hotcoffee
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Ruth 1:1 In the days when the judges ruled,[a] there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. 2 The man’s name was Elimelek, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there.
a.Ruth 1:1 Traditionally judged
Let's get into a story for a change. After going through 1st and 2nd Timothy, it'll be good to study some old testament stories, don't you think?
The Book of Ruth has been on my heart. It's as if I'm supposed to study this Book.
I have one of those daughter-in-laws who doesn't speak to her mother-in-law. I don't have a clue why.... I mean I've never said anything against her. I just know that they now have 4 children and I've only received a picture of one of them. When I go to the town where they live, she hides with the children. Lately I've been thinking of my son's paternal grandmother Jane. I really loved that woman. We had a great relationship even when the marriage was falling apart in misery. It really makes me wonder..... so let's read a story of a loving mother-in-law and daughter-in-law in the line of King David.
Back in the time before there were kings in the Bible, everyone just did what they though to be correct. Check out Judges 21:25
Judges 21:25 In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit
One of commentaries I found says that "Bethlehem" translated means "house of bread". Bethlehem was located in Judah which we all know is in the "promised land". The commentary points out that that ironic because the "house of bread" was suffering such a famine that this family moved away from "the promised land" across the Dead Sea to Moab.
Bethlehem, in Judah was on the western side of the Dead Sea and Moab was on the eastern side. The Dead Sea is a heavily salted body of water. The famine must have been horrible. Crossing the Dead Sea, or going around it, was a formidable task. According to one commentary, the Dead Sea was meant to be a barrier. On one side was Judah where they worshipped God and on the other side, they worshipped Balaam.
Since Elimelek and Naomi were from Judah, their law said their children could not marry people from the land of Moab. Moabites worshiped idols and they weren't allowed in the Temple.
Deuteronomy 23:1 [a] No one who has been emasculated by crushing or cutting may enter the assembly of the Lord.
2 No one born of a forbidden marriage nor any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the Lord, not even in the tenth generation.
3 No Ammonite or Moabite or any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the Lord, not even in the tenth generation. 4 For they did not come to meet you with bread and water on your way when you came out of Egypt, and they hired Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram Naharaim[c] to pronounce a curse on you. 5 However, the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam but turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loves you. 6 Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them as long as you live.
2 No one born of a forbidden marriage nor any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the Lord, not even in the tenth generation.
3 No Ammonite or Moabite or any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the Lord, not even in the tenth generation. 4 For they did not come to meet you with bread and water on your way when you came out of Egypt, and they hired Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram Naharaim[c] to pronounce a curse on you. 5 However, the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam but turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loves you. 6 Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them as long as you live.
a.Deuteronomy 23:1 In Hebrew texts 23:1-25 is numbered 23:2-26.
b.Deuteronomy 23:2 Or one of illegitimate birth
One commentary points out that there were no children born as a result of these marriages.
From the easy English commentary we learn:
The names in this story are important. Elimelech means ‘My God is king’. Naomi means ‘pleasant’. What had happened in Naomi’s life did not match her name. In Ruth 1:20, Naomi realised that. Mahlon and Kilion seem to come from two other words. Those words mean to be sick and to become weak and die. These names show the sad events to come.
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