Sixth, Elimelechs family left God. (One was named Orpah and the other Ruth.) The Path of Despair and the Path of Return. The name of Achimelech, the priest who gave aid to David at Nob, reflects his elevated stature (Leviticus Rabbah 1,3) and Malchizedek was the King of Salem (Malkiel in Numbers 25, 24 deserves a separate discussion). The wonder is that God remained faithful to those who so easily abandoned Him. The more Naomi moans on about how bad things are for her, and how hopeless it would be for Orpah or Ruth to stay with her, the more we see the mighty hand of God working all things for the good of His people, as well as for His glory. endobj Elimelech of Lizhensk. I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts and minds. Ruth rejected Naomis appeal to leave her and go back to Moab, choosing instead to believe and behave like a true Israelite. We know that this backfired because Balaam could not curse those whom God had blessed.5 When this approach did not work, Balaam counseled Balak how to harm Israel in a very different way by having the Moabite women seduce the Israelite men.6 One might easily infer from this that the Moabites, like the Canaanites, were a sexually immoral people (in a way that tempted the Israelites). The contrast between Ruth and Naomi. 34 So in the morning the older daughter said to the younger, Since I had sexual relations with my father last night, lets make him drunk again tonight. The genealogy provided in chapter 4 would incline us to believe that the events of Ruth took place later rather than sooner in the period of the judges, because Ruth is the great grandmother of David.17 But other than this, there do not appear to be any direct links to events or persons in the Book of Judges. It is not Naomis belief in the sovereignty of God that troubles me as much as how she applies it. We should learn from Naomi that if barrenness is ones earthly fate, our heavenly fate is vastly different. Naomi adds one final argument in favor of Orpah and Ruth returning home to Moab. In Ugaritic documents of the 13th century the name is written Imlk and pronounced either Ili-Milku or Ili-Malku. Can this be Naomi? they asked (verse 19). She was not a Jew, and she had not been raised by parents who taught her the law. He was right, but, was there, perhaps, a personal element in his reaction? Let us reflect on these contrasts for a moment. 12 For all who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. Web1 During the time of the judges there was a famine in the land of Judah. - In 2012, I became a member of juFORUM, a Germany-wide network of young scientists. Was it at Naomis initiative that her sons took Moabite women for wives? 14 For whenever the Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature the things required by the law, these who do not have the law are a law to themselves. Lots older daughter neatly avoided the moral implications of what she proposed. There may have been others who traveled to Moab with Elimelech and his family, but the author does not make a point of telling this to his readers. How unsearchable are his judgments and how fathomless his ways! Each of you should return to your mothers home! All rights reserved. Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. We must be aware that they taught in riddles and parables (Proverbs 1, 2) and that our task is extract and restate their message in the conceptual language that we use today. Naomis hope was in the physical rather than in the spiritual, in the present rather than in eternity. She was one who received Gods blessings because she blessed one of Abrahams offspring by remaining with her and committing to care for her.28 Ruth was a woman who committed herself for a lifetime, and she did so in spite of her national pride, her family affections, the example of her sister-in-law, and the urgings of her mother-in-law. But he was not aware that she had sexual relations with him and then got up. Humanly speaking, staying with Naomi does not offer much promise of a good life for these Moabite widows. Like Moabs mother, the Israelites reasoned that due to their circumstances, an Israelite line might become extinct. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. 2013Mrz 20185 Jahre. (4) While the author does not make a point of it, it seems reasonable to assume that the famine (as well as the deaths of Elimelech and his two sons) was a manifestation of divine discipline. 7 Now as she and her two daughters-in-law began to leave the place where she had been living to return to the land of Judah, 8 Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, Listen to me! In moving to Moab, Naomi left the Lord to some extent and for some years. 10 The rain and snow fall from the sky and do not return, but instead water the earth and make it produce and yield crops, and provide seed for the planter and food for those who must eat. No, it is realized as I desire and is fulfilled as I intend (Isaiah 55:8-11). Mahlon married Ruth in Moab while Kilion married Ruth's sister Orpah. Can one, on the other hand, forgive and excuse his deficiencies and the damage that they bring about? She urged her daughters-in-law to return to their mothers home, with the expectation that the LORD would bless them with security in a marriage to a new12 Moabite husband. In an effort to escape the famine, a man named Elimelech took his family to Moab, where he intended for his family to sojourn until the famine ended.10 How could he have imagined how long his family would stay? It would do us well to review where the Moabites came from and how they related to Israel in the past. When kings ruled, My God is King, denoted not only spiritual but also political power. <> WebBoaz is a preeminent example of selflessness, willing to risk the loss of his own name so that he could make sure that the name and line of his relative Elimele 26 The way they acquired the 400 wives by wiping out Jabesh Gilead is no more noble. Naomi instructs us to beware of Calvinism run amuck. <>>> The family lived in Bethlehem, a small city near Jerusalem. 2 0 obj These are the times of darkness when godliness should shine forth as a brilliant light. ; "God [or my God] is king"), the husband of *Naomi and father of Mahlon and *Chilion, from Beth-Lehem in Judah. 10 But they said to her, No! He stood and surrounded it with rebuilt walls from three directions. It was a bad start, and sadly things didnt get any better over time. 3 Then Elimelech, Naomis husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons. ELIMELECH (Heb. She would go where Naomi went and live where she lived. He keeps loyal love; that is, He is a God who perseveres in His love, and thus He is a covenant-keeping God. and lifts up the needy from the garbage pile, 9 He makes the barren woman of the family. What a marvelous woman of faith Ruth was. Anyone is at liberty to use this lesson for educational purposes only, with or without credit. Ruths words are beautiful, and thus it is no wonder that some have chosen to employ them for their marriage vows. A famine plagued Israel in the days of the judges. Someone reminded me that the Book of Ruth is a lot like the Book of Esther. The Messianic seed was often put at risk in the Old Testament. Both had married Israelite husbands, had borne no children, and were now widows. Naomi returned to her homeland accompanied by her Moabite daughter-in-law, Ruth. They produced offspring for the Benjamites by orchestrating the kidnapping and rape of 200 virgins.26 The Israelites were like Moabs mother in that they were thinking and acting like Moabites. But it is not the essence of what our life in Christ is about. Judaism. A godly Israelite would not only trust in the one true God, Yahweh, they would also know that there are no other gods. Lot and his family were spared, but his wife died (turned to salt) because she looked back. Ezekiel (10, 3) castigates the leaders of Israel as being foxes in the ruins. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung tightly to her. 11 The thought occurred to me that Naomis journey back to her homeland traced the steps of the Israelites when they first entered the Promised Land. Judah (through whom the messianic line would be traced) kept his third son from a Levirate marriage with the first sons widow, and then had sex with a woman he thought was a cult prostitute.31 God not only preserved the messianic line, He was faithful to fulfill His (Abrahamic) covenant32 with Abraham. Naomi should teach us to be careful about accepting the counsel of those who seem to be well meaning. There her husband died, and her sons married Moabite women named Ruth and Orpah. When I realized this, I blurted out, What a witch!, much to the surprise of the rest of the class. Ruth 4:9 And they went to the country of Moab and remained there. Their ultimate blessing would have been to leave their land, their people, their false religion, and to identify with the Israelites and with their God. ), Handbook of Ugaritic Studies (1999), index, 841. Copy. (February 22, 2023). We should first note that Naomis words here are prompted by Orpahs decision to return home. We need to bear in mind that what is at stake here is the Messianic line, the line which will ultimately bring forth Messiah. 10 From what we learn from the Book of Ruth, one does wonder what role Naomi played in this decision. As the story of Esther unfolds, it looks as though every Jew is doomed to annihilation, but for the providence of God, whereby Gods enemies are destroyed and His people are spared. (1) There is no clear link to a particular time, to a particular judge, or to a particular event recorded in the Book of Judges. Obviously, Naomi had changed. But when there was a famine in the land, they moved to the neighboring country of Moab. Humans cannot see beyond these two alternatives but God has another choice. If her daughters-in-law could snag a good (Moabite) husband, bear some children, and have a bountiful harvest they were indeed blessed, at least as Naomi viewed it. For the Lord is afflicting me!. He came alongside Eve as her friend, as someone who was doing her a favor. 25 Translations differ here, but I think that this daughters choice of words is very important to consider. The word redeem means to set free by paying a price. In the case of Ruth and Naomi, Elimelechs property had either been sold or was under some kind of mortgage, and the rights to the land had passed to Ruths husband, Mahlon, when Elimelech died. The translation project originally started as an attempt to provide an electronic version of a modern translation for electronic distribution over the Internet and on CD (compact disk). It seems that they are pointing out a certain disconnect between the name and the behavior. My problem with the text in Romans 2 was that I couldnt think of an example of what Paul was saying. 20 Yet the children born during your time of bereavement will say within your hearing. Ruth 2:1 Now Naomi had a relative on her husband's side, a prominent man of noble character from the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. What a difference it makes to believe in a God who is in absolute control and who is also merciful and gracious, causing all things to work together for our good and for His glory, if we believe in Him. Lot fled with his daughters and was living in a cave. Elimelech had a wife named Naomi and two sons, Mahlon and Kilion. The name (Phoen. Major Gift. ." 14 For those who speak in such a way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. Ruth emphatically says No to Naomi, but with such wonderful words Naomi can hardly continue to stand in her way. Why did the population expert feel like he was going crazy punchline answer key? I was bereaved and barren, dismissed and divorced. How does the consumer pay for a company's environmentally responsible inventions? When it sees people coming, it immediately runs away. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah went to live as a resident foreigner in the region of Moab, along with his wife and two sons. Neither does she mention the mistreatment they would likely receive because Moab is Israels enemy, but they could probably read between the lines. The Sages, however, read it with a slight difference in pronunciation as Elai Melech For he said: Kingship is due to me (Ruth Rabba 2,5). . How did Elimelechs sons die in the Bible? Instead you must completely overthrow them and smash their standing stones to pieces (Exodus 23:24). They rejected him as they rejected others. Then she firmly stated her commitment to Naomi, to Israel, and to Israels God as a covenant. Without a doubt, this is the most amazing and distressing thing Naomi has said so far. 15 In fact, if they had been thinking of the land that they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 2 Kings 4:1 Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen. To walk in the steps of Abraham, one like Ruth would need to: (1) leave her relatives; (2) leave her homeland; and, (3) trust God to bless her as she sought to bless her mother-in-law. Those who place too much emphasis on marriage and child bearing should listen well to these words of Scripture: 6 He bends down to look at the sky and the earth. Dagon first appears as an important and widely, Rachel and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband; deprived both of her husband and her sons, which was a great affliction, aggravated by her being in a strange country; many are the afflictions of the righteous. As Orpah kisses Naomi goodbye and turns back toward home, Ruth clings all the more tightly to her mother-in-law. The all-powerful God was making Naomis life miserable, so she thought and said. You will note from the first verse of chapter 1 that the setting for the story of Ruth is the times of the judges. I pray that you, like Ruth, have forsaken all confidence in yourself and have cast yourself upon the one true God for salvation. And so they did. A lion approached and he fought off the lion. Elimelech died and left Naomi in the care of their two sons, who eventually married Moabitish women. Who was Elimelech? Orpah seems to have no great spiritual interest in Israel or in the God of Israel. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous before God, but those who do the law will be declared righteous. His counsel (even though it effectively called God a liar) was given as though it were in her best interest. Who even remembers her name? Here is a story that not only warms our hearts, it encourages our faith by unveiling the providential hand of God in bringing salvation and blessing during one of the darkest periods in history. They did not seem to live by it, so why would they consider it important to teach it to a Moabite? One would have to begin by saying that these two women have a fair bit in common. Had you done so, you would have been able to even withstand Gods anger (Petichta Ruth Rabbah 5). Ruth focused on Naomi and her need and on Naomis people and their God. He stood in the opening and blocked it with his body. He is the ancestor of the Moabites of today. Spouse. A space remained that he did not manage to rebuild. The oldest daughter went first, bearing a son whom she named Moab. WebPrevious commentary: Next commentary: About this commentary: are made available by the generosity of . She persuaded her younger sister to help her get him drunk, and then for both of them to sleep with him to produce offspring for him. In Judges 19-21, we find a similar situation. What Naomi does mention pertains to marriage and child bearing. Word had reached Naomi in Moab that God had visited His people by ending the famine and providing abundant crops back in Israel. The mans name was Elimelech. 4 So her sons married Moabite women. Naomi not only disregards the Abrahamic Covenant, she also urges Ruth (and Orpah) to do likewise. This is entirely consistent with Old Testament history and with the warnings recorded in Leviticus 26:18-20 and Deuteronomy 28:23-24. 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. I am no longer capable of giving birth to sons who might become your husbands! Put another way, the title of this book is Ruth, not Orpah. The barley harvest will play a significant role in moving this story forward in the next two chapters. This news prompted her to return to her people and to her land. 3 Sometime later Naomis husband Elimelech died, so she and her two sons were left alone. DAGON (Heb. Even if she were able to bear children, it would be unreasonable for these two widows to wait 20 years for replacement husbands. No, in Naomis mind there was no good reason to remain with her as she returned to her homeland. God has chosen to save Gentiles as well as Jews. We, too, live in very pragmatic times, and those who live by principle especially the principles of Gods Word are few and far between. To her, Gods blessings should appear now, in the form of bread, an eligible bachelor (marriage), and babies. 15 So Naomi said, Look, your sister-in-law is returning to her people and to her god. How could any faithful Israelite encourage someone to return to their (false) god(s)? ELAM (Heb. It was my friend Dave Austin who reminded me of the danger of pragmatism from this text. As they entered Bethlehem, they became the talk of the town. The tale begins not in Israel or Judah but in Moab, where the Israelite Naomi and her husband, Elimelech, and her two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, went during a famine in Judah. Who would want a Moabite wife, especially a widow? 18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped trying to dissuade her. Therefore, its best to use Encyclopedia.com citations as a starting point before checking the style against your school or publications requirements and the most-recent information available at these sites: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html. Elimelech was Naomi's husband. At the very times when outward appearances look to us as though God is against us, God is at work behind the scenes for us. In spite of the fact that Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and his two sons (Mahlon and Kilion) are living according to the spirit of their day (doing what is right in their own eyes), two people (Ruth and Boaz) stand out as examples of those who live by faith in the God of Israel, and whose lives exemplify living in accordance with Gods Word. Like a faithful shepherd whose corral- fence fell as darkness approached. It was a good number of years ago that I sat in on an excellent elective class taught by my friend, Tom Wright. We dont have a very good reputation in the Bible.. That strongly suggests that she was still a Moabite at heart, still an idolater at heart. ). There we read of the Sodom-like immorality of some of the Benjamites in the city of Gibeah, which resulted in the near extinction of their tribe. It must be, the Sages reasoned, that Elimelech misread his destiny. Religion. His oldest daughter concluded that their father would die without an heir. Naomis second effort13 will be less subtle and more pointed and forceful. Ruth would not only do this until death separated them, she would do so in death. WebElimelech was a member of the tribe of Judah, a native of Bethlehem Judah, a man of wealth and probably head of a family or clan ( Ruth 1:2,3; 2:1,3 ). Not long afterward he died, and his two sons married Moabite I hate to say this, but after being involved in ministry for many years, I would have to say that some of the worst counsel I have ever heard has come from well-meaning Christians. Naomi heard that the famine in Judah had ended and food was now available in Bethlehem ( Ruth 1:6 ), so she determined to return. After about ten years, both Mahlon and Kilion died. But here is where the similarity ends. 12 Go back home, my daughters! And Gideon said to them: I shall not rule over you and my son shall not rule over you, Hashem shall rule over you (Judges 8, 22). Ruth was determined to serve and care for her mother-in-law; Orpah chose to look out for herself. While they were in Moab, Elimelech died, leaving Naomi and her two sons. But what she fails to see is that God is only increasing her problems to the level of human impossibility, so that He can demonstrate His power and grace through her weakness. From these events, we can easily see that the Moabites were no friend to Israel. It says in verse three that Elimelech died in Moab. To do it any other way was to disobey God. More tears are shed. 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