8 And Naomi H5281 said H559 unto her two H8147 daughters in law, H3618 Go, H3212 return H7725 each H802 to her mother's H517 house: H1004 the LORD H3068 deal H6213 kindly H2617 with you, as ye have dealt H6213 with the dead, H4191 and with me.
And if it seem evil H7489 unto you H4310 to serve H5647 the LORD, H3068 choose H977 you this day H3117 whom H5869 ye will serve; H5647 whether the gods H430 which your fathers H1 served H5647 that were on the other side H5676 of the flood, H5104 or the gods H430 of the Amorites, H567 in whose land H776 ye dwell: H3427 but as for me and my house, H1004 we will serve H5647 the LORD. H3068 And the people H5971 answered H6030 and said, H559 God forbid H2486 that we should forsake H5800 the LORD, H3068 to serve H5647 other H312 gods; H430 For the LORD H3068 our God, H430 he it is that brought us up H5927 and our fathers H1 out of the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 from the house H1004 of bondage, H5650 and which did H6213 those great H1419 signs H226 in our sight, H5869 and preserved H8104 us in all the way H1870 wherein we went, H1980 and among all the people H5971 through H7130 whom we passed: H5674 And the LORD H3068 drave out H1644 from before H6440 us all the people, H5971 even the Amorites H567 which dwelt H3427 in the land: H776 therefore will we also serve H5647 the LORD; H3068 for he is our God. H430 And Joshua H3091 said H559 unto the people, H5971 Ye cannot H3201 serve H5647 the LORD: H3068 for he is an holy H6918 God; H430 he is a jealous H7072 God; H410 he will not forgive H5375 your transgressions H6588 nor your sins. H2403 If ye forsake H5800 the LORD, H3068 and serve H5647 strange H5236 gods, H430 then he will turn H7725 and do you hurt, H7489 and consume H3615 you, after H310 that he hath done you good. H3190 And the people H5971 said H559 unto Joshua, H3091 Nay; but we will serve H5647 the LORD. H3068 And Joshua H3091 said H559 unto the people, H5971 Ye are witnesses H5707 against yourselves that ye have chosen H977 you the LORD, H3068 to serve H5647 him. And they said, H559 We are witnesses. H5707 Now therefore put away, H5493 said he, the strange H5236 gods H430 which are among H7130 you, and incline H5186 your heart H3824 unto the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel. H3478 And the people H5971 said H559 unto Joshua, H3091 The LORD H3068 our God H430 will we serve, H5647 and his voice H6963 will we obey. H8085 So Joshua H3091 made H3772 a covenant H1285 with the people H5971 that day, H3117 and set H7760 them a statute H2706 and an ordinance H4941 in Shechem. H7927 And Joshua H3091 wrote H3789 these words H1697 in the book H5612 of the law H8451 of God, H430 and took H3947 a great H1419 stone, H68 and set it up H6965 there under an oak, H427 that was by the sanctuary H4720 of the LORD. H3068 And Joshua H3091 said H559 unto all the people, H5971 Behold, this stone H68 shall be a witness H5713 unto us; for it hath heard H8085 all the words H561 of the LORD H3068 which he spake H1696 unto us: it shall be therefore a witness H5713 unto you, lest ye deny H3584 your God. H430 So Joshua H3091 let the people H5971 depart, H7971 every man H376 unto his inheritance. H5159
And G1161 there went G4848 great G4183 multitudes G3793 with him: G846 and G2532 he turned, G4762 and said G2036 unto G4314 them, G846 If any G1536 man come G2064 to G4314 me, G3165 and G2532 hate G3404 not G3756 his G1438 father, G3962 and G2532 mother, G3384 and G2532 wife, G1135 and G2532 children, G5043 and G2532 brethren, G80 and G2532 sisters, G79 yea, G2089 and G1161 his own G1438 life G5590 also, G2532 he cannot G3756 G1410 be G1511 my G3450 disciple. G3101 And G2532 whosoever G3748 doth G941 not G3756 bear G941 his G846 cross, G4716 and G2532 come G2064 after G3694 me, G3450 cannot G3756 G1410 be G1511 my G3450 disciple. G3101 For G1063 which G5101 of G1537 you, G5216 intending G2309 to build G3618 a tower, G4444 sitteth G2523 not G3780 down G2523 first, G4412 and counteth G5585 the cost, G1160 whether G1487 he have G2192 sufficient to G4314 finish G535 it? Lest G3363 haply, G3379 after he G846 hath laid G5087 the foundation, G2310 and G2532 is G2480 not G3361 able G2480 to finish G1615 it, all G3956 that behold G2334 it begin G756 to mock G1702 him, G846 Saying, G3004 This G3754 G3778 man G444 began G756 to build, G3618 and G2532 was G2480 not G3756 able G2480 to finish. G1615 Or G2228 what G5101 king, G935 going G4198 to make G4820 war G4171 against G1519 another G2087 king, G935 sitteth G2523 not G3780 down G2523 first, G4412 and consulteth G1011 whether G1487 he be G2076 able G1415 with G1722 ten G1176 thousand G5505 to meet G528 him that cometh G2064 against G1909 him G846 with G3326 twenty G1501 thousand? G5505 Or else, G1490 while the other G846 is G5607 yet G2089 a great way off, G4206 he sendeth G649 an ambassage, G4242 and desireth G2065 conditions G4314 of peace. G1515 So G3779 likewise, G3767 whosoever G3956 he be of G1537 you G5216 that G3739 forsaketh G657 not G3756 all G3956 that he hath, G5224 G1438 he cannot G3756 G1410 be G1511 my G3450 disciple. G3101
But G1161 I have G568 all, G3956 and G2532 abound: G4052 I am full, G4137 having received G1209 of G3844 Epaphroditus G1891 the things which were sent from G3844 you, G5216 an odour G3744 of a sweet smell, G2175 a sacrifice G2378 acceptable, G1184 wellpleasing G2101 to God. G2316 But G1161 my G3450 God G2316 shall supply G4137 all G3956 your G5216 need G5532 according to G2596 his G846 riches G4149 in G1722 glory G1391 by G1722 Christ G5547 Jesus. G2424
The Lord G2962 give G1325 mercy G1656 unto the house G3624 of Onesiphorus; G3683 for G3754 he G404 oft G4178 refreshed G404 me, G3165 and G2532 was G1870 not G3756 ashamed G1870 of my G3450 chain: G254 But, G235 when he was G1096 in G1722 Rome, G4516 he sought G2212 me G3165 out G2212 very diligently, G4706 and G2532 found G2147 me. The Lord G2962 grant G1325 unto him G846 that he may find G2147 mercy G1656 of G3844 the Lord G2962 in G1722 that G1565 day: G2250 and G2532 in how many things G3745 he ministered unto me G1247 at G1722 Ephesus, G2181 thou G4771 knowest G1097 very well. G957
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.