries women occupy apartments separate from those of men, and daughters are most frequently in those of their mother.
the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead—that is, with my sons, your husbands, while they lived.
9. The Lord grant you that ye may find rest—enjoy a life of tranquillity, undisturbed by the cares, incumbrances, and vexatious troubles to which a state of widowhood is peculiarly exposed.
Then she kissed them—the Oriental manner when friends are parting.
11. are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?—This alludes to the ancient custom (Ge 38:26) afterwards expressly sanctioned by the law of Moses (De 25:5), which required a younger son to marry the widow of his deceased brother.
12, 13. Turn again, my daughters, go your way—That Naomi should dissuade her daughters-in-law so strongly from accompanying her to the land of Israel may appear strange. But it was the wisest and most prudent course for her to adopt: first, because they might be influenced by hopes which could not be realized; second, because they might be led, under temporary excitement, to take a step they might afterwards regret; and, third, because the sincerity and strength of their conversion to the true religion, which she had taught them, would be thoroughly tested.
13. the hand of the Lord is gone out against me—that is, I am not only not in a condition to provide you with other husbands, but so reduced in circumstances that I cannot think of your being subjected to privations with me. The arguments of Naomi prevailed with Orpah, who returned to her people and her gods. But Ruth clave unto her; and even in the pages of Sterne, that great master of pathos, there is nothing which so calls forth the sensibilities of the reader as the simple effusion he has borrowed from Scripture—of Ruth to her mother-in-law [Chalmers].
Ru 1:19-22. They Come to Beth-lehem.
19-22. all the city was moved about them—The present condition of Naomi, a forlorn and desolate widow, presented so painful a contrast to the flourishing state of prosperity and domestic bliss in which she had been at her departure.
22. in the beginning of barley harvest—corresponding to the end of our March.