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[[Image:Bol2runa.jpg|150px|right]]'''Ruth''' ([[Hebrew]] '''ר֑וּת''', [[Name means::friend]]) (m. [[Married::2682 AM]], [[Married::2692d AM|2692 AM]]) was a [[Moab]]itish woman who married two [[Israel]]ites and became an ancestress of [[Jesus Christ]]. Her story is one of great faith, demonstrated almost flawlessly.<ref name=Barton>Barton GA, ''et al.'', "[http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=483&letter=R Ruth, Book of]," ''The Jewish Encyclopedia'', 1906. Accessed January 20, 2009.</ref> | [[Image:Bol2runa.jpg|150px|right]]'''Ruth''' ([[Hebrew]] '''ר֑וּת''', [[Name means::friend]]) (m. [[Married::2682 AM]], [[Married::2692d AM|2692 AM]]) was a [[Moab]]itish woman who married two [[Israel]]ites and became an ancestress of [[Jesus Christ]]. Her story is one of great faith, demonstrated almost flawlessly.<ref name=Barton>Barton GA, ''et al.'', "[http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=483&letter=R Ruth, Book of]," ''The Jewish Encyclopedia'', 1906. Accessed January 20, 2009.</ref><ref name=women>"[http://www.womeninthebible.net/1.13.Ruth.htm Ruth, Naomi and Boaz: A Story of Loyalty and Love]," Women in the Bible, n.d. Accessed January 22, 2009.</ref><ref name=Constable>Constable TL, "[http://www.soniclight.com/constable/notes/pdf/ruth.pdf Notes on Ruth]," SonicLight.com, 2009. Accessed January 22, 2009.</ref><ref name=Levin>Levin M, "[http://www.torah.org/learning/ruth/class5.html Ruth]," Torah.org, 2005. Accessed January 20, 2009.</ref><ref name=Fox>Fox B, "[http://www.mesora.org/RabbiFox/Shavuot64.htm The Book of Ruth: A Lesson in Virtues]," Mesora.org, n.d. Accessed January 20, 2009.</ref><ref name=Gigot>Gigot, Francis. "[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13276a.htm Book of Ruth]." ''The Catholic Encyclopedia''. Vol. 13. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. Accessed January 22, 2009.</ref><ref name=stevenson>Stevenson J, "[http://www.angelfire.com/nt/theology/ruth.html Ruth: the Romance of Redemption]," Redeemer Bible College, n.d. Accessed January 22, 2009.</ref> | ||
== Genealogy == | == Genealogy == | ||
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== The Gleaner == | == The Gleaner == | ||
[[Image:RuthFieldsHughes.jpg|right|250px]]Ruth and Naomi arrived in Bethlehem on or about 1 Abib 2692 AM, the beginning of the month of [[barley]] harvest. Ruth seems to have held no illusions about her status in Israel. She and Naomi were destitute, with no assets other than an estate that they could not manage and would probably have to sell. But Ruth familiarized herself with all the laws that the Israelites lived under, including those that made provision for the poor. This included the ''gleaning law.''{{Bible quote|Now when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. Nor shall you glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the needy and for the stranger.|book=Leviticus|chap=19|verses=9-10|version=NASB}} | [[Image:RuthFieldsHughes.jpg|right|250px]]Ruth and Naomi arrived in Bethlehem on or about 1 Abib 2692 AM, the beginning of the month of [[barley]] harvest. Ruth seems to have held no illusions about her status in Israel. She and Naomi were destitute, with no assets other than an estate that they could not manage and would probably have to sell. But Ruth familiarized herself with all the laws that the Israelites lived under, including those that made provision for the poor. This included the ''gleaning law.''<ref name=Constable/>{{Bible quote|Now when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. Nor shall you glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the needy and for the stranger.|book=Leviticus|chap=19|verses=9-10|version=NASB}} | ||
For Ruth, the decision was easy: she would not pretend to be anything other than a destitute foreigner, and would glean grain from a landowner who would allow it. Yet she would do nothing of that sort, or take any other action, without first asking Naomi's permission. So she asked permission, and Naomi granted it. ({{Bible ref|book=Ruth|chap=2|verses=2}}) | For Ruth, the decision was easy: she would not pretend to be anything other than a destitute foreigner, and would glean grain from a landowner who would allow it. Yet she would do nothing of that sort, or take any other action, without first asking Naomi's permission. So she asked permission, and Naomi granted it. ({{Bible ref|book=Ruth|chap=2|verses=2}}) | ||
The Bible says that Ruth "happened" to come to a portion of the lands of [[Boaz]], who was the richest landowner in Bethlehem. The role of [[randomness]], both in human affairs and in natural processes, has always been controversial. The story of Ruth, and in particular how Boaz made her welcome and what came of that welcome, illustrates well that ''nothing'' actually happens at random, and that God maintains a detailed and exacting control over natural and human events. | The Bible says that Ruth "happened" to come to a portion of the lands of [[Boaz]], who was the richest landowner in Bethlehem. The role of [[randomness]], both in human affairs and in natural processes, has always been controversial. The story of Ruth, and in particular how Boaz made her welcome and what came of that welcome, illustrates well that ''nothing'' actually happens at random, and that God maintains a detailed and exacting control over natural and human events.<ref name=Constable/> (Furthermore, some commentators suggest that any reference in the Bible to "happenstance" is actually a signal that God is staging the events for a reason.<ref name=women/>) | ||
[[Image:RuthBoazPoussin.jpg|250px|left]]So Ruth "happened" to come onto the property of Boaz, and Boaz "happened" to come to survey his land and confer with his harvesters on that very day. Boaz was as pious as he was wealthy; he greeted his harvesters by saying, "May the Lord be with you," and they answered him in kind. | [[Image:RuthBoazPoussin.jpg|250px|left]]So Ruth "happened" to come onto the property of Boaz, and Boaz "happened" to come to survey his land and confer with his harvesters on that very day. Boaz was as pious as he was wealthy; he greeted his harvesters by saying, "May the Lord be with you," and they answered him in kind. | ||
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Boaz noticed her almost at once and asked about her. His foreman told Boaz that Ruth had asked permission to glean in his field, and had been working since the early morning, except that she took a brief rest in the farmhouse. | Boaz noticed her almost at once and asked about her. His foreman told Boaz that Ruth had asked permission to glean in his field, and had been working since the early morning, except that she took a brief rest in the farmhouse. | ||
Now Boaz made her welcome, and in a manner that far exceeded his duty under the gleaning law. First he enjoined her specifically from gleaning elsewhere, and declared that she would be under his personal protection from molestation or any other insult. Next he permitted her to drink from the workers' water supply and even to lunch with the women who participated in the harvest. He instructed his harvesters to allow her to glean among the bound sheaves and even to pull some grain out of the sheaves and drop it on the ground for her to pick up. Finally, he told her to feel free to glean during the entire harvest season. | Now Boaz made her welcome, and in a manner that far exceeded his duty under the gleaning law. First he enjoined her specifically from gleaning elsewhere, and declared that she would be under his personal protection from molestation or any other insult. (One commentator describes this protection as "the first anti-sexual-harrassment policy" on record.<ref name=Constable/>) Next he permitted her to drink from the workers' water supply and even to lunch with the women who participated in the harvest. He instructed his harvesters to allow her to glean among the bound sheaves and even to pull some grain out of the sheaves and drop it on the ground for her to pick up. Finally, he told her to feel free to glean during the entire harvest season. | ||
Ruth prostrated herself before Boaz and asked him why he should do her such favors, when she was a foreigner. He replied that he respected her ''because'' she had come to a foreign land and had done everything possible to support Naomi after Mahlon had died. | Ruth prostrated herself before Boaz and asked him why he should do her such favors, when she was a foreigner. He replied that he respected her ''because'' she had come to a foreign land and had done everything possible to support Naomi after Mahlon had died. | ||
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Naomi nursed Obed, who later became the grandfather of King [[David]]. | Naomi nursed Obed, who later became the grandfather of King [[David]]. | ||
== Commentary == | |||
=== Typology === | |||
The story of Ruth is a prominent instance of [[typology]] in the Bible. All of the major and supporting characters are types of other persons or groups of persons. | |||
[[Boaz]] is generous, is attentive to the needs of the poor, rewards Ruth for her loving service to Naomi, and finally plays the role of a redeemer. He is a type of [[Jesus Christ]]. | |||
The unnamed kinsman ([[Hebrew]] '''פְּלֹנִ֣י אַלְמֹנִ֑י''' or ''Peloni-Almoni'', or literally, "Mr. So-and-so"<ref name=ou>"[http://www.ou.org/chagim/shavuot/ruth.htm The Story of Ruth]," OU.org, n.d. Accessed January 20, 2009.</ref>) who is willing to redeem the land alone but not to redeem Ruth, is a type of any person or institution that human beings think can redeem them, though no one can offer the redemption that Christ offers. | |||
Naomi is a type of a believer to whom something bad has happened, and might not understand immediately that what seems a curse today will be a blessing tomorrow. She complains that God has brought her back empty-handed, but fails to recognize that having Ruth for a friend is a tremendous blessing in itself.<ref name=Constable/> Her suggestion to Ruth that she make herself romantically attractive to Boaz seems like an attempt to obtain redemption by subterfuge. Ruth rejects the subterfuge and makes a straightforward request. | |||
Orpah is a type of one who hears the message of God and turns away from it. Moab is a type of the world, and the Moabite national religion is a type of the belief systems of the world. | |||
Ruth is a type of one who hears, believes, and is ready to leave everything with which she is familiar in order to claim the blessings of God. When she leaves her homeland, she also leaves her national religion behind, because only the Israelites had any concept of a [[God]] Who was everywhere.<ref name=Constable/> She also demonstrates humility, thankfulness, and the ability to recognize a blessing when she receives it. | |||
=== Love === | |||
Many commentators suggest that Boaz acted as he did after forming an instant romantic attachment to Ruth.<ref name=woman/> This suggestion purely speculative. In fact, Boaz had good and sufficient reasons for being as generous to Ruth as he was: | |||
# His duty under the Mosaic law required it. | |||
# Ruth had impressed him, not only with her service to Naomi but also with her willingness to leave her home and family in order to render that service. His comment to her in the winnowing area is further proof: he commends her for asking him to act as redeemer, ''and keeping herself available'' for that kind of redemption. | |||
Boaz does act out of love, but his is not the common variety of romantic love. The love he shows is a type of the love that Jesus Christ shows to those who believe in Him and trust Him. Ruth probably recognizes this, and this is why she asks him to be her redeemer and not an ordinary lover. | |||
{{Bible portal}} | {{Bible portal}} | ||
