Ruth emphatically says No to Naomi, but with such wonderful words Naomi can hardly continue to stand in her way. Do clownfish have a skeleton or exoskeleton. ." (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. WebDeutsches Jungforschernetzwerk - juFORUM e.V. Ruth would have none of this foolish talk, and she made this abundantly clear to her mother-in-law. Like a faithful shepherd whose corral- fence fell as darkness approached. Once again I would suggest that Naomis strong urging for Ruth and Orpah to return was as much for her interests as for her daughters-in-law. She was not a Jew, and she had not been raised by parents who taught her the law. I will be their God and they will be my people (Jeremiah 31:33). 35 Or who has first given to God, that God needs to repay him? The word redeem means to set free by paying a price. In the case of Ruth and Naomi, Elimelechs property had I can imagine how it alarmed and frightened Naomi when Elimelech died while they were sojourning in Moab. Second, Naomis words are even more forceful here,14 issuing Ruth a command to leave her. We, who are not certain of our genealogies, derive names from our forefathers. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament. 31 Later the older daughter said to the younger, Our father is old, and there is no man anywhere nearby to have sexual relations with us, according to the way of all the world. Dagon Some years ago I had the pleasure of meeting a lovely Christian in a hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia. But he was not aware that she had sexual relations with him and then got up. Ruth is never dealt with as a second-class believer. She was willing to sacrifice family ties, marriage, and a family to do so. 37 The older daughter gave birth to a son and named him Moab. No wonder they didnt have a great reputation. She would go where Naomi went and live where she lived. It had been at least ten years since Naomi and her family had left them. around Bethlehem, Elimelech and Naomi moved to Moab (Moab was the Think of it: Naomi and her husband leave the land where God promised to bless them. Following their deaths, his wife Naomi returned to Beth-Lehem together with her daughter-in-law *Ruth (Ruth 1:13; 2:1, 3; 4:3, 9). 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. I am no longer capable of giving birth to sons who might become your husbands! Would man who truly believes that His God is King abandon his people at the time of famine? Instead, it was God who demonstrated His sovereignty by bringing about the chain of events that culminated in the establishment of monarchy in Israel. The Moabites were the result of the initiative and immorality of Lots oldest daughter. The security in the home of a new husband referred to earlier is now spelled out in plainer terms. 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. Who thinks of Orpah today? 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. In addition, why would a private individual carry a name that signifies royalty. 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. Only death will be able to separate me from you!. Instead you must completely overthrow them and smash their standing stones to pieces (Exodus 23:24). Judah married a Canaanite woman, and two of his sons died because of their sin. He is the ancestor of the Ammonites of today (Genesis 19:30-38, emphasis mine). But he was not aware that she had sexual relations with him and then got up. Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. . Encyclopedia.com gives you the ability to cite reference entries and articles according to common styles from the Modern Language Association (MLA), The Chicago Manual of Style, and the American Psychological Association (APA). 1 Copyright 2010 by Robert L. Deffinbaugh. The crises of life are Gods pop quizzes, times when He puts our faith to the test, times when He gives us an opportunity to put our faith on display. 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. Which is greater 36 yards 2 feet and 114 feet 2 inch? The best thing for Orpah and Ruth to do was to return to their people and their gods, Naomi concluded. When I realized this, I blurted out, What a witch!, much to the surprise of the rest of the class. ." While they were in Moab, Elimelech died, leaving Naomi and her two sons. The son of the oldest daughter was named Moab; the son of the younger daughter was named Ammon. This is a text that has always puzzled me. , Akk. Naomi not only disregards the Abrahamic Covenant, she also urges Ruth (and Orpah) to do likewise. It has been supplied by the translators. The oldest daughter went first, bearing a son whom she named Moab. Let us reflect on these contrasts for a moment. It provides us with a look at the life of the common person in Israel He was a leader who possessed the requisite qualities, except for that of deep love and concern for his flock and of disregard of his own worthiness and rights. Naomi adds one final argument in favor of Orpah and Ruth returning home to Moab. Both women initially refused to heed Naomis exhortation to leave her and return to Moab. A famine plagued Israel in the days of the judges. 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. In the past, Naomi was always portrayed in a somewhat flattering way. Can this be Naomi? they asked (verse 19). WebChoices bring consequences, and Elimelech's wrong choices brought death. And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons. I think I understand generally what Paul is saying here, based upon the promise in Jeremiah: 33 But I will make a new covenant with the whole nation of Israel after I plant them back in the land, says the Lord. In her second effort, Naomi insists that her daughters-in-law must not return with her because it would only cause them to endure some of her affliction (verse 13). The term she used to refer to Him Shaddai was a term that emphasized Gods great power. There her husband died, and her sons married Moabite women named Ruth and Orpah. It was a bad start, and sadly things didnt get any better over time. Bildungswesen. The family lived in Bethlehem, a small city near Jerusalem. 16 But as it is, they aspire to a better land, that is, a heavenly one. (9) What we know (and Naomi does not) is that God is about to do a wonderful thing for her, solely on the basis of His grace. You need to get right with God. stream How could Naomi point them in the wrong direction? He will do what he says he will do. I pray that you, like Ruth, have forsaken all confidence in yourself and have cast yourself upon the one true God for salvation. They no longer have their old or former husbands because they have died. Elimelech died in Moab. As we explained in the introduction, the restoration of Elimelechs seed by Boaz through Levirite marriage to Ruth, constitutes the first redemptive cycle of the book; in this lies the importance of early introduction of Ruths former husband, brother-in-law and their father. They rejected him as they rejected others. HADAD , an early Semitic god, first appears in texts written in the Old Akkadian dialect and in Eblaite (third millennium). Mahlon chose a young woman named Ruth, but he also died shortly thereafter. It is not for us to say how far those are right who see in the death of Elimelech and his sons Gods punishment for the disregard of His WebBecause of a severe famine in Judea, he emigrated to the land of Moab with his wife and his sons, Mahlon and Chilion. He thought that he would be King. Ezekiel (10, 3) castigates the leaders of Israel as being foxes in the ruins. God is always at his work. Ordinarily it would be translated as, My God is King. where did these children come from? (Isaiah 49:20-21). It must have been on Naomis watch that these two sons married their Moabite wives Orpah and Ruth. It would do us well to review where the Moabites came from and how they related to Israel in the past. Naomi doesnt mention that these women would likely not find an Israelite husband. named after him.) Apparently soon after the settlement of the family. One manifestation of Gods mercy, expressed through His sovereignty, is His providential working at times when there appears to be no hope. (February 22, 2023). Like Moabs mother, the Israelites reasoned that due to their circumstances, an Israelite line might become extinct. And thus there is no evidence of repentance on her part at this point in time. Ruths words are her covenant with Naomi, with Israel, and with God, patterned after Gods covenant with Abraham and his descendants: Only death will be able to separate me from you! (Ruth 1:16-17). This suggests that the Narrator was not happy with him, for when God approves of a journey, it, the participants, their families, and even their livestock are described in loving detail (See Ezra 2, 66-67, after commentary Nachalat Yosef). 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. This is completely secular thinking. "I Have Already Written of You Thrice:" Megilat Esther and the Eternal War with Amalek, Many Can Have "Urim" - Power; But Few Have "Tumim" Power. When a famine came to the area Eventually, Naomi steered Ruth into a relationship with a distant relative named Boaz. Who was Elimelech? It is available on the Internet at: www.netbible.org. Naomi seems to be encouraging Ruth to accompany Orpah as she returns home. Not long afterward he died, and his two sons married Moabite When they entered Bethlehem, the whole village was excited about their arrival. There Ruth married *Boaz, one of Elimelech's relatives. In addition, anyone who wants to share the Bible with others can print unlimited copies and give them away free to others. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them (Hebrews 11:13-16). Ruth 4:9 She believes in a God who is all powerful, but who is not merciful and compassionate. The story in the book tells that Naomi plans to 15 So Naomi said, Look, your sister-in-law is returning to her people and to her god. <>/XObject<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> So a man from Bethlehem in Judah went to live as a resident foreigner in the region of Moab, along with (6) Most (if not all) of Naomis actions, attitudes, and advice were misguided and downright wrong. Naomi did not doubt the existence of God nor did she doubt His power. It is as though she has forgotten Gods description of Himself in Exodus 34: 6 The Lord passed by before him and proclaimed: The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and abounding in loyal love and faithfulness, 7 keeping loyal love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin. The New Covenant promises that God will write the law on the hearts of those He has chosen for salvation, whether Jew or Gentile. Lots older daughter neatly avoided the moral implications of what she proposed. If Naomi had other sons, she could give them to these women in Levirate marriage, but she has no other sons. 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? As the years have gone by, I may have mellowed in the terms I would use to portray Naomi, but my opinion of her has not really changed. in 1971. God had just destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because of their great sin. We assume that names of Biblical characters are not accidental but reflect their essense or memorialize pivotal events of their lives. No, my daughters, you must not return with me. And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons. 1:1-5 Elimelech's care to provide for his family, was not to be blamed; but his removal into the country of Moab could not be justified. And the removal ended in the wasting of his family. What could have led them to this interpretation? And the woman was left of her two children and of her husband. The Path of Despair and the Path of Return. Naomi was now left without a husband, without sons, and without grandchildren. He is the ancestor of the Moabites of today. She had given up all hope. (One was named Orpah and the other Ruth.) When we met, I had no idea who he was, but he introduced himself something like this, Hi, Bob, Im Nate Mirza. The danger of practicing pragmatism above principle. Ruth has an uncanny grasp of Israels religion and has chosen to embrace it as her own. The text does not really tell us but the Sages do, and so, we will engage in reverse engineering, trying to grasp their view of this complex personality and then to appreciate the antecedents of their interpretation. My impression is that Naomi had changed not only in her appearance (she may not have aged well in Moab), but also in spirit. Probably they were sickly children, and not likely to be long-lived. ELIMELECH (Heb. Put another way, the title of this book is Ruth, not Orpah. 3 I will bless those who bless you, but the one who treats you lightly I must curse, and all the families of the earth will bless one another by your name (Genesis 12:1-3, emphasis mine). Her name means "ewe," while that of her siste, Elam 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). Is this the behavior of a leader who loves and cares for his people, even if they do not fully deserve his respect? 12 The word new is not in the original text. (8) All of this leads me to conclude that Naomi is not an example of faith, but an excellent example of Israels poor spiritual health. Then figure out what the total cost of the trip would be.? Lots daughters, the Israelites (on behalf of the Benjamites), and Naomi are inclined to resort to a pragmatic solution, rather than one that is faith-based and rooted in principle. The Neither does she mention the mistreatment they would likely receive because Moab is Israels enemy, but they could probably read between the lines. Encyclopedias almanacs transcripts and maps. In Esther, the people of God were supposed to return to the Promised Land, but they chose instead to dwell in the apparent peace and safety of Persia. A teacher walks into the Classroom and says If only Yesterday was Tomorrow Today would have been a Saturday Which Day did the Teacher make this Statement? WebThen Naomi's husband Elimelech died, and she was left with her two sons, Ruth 1:5 both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and without her husband. Naomi was married to Elimelech and had two sons, Mahlon and Chilion. Webelimelech Due to the famine in Israel during the time of the Judges, Elimelech crossed over to Moab, where he and his two sons died. May your acts of kindness be repaid fully by the LORD God of Israel, from whom you have sought protection! (Ruth 2:10-12, emphasis mine). Elimelech was one of the great men and authorities in Israel. ; Akkad. 4 So her sons married Moabite women. 17 See Ruth 4:17, 21-22. From Ruth 4:13, one might infer that God prevented both Orpah and Ruth from bearing children to their husbands. 3 Then Elimelech, Naomis husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons. He deals out Justice, rejecting the bad and rewarding the good. To her, Gods blessings should appear now, in the form of bread, an eligible bachelor (marriage), and babies. Naomi, so to speak, put all of her eggs into one basket marriage and bearing children. When Naomi returns to Bethlehem, she finds most of the residents of the city still living there, and judging by what we are told about Boaz, they appear to have done fairly well. (7) Naomi does appear to have one thing right humanly speaking, Naomis chances of perpetuating her husbands line are between slim and none. Can one, on the other hand, forgive and excuse his deficiencies and the damage that they bring about? The closing chapters of the Book of Judges contain some of the most gruesome accounts in all of the Bible homosexual Benjamites want to rape a guest in their city; a woman is brutally gang raped by these same men; her husband seems more than willing to sacrifice her to save his life, and then he chops her dead body into twelve pieces which he delivers to every part of Israel. Now it's ironic that he left Bethlehem because he was afraid he couldn't survive there, yet he went over into Moab and died anyway. Such people are in misery, and honestly, they make those around them miserable as well. WebRuth 1:2. 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. Posted on September 7, 2005 By Rabbi Dr. Meir Levin |, Bar Mitzvah Keeping the Right Perspective, Bar and Bas Mitzvah A Special Celebration, Bar/Bat Mitzvah: A Re-enactment of Kabolas Hatorah, Shavuos and Bar Mitzvah: Causes For Celebration, Marital Partners Compatibility of Missions. Look with me at these words from Genesis 19, taking up just after the account of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and Lots escape, along with his daughters: 30 Lot went up from Zoar with his two daughters and settled in the mountains because he was afraid to live in Zoar. Naomi should teach us to be careful about accepting the counsel of those who seem to be well meaning. No, it is realized as I desire and is fulfilled as I intend (Isaiah 55:8-11). 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). 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. She has no husband to father sons, and she is too old to bear children anyway. For the children of the desolate one are more numerous. <> It is not Naomis belief in the sovereignty of God that troubles me as much as how she applies it. Naomi felt that God was against her, and every indication is that she felt God had dealt with her in a harsh and severe way. The men in the family die, leaving Naomi alone with her two daughters-in- law, Ruth and Orpah. This time it is Orpah who kisses Naomi goodbye. It follows, therefore, that these characters must be important in setting the theme of the book. In Naomis mind, it probably was in their best interest, but it also appeared to benefit her. She views God as harsh and uncaring, doling out affliction and trouble in a way that is completely unrelated to her attitudes and actions. Douay-Rheims Bible And Elimelech the husband of Noemi died: and she remained with her sons. 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. No wonder Naomi finally ceased trying to convince her to turn back (verse 18). He arose and fled from them (Ruth Rabbah 1, 4). Apparently he was willing to help only if he wears the mantly of authority. The suffering of His people, whether for sins they have committed or for living righteously, is but the prelude to His glorious salvation. 2013Mrz 20185 Jahre. Not only is Naomi unable to provide these women with husbands (and thus with children), God is also dealing harshly with her. We should notice that it was not until after Elimelechs death that they married. Beware of well-meaning advice that is not rooted in Scripture and that is supportive of what you would really like to do, rather than what God commands us to do. Machlon and Chillon died also both of them. 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. Jethro had seven daughters who served as his shepherdesses. Finally, the description of Elimelech departure is frugal and bereft of detail. Is the volume of resulting sugar mixture equal more than or less than the sum (20 ml sugar 50 ml water ) of the volumes of the unmixed sugar and water? name of Lot's elder daughter's son and the people and land are To do it any other way was to disobey God. 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 The ultimate test is the Word of God and Naomis counsel, while it sometimes used Gods name, did not conform to Gods Word. A few years later, king Saul will offer the sacrifices, even though he was instructed to wait for Samuel, all because Saul felt this was a crisis that justified setting aside obedience in faith to Gods Word.27. Web1 During the time of the judges there was a famine in the land of Judah. He was right in that Kingship was destined to come from his progeny; yet he was also grievously wrong for he himself was not fitting to become king of Israel. God sees things not as we see them. Died shortly thereafter former husbands because they have died marriage, and she was left, and sons... Cost of the great men and authorities in Israel smash their standing stones to pieces how did elimelech die Exodus 23:24...., I blurted out, what a witch!, much to the surprise of the desolate one more... His people at the time of famine seven daughters who served as his shepherdesses Moabites... For the children of the initiative and immorality of Lots oldest daughter his providential working at when! 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