She took the new born child into her arms and felt grateful to the Lord; she was pleased with her daughter in law who decided to stay and serve her until death parts them. She looked into the eyes of the child and remembered the past, from where she came.
Naomi as she was called, was wife of Elimelek, a man from Bethlehem in Judah. Due to a famine in the land, they decided to move to Moab and live there along with their two children, Mahlon and Kilion. Within the span of the next ten years, her life changed completely when the Lord’s hand turned against her; Elimelek passed away, Mahlon and Kilion married Oprah and Ruth, two women from Moab, and then her two sons also breathe their last. Marred as she was, decided to leave Moab but told her two daughters in law to return back to their parents and get married again to lead a happy life. Lord was only against her but not them, she knew, life has been bitter to only her. Oprah reluctantly obliged but Ruth could not, she told Naomi that she wanted to stay, forever with her, taking care and being there.
"Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me." (Ruth 1:16–17 NKJV)
Having no choice, Naomi agrees to let Ruth stay with her. Upon their return to Bethlehem, people recognized her and called her Naomi. She told them she’s not Naomi anymore, but Mara, for, empty she is now, went out full but returned alone, Lord afflicted and brought her misfortune.
It was the time of barley harvesting, so Ruth went to the fields to pick up the leftover grain and it turned out the fields she worked in belonged to a clan of Elimelek, Boaz. Boaz enquired about Ruth and came to know of her noble deeds. He showed kindness to Ruth, offered her help, protected her and blessed her. When Ruth told Naomi about Boaz, she informed that he was one of the guardian-redeemers of the family and advised her to go with the women and work for him as she would be protected from harm.
Naomi one night was quietly there on the threshing floor waiting for Boaz to come and lie down. She was doing exactly what Naomi told her to, to wash, put nice clothes on and wait for Boaz to come and sleep. Then she went to where Boaz lied down and uncovered his feet. Later that night, Boaz woke up and found Ruth at his feet. He felt pleased to see her and told her that if the guardian redeemer who is more closely related than him does not redeem her, then he would gladly do it for her. He told her to stay until the morning and she obliged by lying at his feet, but got up before anyone could recognize. She returned to Naomi next day with six measures of barley and informed her about what happened.
At the town gate the next day, Boaz offered the guardian redeemer to redeem the piece of land that belonged to Elimelek and in doing so; he also had to acquire Ruth to maintain the name of the dead with the property. The Guardian redeemer declined the offer in order not to risk his own estate and hence Boaz who is next in line to do so, redeemed the piece of land, that belonged to Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon and married Ruth, the Maobite. The elders and the people at the gate become the witnesses and bless the uniting of Boaz and Ruth.
Upon the wedding, Ruth bore a son, who will now be redeemer and heir to Naomi. They named him Obed, who is the father of Jesse and the grandfather to David and thus Ruth is placed in the ancestors of Christ Jesus.
Naomi as she was called, was wife of Elimelek, a man from Bethlehem in Judah. Due to a famine in the land, they decided to move to Moab and live there along with their two children, Mahlon and Kilion. Within the span of the next ten years, her life changed completely when the Lord’s hand turned against her; Elimelek passed away, Mahlon and Kilion married Oprah and Ruth, two women from Moab, and then her two sons also breathe their last. Marred as she was, decided to leave Moab but told her two daughters in law to return back to their parents and get married again to lead a happy life. Lord was only against her but not them, she knew, life has been bitter to only her. Oprah reluctantly obliged but Ruth could not, she told Naomi that she wanted to stay, forever with her, taking care and being there.
"Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me." (Ruth 1:16–17 NKJV)
Having no choice, Naomi agrees to let Ruth stay with her. Upon their return to Bethlehem, people recognized her and called her Naomi. She told them she’s not Naomi anymore, but Mara, for, empty she is now, went out full but returned alone, Lord afflicted and brought her misfortune.
It was the time of barley harvesting, so Ruth went to the fields to pick up the leftover grain and it turned out the fields she worked in belonged to a clan of Elimelek, Boaz. Boaz enquired about Ruth and came to know of her noble deeds. He showed kindness to Ruth, offered her help, protected her and blessed her. When Ruth told Naomi about Boaz, she informed that he was one of the guardian-redeemers of the family and advised her to go with the women and work for him as she would be protected from harm.
Naomi one night was quietly there on the threshing floor waiting for Boaz to come and lie down. She was doing exactly what Naomi told her to, to wash, put nice clothes on and wait for Boaz to come and sleep. Then she went to where Boaz lied down and uncovered his feet. Later that night, Boaz woke up and found Ruth at his feet. He felt pleased to see her and told her that if the guardian redeemer who is more closely related than him does not redeem her, then he would gladly do it for her. He told her to stay until the morning and she obliged by lying at his feet, but got up before anyone could recognize. She returned to Naomi next day with six measures of barley and informed her about what happened.
At the town gate the next day, Boaz offered the guardian redeemer to redeem the piece of land that belonged to Elimelek and in doing so; he also had to acquire Ruth to maintain the name of the dead with the property. The Guardian redeemer declined the offer in order not to risk his own estate and hence Boaz who is next in line to do so, redeemed the piece of land, that belonged to Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon and married Ruth, the Maobite. The elders and the people at the gate become the witnesses and bless the uniting of Boaz and Ruth.
Upon the wedding, Ruth bore a son, who will now be redeemer and heir to Naomi. They named him Obed, who is the father of Jesse and the grandfather to David and thus Ruth is placed in the ancestors of Christ Jesus.
The Book of Ruth-Old Testament- Retold by Raj McKay
