Intro to ruth biblica the international bible society. Ruth chapter 1 coffmans commentary of the new testament. Two passages from the torah give the background of the festival emphasis added. The events in the book of ruth take place at the time of the festival of the barley harvest ruth 1. F25 the book of ruth is so written that one naturally anticipates that the narrative will subsequently reveal some special reward from jehovah for this most remarkable. Jesus, the greatest of all kings, came from bethlehem from the same family.
The story begins with a famine in the days when the judges ruled ruth 1. The new american commentary is for the minister or bible student who wants to understand and expound the scriptures. Commentary on the book of ruth ruth 1 1now it came about in the days when the judges governed, that there was a famine in the land and a certain man of bethlehem in judah went to sojourn in the land of moab with his wife and his two sons. These are the opening words of one of the most magnificent declarations of loving loyalty to be found anywhere in the literature of all mankind. Our story opens on a nice jewish family with a problem. Robert hubbards commentary on ruth is a model of how commentaries should be written. Ruth 1 commentary james burton coffman commentaries on the. There, they set up shop, eat some food, and live for about ten years.
Story of ruth first obviously were landing in the middle of the book of ruth. James mckeown wrote the genesis commentary in the two horizons series. The sons marry two local girls, ruth and orpah, during this time. The book of ruth contains one of the bibles bestknown and mostloved stories. Indeed it is apparent to every attentive reader of scripture. For you have shown more kindness at the end than at the beginning, in that you did not go.
We continue in our ruth 4 commentary ruth 4 commentary. Commentary on the book of ruth by matthew henry old. The book of ruth reflects a time of peace between israel and moab contrast jdg 3. This book is beautifully designed by god to show how his grace can sustain a faithful testimony of individuals at a time when the general condition of things is low and naturally discouraging. Jun 24, 2015 ruth is a righteous person in a dark age of violence. Written for sunday school teachers, ruth the moabitess is a compilation of thoughts on the person and book of ruth from some of the best commentaries and writers of the nineteenth century and earlier. When we open to the 3 rd chapter of the book of ruth were coming into the middle of several story lines in the bible.
The critical allegation against the book of ruth that makes it a production of some postexilic narrator bases their theory on the false proposition that the names of elimelechs sons are fictitious, invented for them centuries later and designed to fit what happened to them, but leon morris cites plenty of proof that the names mahlon and. 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. This volume includes an introduction to ruth, as well as notes, outlines, and lessonsuseable for personal or group study. The book tells of ruths accepting the god of the israelites as her god and the. The book may have been written by samuel and was probably penned during the time of david a dreadful time in a strange country. The story is set in the time of the judges, a time characterized in the book of judges as a period of religious and moral degeneracy, national disunity and frequent foreign oppression. Matthew henry 18 october 1662 22 june 1714 was an english commentator on the bible, who published his works in 1706, sixvolume exposition of the old and new testaments 17081710 or complete commentary, provides an exhaustive verse by verse study of the bible. It is unlikely that it was written before the time of david cp. Ruth, a moabitess, stands out as a refreshing contrast to the declension of israel in the time of the judges. There are those who attempt to guild the lily as they read the book of ruth, desperately seeking some basis for making a pious israelite of naomi. A study of the book of ruth coalition for christian outreach.
This volume includes an introduction to ruth, as well as notes. The book of ruth is one of the historical books of hebrew scripture, our old testament of the bible. The book of ruth connects the book of judges with the books of samuel. Ruth boldly, yet humbly and properly, sought her rights. Ruth is one of the five festival scrolls, also known as the megilloth, in the writings section of the old testament.
The jewish publication societys highly acclaimed bible commentary series provides a critical linebyline commentary of the biblical text, which is presented in its original hebrew, complete with vocalization and cantillation marks, as well as the jps english translation. When ruth beat out her days work of gleaning she had acquired two thirds of a bushel, whereupon, she left the field and went into the city with the grain 2. Ruth was married to mahlon something like 10 years. The first chapter of ruth is very important because our appraisal of ruth, naomi, and soon boaz in the first chapters of ruth will greatly shape our understanding of the rest of the book. Its with great excitement and eager expectation that we begin this study. The book of ruth gives us a glimpse into the hidden work of god during the worst of times. Hubbard pays particular attention to the skillful literary devices and unique theological perspective of ruth, using them to propose a new date and purpose for the book.
Ruth 4 commentary summary sermon explaining the book. The book of ruth new international commentary on the old testament, 1989. This could only happen through boaz marrying ruth and providing children to carry on the name of elimelech. Block offers sound scholarly methodology, capable research, and applicable exposition. The other festival scrolls are song of songs, lamentations, ecclesiastes and. The book of ruth, which appears in the third section of the hebrew bible, ktuvim, writings, is a beautiful folktale written in four short chapters. It manages to deal with both details and the big picture.
New commentary on book of ruth a refreshing approach to. It also presents a delightful account of the remnant of true faith and piety in the period of the judges, relieving an otherwise wholly. Ruth 1 commentary james burton coffman commentaries on. Like 1sa 12, it gives a series of intimate glimpses into the private lives of the members of an israelite family. Naomi was still entreating ruth to return, but ruth replied to that with a command of her own, entreat me not to leave thee. The first verse of the book points to the time of the judges and the very last verse points to king david. He helps us recognize how weve been squeezed into the mold of society. Book of ruth, old testament book belonging to the third section of the biblical canon, known as the ketuvim, or writings. Thus she is an ancestor in the messianic line that leads to jesus. Free bible commentary on book of ruth in easy english. New commentary on book of ruth a refreshing approach to bible. The book of ruth abbreviated rth is included in the third division, or the writings ketuvim, of the hebrew bible. These two issues are addressed in the book of ruth. Ruth 1 commentary matthew henry commentary on the whole.
Designing to return to bethlehem, she addresses her daughters in law, ver. This commentary has been through advanced checking. This new volume on ruth attempts to follow a similar method for reading a biblical book canonically. They are living as members of gods family because they respect and obey him. Feeding our families is holy work, and anyone who has the means to help others feed their families becomes a blessing from god. Kirsten nielsens comments on the book of ruth paint a rich and subtle portrait of its characters, carefully tracing the many connections between this story and other biblical passages, such as the stories of judah and tamar. Introduction, outline, and selected bibliography for the book of ruth, by david malick at the biblical studies foundation.
And a certain man of bethlehem, judah, went to dwell in the country of moab, he and his wife and his two sons. They were of the clan of ephrath from bethlehem in judah. This thorough commentary mines recent research to give the book of ruths literary, grammatical, and theological dimensions a rigorous treatment. Now it came to pass, in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. Tragedy strikes the family of ruth and naomi ruth 1. The book of ruth follows the book of judges in our bibles because its setting was in that time period. That the book of ruth stands most fitly in the place where it is actually found must have been felt by the spiritual mind.
It is a groundless tradition of the jews that ruth was the daughter of eglon king of moab, yet the chaldee paraphrast inserts it. There is no special book in the bible about mary, but god has given us this lovely book about ruth. From this family came boaz and, later, great king david. Ruth 3 commentary meaning summary sermon explaining the book. The great significance of it is that, ruth does not say elohiym god as foreigners do, but yahweh jehovah, indicating that ruth is the follower of the true god. Because of a famine in israel, a hebrew family moved to moab.
Several parallels between ruth the story of david can be made, but it is not clear to me how this relationship works. You can find the best commentary on ruth for you using the tools on the right side. Introduction to the book of ruth, new american bible. But the book of ruth also looks forward to the time of david, a moabite descendant who enters a levirate marriage with abigail. Commentary on the book of ruth relevant bible teaching. From alienation to monarchy, as well as the two other commentaries that have been published so far in the maggid studies in tanakh seriesone on the book of jeremiah and another on the book of joshuaare good examples of studies of the bible that make use of the methods of literary analysis. Ruth bible story summary what christians want to know.
First obviously were landing in the middle of the book of ruth. Ruth with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. Ruth gleaned in the field until evening, then she beat out what she had gleaned and it was about an ephah 30 of barley 2. The setting of the book is the spring barley harvest, hence its long association with the festival of pentecost, which pictured this early harvest. Then he said, blessed are you of the lord, my daughter. This volume is a powerful addition to this critically acclaimed old testament library series. A word list at the end explains words with a star by them.
T he book of ruth contains an interesting story about a moabite woman who was redeemed into a hebrew family. Concept of a godly remnant in apostate and rebellious times overview of ruth gospel love story focuses on the redemption of ruth. And so like all the other scriptures, as paul says romans 15. An easyenglish bible version and commentary 1200 word vocabulary on the book of ruth. Concept of a godly remnant in apostate and rebellious times overview of ruth gospel love story focuses on the redemption of ruth inclusion of the gentiles. For you have shown more kindness at the end than at the beginning, in that you did not go after young men, whether poor or rich. By affirming the storys outcome as a divine providence, hubbard says, the. Obviously, the author was familiar with israels greatest king. The book of ruth is a love story, not so much between a young man and a young woman, but between a young woman and her motherinlaw.
Ruth 3 commentary meaning summary sermon explaining the. This was a time when the people of israel had abandoned gods ways and fallen into idolatry, horrific social conditions, and a disastrous civil war, as told in the chapters of judges immediately preceding the book of ruth in christian bibles. The book of ruth reminds us that ordinary work such as agriculture is a faithfilled calling, whether it is performed by wealthy landowners or povertystricken foreigners. Matthew henry 18 october 1662 22 june 1714 was an english commentator on the bible, who published his works in 1706, sixvolume exposition of the old and new testaments 17081710 or complete commentary, provides an exhaustive verse by verse study of the bible, covering the whole of the old testament, and the gospels and acts in the new testament. The book may have been written by samuel and was probably penned during the time of david. The book of ruth new international commentary on the old. Like 1sa 12, it gives a series of intimate glimpses into the. The book of ruth is named for the moabite woman who commits herself to the israelite people by an oath to her motherinlaw naomi and becomes the greatgrandmother of david by marriage to boaz of bethlehem. Link to eerdmans and an interview with mckeown at eerdworld.
170 1167 622 647 829 664 1180 603 11 1546 725 199 1314 1088 271 163 1499 779 1029 1027 1035 1030 292 689 775 276 1475 27 1011 1465 748 1292 1458 1224 686