Bible Commentaries
Ruth 1

Verses 1-22

THE BOOK OF RUTH

XXXII

A CATECHISM

To what time in the history of Israel does the story of Ruth belong?

Ans. –1:1, to the period of the Judges.

2. What the relations of this book to the book of Judges, and its place in the Old Testament canon?

Ans. – (1) It is an appendix to the book of Judges and the two were counted as one book in the early Jewish enumeration. It is an episode of the general story of the judges like the migration of the DANAIDES and the war with Benjamin in the latter part of that book.

(2) Its natural place of order is just after Judges, and it so appears in the Septuagint, Vulgate, and English Versions.

3. What its place in the Hebrew Bible, and why?

Ans. – All the known Hebrew manuscripts are modern. The later Jews, for liturgical purposes, arranged their scripture into three grand divisions, to wit: The Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms, or other writings. In the synagogues on their various sabbaths and on their great days appointed sections from these grand divisions were read, so that every Jew would know beforehand the scriptural lesson. Now, in this Hebrew Bible so arranged, Ruth was the fifth book of the third division, coming between the Song of Songs and Lamentations. (See Isaac Leeser’s English Version.) The date of this arrangement was after the Septuagint version was made but before the coming of our Lord, as there appear to be references to it in Luke 4:16-17; Luke 24:44, and Acts 15:21.

4. What passages in the book itself bear on the date of the composition?

Ans. – The most important are Ruth 1:1; Ruth 4:7-8, and Ruth 4:18-22. The first passage in verse I seems to imply that the period of the judges had passed before the book was written. In Ruth 4:7-8, it seems that the custom of taking off a shoe as a token of relinquishing a kinsman’s right to redeem had passed away when the book was written, and in Ruth 4:18-22, the last paragraph of the book, the genealogy is carried to David’s time and stops with David, which seems to imply that the book was written in the time of David, but not later than David’s time.

5. On what grounds do the radical critics place the date of the composition to the time of the Exile, after the downfall of the Monarchy and even later?

Ans. – Their principal argument, as usual, is based on philology, that is, the use of certain expressions or words that they claim must belong to a later date. It is enough for me to say that their argument is so very feeble and inconclusive it is hardly worth a dignified reply.

6. Who probably was the author?

Ans. – The book itself does not say, only we know that every Old Testament book was written by some prophet. The probable author of the whole book was Samuel, who lived to anoint David as king.

7. The scene of the story?

Ans. – There are two scenes, the Land of Moab and Bethlehem of Judah.

8. What the purpose of the book?

Ans. – On the face of it the body of the book is to give a picture of domestic life in the period of the judges, and to show how faith and piety are rewarded even in this life and to trace the line of the coming Messiah.

9. What the literary characteristics of the book?

Ans. – It is a true story of domestic life, both historical and biographical. The principal personages in the story were the ancestors of David, showing the Moabitish link not only in David’s genealogy but in the genealogy of our Lord. On account of this relation to the fields it is sometimes called a pastoral and is certainly a gem of literature.

10. Analyze the story.

Ans. – This story is dramatic and consists of three acts and several scenes, thus:

ACT I – At Bethlehem.

Scene 1 – A Happy Family

Scene 2 – A Sore Famine

Scene 3 – A Fortunate Transition

ACT II – In Moab

Scene 1 – Arrival and Settlement

Scene 2 – Marriage and death of sons

Scene 3 – Departure for Judah

ACT III – At Bethlehem Again

Scene 1 – Visit of all Bethlehem to Naomi

Scene 2 – Gleaning in the Field

Scene 3 – Naomi the Matchmaker

Scene 4 – Ruth and Boaz at the Threshing-floor

Scene 5 – A Court in the Gate

Scene 6 – A Man-Child is Born

EPILOGUE: The Messianic Line.

11. What the more important contrasts of the story?

Ans. – (1) With wars and deeds of violence to which the book of Judges is mostly given. A writer has said, "Blessed is the nation which has no history," because history mostly is made of wars and commotions. One would get from the repetition of the bloody wars in the book of Judges that the whole life of the nation was violent, but this book on domestic life shows us the contrast in the home with the exceptional phases of national strife.

(2) The second contrast is between Ruth and Orpah, the two daughters-in-law of Naomi, both of whom have the opportunity to become incorporated with God’s people and remain in connection with them, but Orpah when put to the test returns to her own people and their worship of idols. Ruth, through faith, clings to Jehovah and his worship and becomes the ancestress of the Messiah.

(3) The third contrast is between Boaz and the other kinsman mentioned, who stood nearer in blood ties to Naomi than Boaz did. The one for fear of endangering his own inheritance surrendered the privilege of the kinsman, the other availed himself of the surrendered privilege and becomes known throughout the world as the ancestor of the Messiah.

12. What are the special lessons of this book?

Ans. – (1) The lesson on the levirate marriage, that is where a man after marriage dies without children the closest male kin under the Mosaic law takes the widow as his wife with the view to raise up seed in the name of the dead husband and who inherited his part of the land.

(2) The second lesson is the messianic picture. All through the history of Israel is an ever increasing prophetic light pointing to the coming of Christ and especially showing that among the ancestors of Christ were Gentile women, as Rahab the harlot and Ruth the Moabitess.

(3) The third lesson is to note how famine and pestilence cause shifting of population. It was a famine that took Abraham to Egypt and the whole family of Jacob.

(4) The fourth special lesson is the exquisite gem of Ruth’s reply to Naomi. It is poetic, pathetic, manifesting a high order of faith and steadfastness. I will give it in its poetic form: Insist not on me forsaking thee, To return from following after thee; For whither thou goest, I will go, And wheresoever thou lodgest, I will lodge, Thy people is my people, And thy God my God. Wheresoever thou diest, I will die And there will I be buried. So may Jehovah do to me, And still more, If aught but death part me and thee.

(5) The fifth special lesson is the significance of names. "Elimelech" means, God is King, "Naomi" means, God is sweetness; and these names were bestowed as expressions of faith of their parents. You will see in the book that Naomi refers to the meaning of her name, on her return from Moab, when she says, "Call me no more Naomi, meaning sweetness, but Marah, meaning bitterness." meaning the opposite of sweetness, which shows how pessimistic she had become; that instead of God being sweet to her he had become bitterness to her. It is like the pessimistic passage in the book of Job in the culmination of his affliction and in one of the Psalms.

13. What the probable bearing of this story on David’s exile in Moab as described in 1 Samuel 22:3-4?

Ans. – David’s ancestors on one side were Moabites and this may account for his carrying his father and mother to Moab for a time during his outlaw life.

SPECIAL QUESTIONS FOR RESEARCH

1. Point out an oath in this book.

2. Point out a benediction.

3. Point out at least three names of God in this book.

4. Mention at least three texts from which good sermons could be preached.

5. Where do you find the Mosaic law allowing the privileges of gleaning after reapers in the harvest fields?

6. In Ruth 2:12, Boaz says to Ruth, "Jehovah recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of Jehovah, the God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to take refuge." Cite a passage in the Psalms about sheltering under the wings of God, and our Lord’s reference in Matthew 23 to sheltering under wings, and the hymn of which this appears as a part: All my trust on Thee is stayed, All my help from Thee I bring; Cover my defenseless head With the shadow of Thy wing.

7. Was the marriage of the Jew and Moabite lawful? Compare Deuteronomy and Nehemiah and then answer.

8. Cite a passage from Thomson’s Land and the Book, p. 647, bearing on Ruth 2:17.

9. In Ruth 1:22, Naomi says, "I went out full and Jehovah hath brought me home again empty"; did she refer to property or husband and sons?

10. See Josephus on the handing over of the shoe.

11. Read carefully Ruth 4:3-5, and answer whether Naomi still possessed landed property. If she sold this property allowing the nearest kinsman the option of purchase, would the sale be absolute or would it be merely a lease until the Year of Jubilee?

12. Meaning of Ephrathite?

I

GENERAL INTRODUCTION – HEBREW POETRY

As we are to deal with poetry, in the main, in the following discussions, it becomes necessary that we should here give attention briefly to some important matters relating to the poetry of the Bible. This is essential as the principles of interpretation are so different from the principles of the interpretation of prose.

Hebrew poetry, rich and multifarious as it is, appears to be only a remnant of a still wider and fuller sphere of Semitic literature. There are references to this poetic literature in several places in the Old Testament, viz: Joshua 10:13; 2 Samuel 1:18, where it is expressly said that they were written in the book of Jashar which was most probably a collection of national songs written at various times.

The character of the poetry of the Hebrews is both deeply truthful and earnestly religious. Much of the contents of the Scriptures has all the ordinary characteristics of poetry. Though prosaic in form, it rises, by force of the noble sentiment which it enunciates and the striking imagery with which these sentiments are adorned, into the sphere of real poetry. Example, Ruth 1:16-17:

"And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, and to return from following after thee; for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God; where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried; Jehovah do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me." This passage arranged in poetic form would appear as follows: Entreat me not to leave thee, And to return from following thee; For whither thou goest I will go, And where thou lodgest I will lodge; Thy people shall be my people, And thy God shall be my God; Where thou diest I will die, And there will I be buried; Jehovah do so to me and more also, If aught but death part thee and me.

We find the first poetry in our Bible in Genesis 4:23-24, the Song of Lamech, a little elegiac poem (See the American Standard Version), reciting a lamentation about a domestic tragedy, thus: And Lamech said unto his wives: Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; Ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: For I have slain a man for wounding me, And a young man for bruising me: If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, Truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.

For an interpretation of this passage, see Carroll’s Interpretation, Vol. 1.

We now note all poetry found in the Pentateuch, as follows:

Genesis 4:23, the Song of Lamech, already referred to;

Genesis 9:25-27, a little poem reciting Noah’s curse and blessing on his sons;

Genesis 25:23, a single verse, forecasting the fortunes of Jacob and Esau;

Genesis 27:27-29, a beautiful gem, reciting Isaac’s blessing on Jacob;

Genesis 27:39-40, another gem recording Isaac’s blessing on Esau;

Genesis 49:2-27, Jacob’s blessings on his sons;

Exodus 15:1-18, Moses’ song of triumph over Pharaoh;

Numbers 6:24-26, the high priest’s benediction;

Numbers 21:14-15, a war song of Amon;

Numbers 21:17-18, a song at the well of Be-er;

Numbers 21:27-30, a song of victory over "Sihon, king of the Amorites";

Numbers 23:7-10, Balaam’s first prophecy;

Numbers 23:18-24, Balaam’s second prophecy;

Numbers 24:3-9, Balaam’s third prophecy;

Numbers 24:15-24, Balaam’s fourth prophecy;

Deuteronomy 32:1-43, Moses’ song;

Deuteronomy 33:2-29, Moses’ blessing on Israel.

The poetry found in the historical books (Josh.-Esther) is as follows:

Joshua 10:12-13, Joshua’s little song of victory;

Judges 5:1-31, Deborah’s song;

Judges 14:14, Samson’s riddle;

Judges 14:18, Samson’s proverb;

Judges 15:16, Samson’s song of the jawbone;

1 Samuel 2:1-10, Hannah’s song of exultation;

1 Samuel 21:11, the song of the women about Saul and David;

2 Samuel 1:19-21, David’s lamentation over Saul and Jonathan;

2 Samuel 3:33-34, David’s lamentation over Abner;

2 Samuel 22:2-51, David’s song of triumph over his enemies;

2 Samuel 23:1-7, David’s last words;

1 Chronicles 16:8-36, David’s song of thanksgiving.

A great deal of the writings of the prophets is highly poetic, and many quotations from them in the New Testament are given in poetic form in the American Standard Version, but only a few passages appear in poetic form in the books of the Old Testament. These are as follows:

Isaiah 38:9-20, Hezekiah’s song;

Lamentations;

Jonah 2:2-9, Jonah’s prayer;

Habakkuk 3:1-19, the prayer of Habakkuk.

Besides these passages, the great bulk of Hebrew poetry found in the Old Testament is in the poetical books – Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon – practically all of which is poetical in form, except Ecclesiastes which is poetic prose. These books constitute the basis of our present study.

There is quite a lot of poetry in the New Testament, consisting of original poems and many quotations from the Old Testament and some other writings, for the citations of which I refer the reader to the American Standard Version of the New Testament. These passages are in poetic form wherever they occur. This will give the reader some idea of the mass of poetical literature found in our Bible and it should impress him with the importance of understanding the principles by which it may be rightly interpreted.

On the distinguishing characteristics of Hebrew poetry, I commend to the reader most heartily Dr. John R. Sampey’s Syllabus of the Old Testament. Dr. Sampey was a great Hebrew scholar and his discussion on any point touching the Hebrew language must be considered authoritative. Since there is no better statement on these matters to be found anywhere, I give you in the following paragraphs a brief summary of his discussion on the forms and kinds of Hebrew poetry, noting especially what he says about parallelism, the grouping of lines, the stanza, the meter, and the kinds of Hebrew poetry. The general characteristics of Hebrew poetry are: (1) verbal rhythm, (2) correspondence of words, (3) inversion, (4) archaic expression and (5) parallelism.

Recent research goes to show that the Hebrew poets had some regard for the number of accented syllables in a line. They were guided by accentual beats rather than by the number of words or syllables. The most common form called for three accents to each line. The difficulty in getting an appreciation of the verbal rhythm in Hebrew lies in the fact that there is almost a complete loss of the true pronunciation of the Hebrew.

By correspondence of words is meant that the words in one verge, or member; answer to the words in another, the sense in the one echoing the sense in the other, the form corresponding with form and word with word. Some examples, as follows: Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? – Psalms 43:5 He turneth rivers into a wilderness, And watersprings into a thirsty ground. – Psalms 107:33 The memory of the righteous is blessed; But the name of the wicked shall rot. – Proverbs 10:7

By inversion is meant to invert the grammatical order or parts in a sentence for the purpose of emphasis or for adjustment. Though inversion holds a distinguished place in the structure of Hebrew poetry, it is only a modified inversion that prevails and by no means does it compare favorably with that of the Greeks and Romans in boldness, decision, and prevalence. Examples: In thoughts from the visions of the night, When deep sleep falleth on men. – Job 4:13 Unto me men gave ear, and waited, And kept silence for my counsel. – Job 29:21 And they made his grave with the wicked, And with a rich man in his death; Although he had done no violence, Neither was any deceit in his mouth. – Isaiah 53:9

The archaical character of Hebrew poetry refers to the antiquity of the poetical elements as found in the Hebrew poetry, to the license, poetic hue and coloring, which cannot be confounded with simple, low, and unrhythmical diction of prose. Two elements, a poetical temperament and a poetical history, which are necessary to the development of a poetic diction, the Hebrews had as perhaps few people have ever possessed. Theirs was eminently a poetic temperament; their earliest history was heroic while the loftiest of all truths circulated in their souls and glowed on their lips. Hence their language, in its earliest stages, is surpassingly poetic, striking examples of which may be found in Genesis and Job.

By parallelism in Hebrew poetry is meant that one line corresponds in thought to another line. The three most common varieties of parallelism are: (1) synonymous, (2) antithetic, (3) synthetic. We will now define and illustrate each variety, thus:

(1) By synonymous parallelism is meant that in which a second line simply repeats in slightly altered phraseology the thought of the first line. Examples: He that sitteth in the heavens will laugh: The Lord will have them in derision.

– Psalms 2:4 And these lay wait for their own blood; They lurk privily for their own lives. – Proverbs 1:18

Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? Or is it gain to him that thou makest thy ways perfect?

– Job 22:3 For thou hast taken pledges of thy brother for naught, And stripped the naked for their clothing. – Job 22:6 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; And the honorable man, he dwelt in it. – Job 22:8 Therefore snares are round about thee, And sudden fear troubleth thee. – Job 22:10

(2) By antithetic parallelism is meant that in which the second line is in contrast with the first. Examples: A wise son maketh a glad father; But a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother; – Proverbs 10:1 He that gathereth in summer is a wise son; But he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame; – Proverbs 10:5 The memory of the righteous is blessed; But the name of the wicked shall rot. – Proverbs 10:7

Most of the 376 couplets in Proverbs 10:1-22:16 are antithetic.

(3) By synthetic parallelism is meant that in which the second line supplements the first, both together giving a complete thought. Examples: My son, if sinners entice thee, Consent thou not. – Proverbs 1:10 Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, When it is in the power of thy hand to do it. – Proverbs 3:27 Say not unto thy neighbor. Go, and come again, And to-morrow I will give: When thou hast it by thee. – Proverbs 3:28 Devise not evil against thy neighbor; Seeing he dwelleth securely by thee. – Proverbs 3:29 Strive not with a man without cause, If he hath done thee no harm. – Proverbs 3:30

The less common varieties of parallelism found in Hebrew poetry are: (1) climactic, (2) introverted, and (3) emblematic. These are defined and illustrated as follows:

(1) In the climactic parallelism the second line takes up words from the first and completes them. Example: Ascribe unto Jehovah, O ye sons of the mighty, Ascribe unto Jehovah glory and strength. – Psalms 28:1 The rulers ceased in Israel, they ceased, Until that I Deborah arose, That I arose a mother in Israel. – Judges 5:7

(2) In the introverted parallelism the first line corresponds with the fourth, and the second with the third. Example: My son, if thy heart be wise, My heart will be glad, even mine; Yea, my heart will rejoice, When thy lips speak right things. – Proverbs 23:15

3) In the emblematic parallelism the second line brings forward something similar to the first, but in a higher realm. Take away the dross from the silver, And there cometh forth a vessel for the refiner; Take away the wicked from before the king, And his throne shall be established in righteousness. – Proverbs 25:4 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in network of silver. As an ear-ring of gold and an ornament of fine gold, So is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear. As the cold snow is the time of harvest, So is a faithful messenger to them that send him; For he refresheth the soul of his masters. – Proverbs 25:11-13 As clouds and wind without rain, So is he that boasteth himself of his gifts falsely. – Proverbs 25:14 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble Is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint. – Proverbs 25:19 As one that taketh off a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon soda, So is he that singeth songs to a heavy heart. – Proverbs 25:20 For lack of wood the fire goeth out; And where there is no whisperer, contention ceaseth. As coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to inflame strife. – Proverbs 26:20-21

The lines in Hebrew poetry are grouped as follows:

(1) Monostichs (Psalms 16:1; Psalms 18:1);

(2) Distichs (Psalms 34:1; Proverbs 13:20) ;

(3) Tristichs (Psalms 2:2; Psalms 3:7);

(4) Tetrastichs (Genesis 49:7; Psalms 55:21; Proverbs 23:15 f);

(5) Pentastichs (Proverbs 25:6 f);

(6) Hexastichs (Genesis 48:15 f);

(7) Heptastichs(Proverbs 23:6-8);

(8) Octostichs (Proverbs 30:7-9),

A stanza in Hebrew poetry consists of a group of lines or verses upon the same subject or developing the same thought. There are four kinds of these stanzas, viz: the couplet, or a group of two lines; the tristich, or a group of three lines; the tetrastich, or a group of four lines; and the hexastich, or a group of six lines. In Psalm 119 we have the strophe consisting of eight verses, each verse in this strophe beginning with the same letter.

There are four kinds of Hebrew poetry, viz: (1) lyric, (2) gnomic, (3) dramatic, (4) elegiac. These are defined and illustrated thus:

(1) Lyric is derived from the word, "lyre," a musical instrument to accompany singing. There are many snatches of song in the historical books from Genesis to Esther. The Psalms are an imperishable collection of religious lyrics.

(2) By "gnomic" is meant proverbial. Proverbs, part of Ecclesiastes, and many detached aphorisms in other books of the Old Testament are examples.

(3) By "dramatic" is meant that form of literature that gives idealized representations of human experience. Job is a splendid example of this kind of literature.

(4) By "elegiac" is meant that form of poetry which partakes of the nature of the elegy, or lamentation. Lamentations is a fine example of this kind of poetry. There are other dirges in the historical books and in the prophets. 2 Samuel 1:19-27 and Amos 5:1-3 are examples. Much of Isaiah’s writing is poetic in spirit and some of it in form. So of the early prophetic writers, especially the early prophets. Now, according to this classification of Hebrew poetry, it should be an easy and profitable work for the reader to classify all the poetry of the Bible. This can be readily done with the American Standard Revised Version in hand. All the poetry of the Bible is written in poetic form in this version, and every student of the Bible should have it.

QUESTIONS

1. What can you say, in general, of the Hebrew poetry as we have it in the Bible?

2. What of the character of the poetry of the Hebrews?

3. Where do we find the first poetry in our Bible and what ia the nature of this little poem?

4. Locate all the poetry found in the Pentateuch.

5. Locate all the poetry found in the historical books (Josh.; Esther).

6. Locate the poetic passages in the prophets.

7. Where do we find the great bulk of Hebrew poetry in the Bible?

8. What of the poetry of the New Testament and how may it be located?

9. What book commended by the author on the forms and kinds of Hebrew poetry?

10. What the general characteristics of Hebrew poetry?

11. What is meant by rhythm and what renders an appreciation of verbal rhythm in the Hebrew now so difficult?

12. What is meant by correspondence of words? Illustrate.

13. What is meant by inversion? Illustrate.

14. What is meant by the archaical character of Hebrew poetry?

15. What is meant by parallelism and what the three most common varieties? Define and illustrate each.

16. What the less common varieties of parallelism? Define and illustrate each.

17. How are the lines in Hebrew poetry grouped? Give example of each.

18. What is a stanza in Hebrew poetry? How many and what kinds are found?

19. How many kinds of Hebrew poetry? Name, define, and illustrate each.

20. What suggestion by the author relative to classifying all the poetry of the Bible?