Commentary on the book of ruth tough questions answered. Ruth 2 commentary, one of over 110 bible commentaries freely available, this commentary, by the leading authority in the church of christ, presents a verse level look at the bible. Finally, boaz undoubtedly is the primary actor in chapter 4, though his action is in response to ruths instigation at the direction of naomi. Ruth 3 commentary james burton coffman commentaries on the. Gods presence in the book of ruth is felt in the chance meeting of boaz and ruth. Discover the full scripture of the ruth and boaz story with related articles. The child born to ruth and boaz during the period of the judges is obed. The pious and kind language between boaz and his reapers shows that there were godly persons in israel. Humility teaches us, not only not to praise ourselves, but not to be forward to publish others praises of us. Ruth and boaz are the reason why jesus was born in bethlehem. Ruth meets boaz in the grain field now naomi had a relative on her husbands side, a man of standing from the clan of elimelek, whose name was boaz. The story begins with a famine in the days when the judges ruled ruth 1.
He was a wealthy, prominent man from the clan of elimelech. Ruth was a moabite woman had come to israel as the widow of an israelite man. Despite the importance of ruth and boaz and what they have accomplished, the book is concerned to see the past misfortune of naomi 1. The hidden symbolism you never saw in the book of ruth bible. It analyzes the lessons and events of the book of ruth and shows how they apply to modernday life and experiences. So, this is the guy who is more closely related to naomi and ruth. Did he just happen to see her working and discover that he was related to naomis family. They lived together in a humble situation, and ruth would go to the fields each day to glean food in the fields during the harvest. Had ruth acted in any respect that in those days was judged indecent or immodest, it is most. You can read the whole story in the book of ruth in the bible. Ruth s obedience and boaz favorable response ruth 3. Did the events leading to this marriage all just work out by chance.
Verse ruth and boaz became husband and wife, and god gave them a son. Naomi also acted unselfishly because she gave ruth the information she needed to get boaz s attention in order to become his wife. Naomi plans to provide security for herself and ruth by arranging a levirate marriage with boaz. The book of ruth illustrates the difficulty of trying to use laws given in books such as deuteronomy as evidence of actual practice. The book of ruth in the old testament is very short, only about three times the length of this little essay. Matthew henry 18 october 1662 22 june 1714 was an english commentator on the bible, who published his works in 1706, sixvolume exposition of the old and new testaments 17081710 or complete commentary, provides an exhaustive verse by verse study of the bible, covering the whole of the old testament, and the gospels and acts in the new testament. He gets named dropped a few more times throughout the hebrew bible and even finds his way into the genealogy of jesusboth matthews and lukes.
Obed becomes the father of jesse and jesse becomes the father of david who led israel to her greatest heights of glory. Naomi loses her husband, her sons, and her joy, but one of her daughtersinlaw sticks with her, gets married, and gives her a grandson. David guzik commentary on ruth 2, where ruth meets boaz, works in his field and. Ruth 3 commentary meaning summary sermon explaining the book. She is to eat with him, she may glean among the sheaves, and his men are to drop part of their harvest for ruth to acquire. It is set in the time of the judges not the best ones, if we assign it to the period of gideon and samson and it attempts to define the rights of widows and aliens within a society. Free bible commentary on book of ruth in easy english. Ruth 2 commentary matthew henry commentary on the whole. Verse 5 5 then said boaz, what day thou buyest the field of the hand of naomi, thou must buy it also of ruth the moabitess, the wife of the dead, if you want the land, you need to take the moabite woman whose husband would have owned it.
A stranger would form a very different opinion of our land, from that which ruth would form of israel from the converse and conduct of boaz and his reapers. In chapter 3, naomi instructs ruth to seek the hand of boaz in marriage. The book of ruth has always been one of my favorite books of the bible. Naomi gave up the company and comfort of having ruth in her home. You can read more commentaries on familiar bible stories in our people in the bible topic page. Ruth told her mother what kindness boaz had shown her, that she might take some occasion or another to acknowledge it and return him thanks. Watch our overview video on the book of ruth, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. Along with ruth, boaz is remembered as the greatgrandfather of king david. Uncover his feet remove the clothes which are upon his feet. She had returned with her motherinlaw, naomi, who had also lost her husband.
So she went out, entered a field and began to glean. Each lecture focuses on a key character in ruth and what they represent. Story of ruth first obviously were landing in the middle of the book of ruth. In the book of ruth, it was land that boaz redeemed. Ruth 2 commentary james burton coffman commentaries on the. Boaz acknowledges ruth s right to glean behind his handmaidens and to remain unmolested in his fields, but he does not yet accede to her request to glean among the sheaves. Now boaz, whose young women you were with, is he not our relative. Best commentaries and books on ruth logos bible software. There is no special book in the bible about mary, but god has given us this lovely book about ruth. The story of ruth as you may never have thought of it before. But we must ask how ruth s love for naomi and her leaving her own family relate to her seeking refuge under the wings of god.
And ruth the moabite said to naomi, let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes i find favor. So, boaz was a goel, or redeemer, for the land and for ruth. But true religion will teach a man to behave aright in all states and conditions. Ruths sacrifice and hard work to provide for naomi reflected gods love.
This was a time when the people of israel had abandoned gods ways and fallen into idolatry, horrific social conditions, and a disastrous civil war, as told in the chapters of judges immediately preceding the book of ruth in christian bibles. Ruth is a book for all times, whether written in post. Oct 15, 2015 watch our overview video on the book of ruth, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. We continue in our ruth 4 commentary ruth 4 commentary. Such language as this is seldom heard in our field. A glimpse of the old testament reveals that the period known as. Jesus, the greatest of all kings, came from bethlehem from the same family. Boaz was a landowner where ruth came to find grain. The hidden reason boaz was compassionate to ruth,barry york read more about spiritual life growth, christian living, and faith. All through this story, we see god giving good gifts to his people who are true to him. It is a charming account of how ruth, a moabite who had married one of naomis sons.
Verses 1417 now naomi had a child to make her happy, too. The most likely suggestion is that ruth was able to leave the refuge of her father and mother in moab because she had found a refuge under the wings of god which was far superior. He said that if you bought the land back you must buy ruth as well. Holmstedts commentary on ruth emphasizes the importance of understanding old and new grammatical and linguistic elements in the hebrew text. Mar 01, 2005 ruth and boaz is much more than just a simple love story. As a proper gentleman, boaz did not sent ruth home emptyhanded.
Boaz and ruth were not trying to hide anything scandalous. Naomis plan for ruths future reflected selfless love. Chapter 1 hit us with the bitter providence of god in the life of naomi as she left her land, and lost. Ruth 2 ruth meets boaz in the grain field bible gateway. Ruth 2 commentary james burton coffman commentaries on. Ruth shows family to be at the center of gods plan. From this family came boaz and, later, great king david. No matter your age or season of life, there is wisdom to learn from the lessons that unfold as we walk along with naomi, ruth, and boaz. The book of ruth showed the israelites the blessings that obedience could bring. The book of ruth is a womans story in old testament hebrew scriptures. Her reasoning is that boaz is a close relative of her late husband, and.
In ruth, an israelite family faces tragic loss, and god uses the. The book of ruth largely focuses on the relationship between ruth and boaz. Feb 26, 2018 while in judah, god worked out an amazing plan for a man named boaz to take ruth as his wife, give her a child, and provide for her and naomi. Commentary on the book of ruth by matthew henry old. Ruth 4 commentary summary sermon explaining the book. Did she really just happen by accident to go to work in his fields. And what the book of ruth does for us is give us a glimpse of the hidden work of god during the worst of times.
He cites the latest scholarship throughout this study and addresses difficult topics surrounding the interpretation of the book of ruth. Ruth 4 the marriage of boaz and ruth enduring word. Top 5 commentaries on the book of ruth ligonier ministries. When providence had made her poor, she cheerfully stoops to her lot. Boazs loyalty to his kinsman, naomis husband, reflected gods faithfulness. She instructs ruth to uncover boaz s feet after he has gone to sleep and lie down. It reads more like a short story and the insight in it runs deep. But the consideration of jesus in this book of ruth doesnt begin with the mention of king david.
Lessons from the book of ruth lesson 1 general introduction overview the book of ruth is a short narrative account that has its setting. This introduces an important word in the book of ruth the. While in judah, god orchestrated a wondrous plan for a man named boaz to take ruth as his wife, give her a child, and provide for her and naomi. The book of ruth begins with an israelite family elimelech, naomi his wife and their two sons, mahlon and chilion living in moab. Whats remarkable about this plan was that boaz was suited as a kinsman redeemer to take her as his wife. Whats remarkable about this plan was that boaz was qualified as a kinsman redeemer to take her as his wife. Book of ruth overview insight for living ministries. The narrative tells the tale of two people in judah, ruth the moabitess, an exceptionally talented singer and composer with a very special harp, and boaz, the descendent of a jericho prostitute who has lost everyone he loves. Nov 02, 2011 the book of ruth is a womans story in old testament hebrew scriptures. Like all loving mother in laws she advised her daughter in law in all matters that affected her future.
The bible project has made a very interesting video exploring the book of ruth. This commentary on the book of ruth explores that lesson. Then naomi her motherinlaw said to her, my daughter, shall i not seek security for you, that it may be well with you. While in judah, god worked out an amazing plan for a man named boaz to take ruth as his wife, give her a child, and provide for her and naomi. When we open to the 3rd chapter of the book of ruth were coming into the middle of several story lines in the bible. Im a biblical storyteller, but i struggle with telling that story because, to me, it belongs to women. He told his men to leave some extra barley for ruth.
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