General Notes

BIOGRAPHY: RUTH  rooth (ruth; Rhouth):   The name Ru is found in the Old Testament only in the book which is so entitled. It is a cont raction for re'uth perhaps signifying "comrade," "companion" (feminine; compare Exodus 11:2 , "every woman of her neighbor"). OHL, 946, explains the word as an abstract noun = "friendsh ip." The Book of Ru details the history of the one decisive episode owing to which Ru becam e an ancestress of David and of the royal house of Judah. From this point of view its peculia r interest lies in the close friendship or alliance between Israel and Moab, which rendered s uch a connection possible. Not improbably also there is an allusion to this in the name itsel f.   1. History:   The history lies in the period of the Judges (Ruth 1:1), at the close of a great famine in th e land of Israel. Elimelech, a native of Bethlehem, had, with his wife Naomi and two sons, ta ken refuge in Moab from the famine. There, after an interval of time which is not more precis ely defined, he died (Ruth 1:3), and his two sons, having married women of Moab, in the cours e of a further ten years also died, and left Orpah and Ru widows (Ruth 1:5). Naomi then decid ed to return to Palestine, and her two daughters-in-law accompanied her on her way (Ruth 1:7) . Orpah, however, turned back and only Ru remained with Naomi, journeying with her to Bethleh em, where they arrived "in the beginning of barley harvest" (Ruth 1:22). The piety and fideli ty of Ru are thus early exhibited in the course of the narrative, in that she refused to aban don her mother-in-law, although thrice exhorted to do so by Naomi herself, on account of he r own great age and the better prospects for Ru in her own country. Orpah yielded to persuasi on, and returned to Moab; but Ru remained with Naomi.   At Bethlehem Ru employed herself in gleaning in the field during the harvest and was notice d by Boaz, the owner of the field, a near kinsman of her father-in-law Elimelech. Boaz gave h er permission to glean as long as the harvest continued; and told her that he had heard of he r filial conduct toward her mother-in-law. Moreover, he directed the reapers to make intentio nal provision for her by dropping in her way grain from their bundles (Ruth 2:15). She was th us able to return to Naomi in the evening with a whole ephah of barley (Ruth 2:17). In answe r to questioning she explained that her success in gleaning was due to the good-will of Boaz , and the orders that he had given. She remained accordingly and gleaned with his maidens thr oughout the barley and wheat harvest, making her home with her mother-in-law (Ruth 2:23). Nao mi was anxious for the remarriage of Ruth, both for her sake and to secure compliance with th e usage and law of Israel; and sent her to Boaz to recall to him his duty as near kinsman o f her late husband Elimelech (Ruth 3:1). Boaz acknowledged the claim and promised to take R u in marriage, failing fulfillment of the legal duty of another whose relationship was neare r than that of Boaz himself (Ruth 3:8-13). Naomi was confident that Boaz would fulfill his pr omise, and advised Ru to wait in patience.   Boaz then adopted the customary and legal measures to obtain a decision. He summoned the nea r kinsman before ten elders at the gate of the city, related to him the circumstances of Naom i's return, with her desire that Ru should be married and settled with her father-in-law's la nd as her marriage-portion, and called upon him to declare his intentions. The near kinsman , whose name and degree of relationship are not stated, declared his inability to undertake t he charge, which he renounced in legal form in favor of Boaz according to ancient custom in I srael (Ruth 4:6). Boaz accepted the charge thus transferred to him, the elders and bystander s bearing witness and pronouncing a formal blessing upon the union of Boaz and Ru (4:9-12). U pon the birth of a son in due course the women of the city congratulated Naomi, in that the c ontinuance of her family and house was now assured, and the latter became the child's nurse . The name of Obed was given to the boy; and Obed through his son Jesse became the grandfathe r of David (compare Matthew 1:5,6; Luke 3:31,32).   2. Interest and Importance of the Narrative:   Thus, the life and history of Ru are important in the eyes of the narrator because she form s a link in the ancestry of the greatest king of Israel. From a more modern point of view th e narrative is a simple idyllic history, showing how the faithful loving service of Ru to he r mother-in-law met with its due reward in the restored happiness of a peaceful and prosperou s home-life for herself. Incidentally are illustrated also ancient marriage customs of Israel , which in the time of the writer had long since become obsolete. The narrative is brief an d told without affectation of style, and on that account will never lose its interest. It ha s preserved moreover the memory of an incident, the national significance of which may have p assed away, but to which value will always be attached for its simplicity and natural grace.   For the literature, see RUTH, THE BOOK OF.   A. S. Geden   bibliography: (The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia --  <http://www.studylight.org/enc/isb/view.cgi?number=T7514>)