20 And she said H559 unto them, Call H7121 me not Naomi, H5281 call H7121 me Mara: H4755 for the Almighty H7706 hath dealt very H3966 bitterly H4843 with me.
For the arrows H2671 of the Almighty H7706 are within H5978 me, the poison H2534 whereof drinketh up H8354 my spirit: H7307 the terrors H1161 of God H433 do set themselves in array H6186 against me.
I am the man H1397 that hath seen H7200 affliction H6040 by the rod H7626 of his wrath. H5678 He hath led H5090 me, and brought H3212 me into darkness, H2822 but not into light. H216 Surely against me is he turned; H7725 he turneth H2015 his hand H3027 against me all the day. H3117 My flesh H1320 and my skin H5785 hath he made old; H1086 he hath broken H7665 my bones. H6106 He hath builded against H1129 me, and compassed H5362 me with gall H7219 and travail. H8513 He hath set H3427 me in dark places, H4285 as they that be dead H4191 of old. H5769 He hath hedged H1443 me about, that I cannot get out: H3318 he hath made my chain H5178 heavy. H3513 Also when I cry H2199 and shout, H7768 he shutteth out H5640 my prayer. H8605 He hath inclosed H1443 my ways H1870 with hewn stone, H1496 he hath made my paths H5410 crooked. H5753 He was unto me as a bear H1677 lying in wait, H693 and as a lion H738 in secret places. H4565 He hath turned aside H5493 my ways, H1870 and pulled me in pieces: H6582 he hath made H7760 me desolate. H8074 He hath bent H1869 his bow, H7198 and set H5324 me as a mark H4307 for the arrow. H2671 He hath caused the arrows H1121 of his quiver H827 to enter H935 into my reins. H3629 I was a derision H7814 to all my people; H5971 and their song H5058 all the day. H3117 He hath filled H7646 me with bitterness, H4844 he hath made me drunken H7301 with wormwood. H3939 He hath also broken H1638 my teeth H8127 with gravel stones, H2687 he hath covered H3728 me with ashes. H665 And thou hast removed H2186 my soul H5315 far off H2186 from peace: H7965 I forgat H5382 prosperity. H2896 And I said, H559 My strength H5331 and my hope H8431 is perished H6 from the LORD: H3068 Remembering H2142 mine affliction H6040 and my misery, H4788 the wormwood H3939 and the gall. H7219 My soul H5315 hath them still H2142 in remembrance, H2142 and is humbled H7743 in me.
And God H410 Almighty H7706 give H5414 you mercy H7356 before H6440 the man, H376 that he may send away H7971 your other H312 brother, H251 and Benjamin. H1144 If H834 I be bereaved H7921 of my children, I am bereaved. H7921
Canst thou by searching H2714 find out H4672 God? H433 canst thou find H4672 out the Almighty H7706 unto perfection? H8503
I am afflicted H6041 and ready to die H1478 from my youth H5290 up: while I suffer H5375 thy terrors H367 I am distracted. H6323
I reckoned H7737 till morning, H1242 that, as a lion, H738 so will he break H7665 all my bones: H6106 from day H3117 even to night H3915 wilt thou make an end H7999 of me.
Now G1161 no G3956 G3756 chastening G3809 for G4314 G3303 the present G3918 seemeth G1380 to be G1511 joyous, G5479 but G235 grievous: G3077 nevertheless G1161 afterward G5305 it yieldeth G591 the peaceable G1516 fruit G2590 of righteousness G1343 unto them which are exercised G1128 thereby. G1223 G846
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.