Ruth 1:6-18

Ruth's Loyalty to Naomi

6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the fields of Moab that ¹the LORD had visited his people and ²given them food.

7 So she set out from the place where she was with her two daughters-in-law, and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah.

8 But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go, return each of you to her mother's house. May the LORD ³deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with ⁴the dead and with me.

9 The LORD grant that you may find ⁵rest, each of you in the house of her husband!" Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept.

10 And they said to her, "No, we will return with you to your people."

11 But Naomi said, "Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb ⁶that they may become your husbands?

12 Turn back, my daughters; go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, even if I should have a husband this night and should bear sons,

13 would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that ⁷the hand of the LORD has gone out against me."

14 Then they lifted up their voices and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

15 And she said, "See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to ⁸her gods; return after your sister-in-law."

16 But Ruth said, "Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. ⁹Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.

17 Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. ¹⁰May the LORD do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you."

18 ¹¹And when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more.

Ruth 1:6-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF RUTH

This book is called Ruth, not because she was the author of it, but because she is the principal subject of it. In the Syriac and Arabic versions, it is called the Book of Ruth the Moabitess, which describes her by the country of which she was. Her name, according to Hillerus {l}, signifies beautiful, of a good aspect, the same with Calliope in Greek. As to the author of this book, some attribute it to Eli the priest, who seems to have been too soon to give an account of the birth of David; others to Gad or Nathan; some to Hezekiah, and others to Ezra; but what the Talmudists assert, which is most generally received, and most probable, is, that it was written by Samuel; so they say Samuel {m} wrote his own book, Judges, and Ruth; and it is commonly said that this book is an appendix to that of the Judges, and the introduction to Samuel, and is fitly placed between them both. According to Eusebius {n}, with the Hebrews, Judges and Ruth make one book they call Shophetim, or Judges; the principal design of it is to give the genealogy of David, whom Samuel had anointed to be king of Israel, and from whom the Messiah was to come, and who therefore may be said to be the aim and scope of it, as he is of all Scripture; and whereby it appears that he sprung both from Jews and Gentiles, and is the Saviour of both, and there is a good foundation for both to hope in him; and the call and conversion of Ruth the Moabitess may be considered as a shadow, emblem, and pledge of the conversion of the Gentiles. Manythings besides may be learnt from this little book, as the different circumstances of good people in this life, and the particular providence of God respecting them. It furnishes out examples of bearing afflictions patiently, of industry, courteousness, kindness to strangers, and young converts; and none can doubt of the divine authority of this book, that considers the use made of it in the genealogies of Christ by the Evangelists Matthew and Luke.

{l} Onomastic. Sacr. p. 211. {m} T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 13. 2. {n} Eccl. Hist. 1. 6. c. 25.

\\INTRODUCTION TO RUTH 1\\

This chapter treats of a family that removed from the land of Canaan to the land of Moab on account of a famine, where the father of it and his two sons died, and each of them left a widow, Ru 1:1-5 the mother-in-law proposed to return to her own country, and set forward with her two daughters-in-law, whom, when they had gone a little way with her, she entreated to go back, and expostulated with them about it, Ru 1:6-13, upon which one of them did, but the other, Ruth, the subject of this book, resolved to go the journey with her, Ru 1:14-18 and they both came to Bethlehem, the former residence of her mother-in-law Naomi, who was greatly taken notice of by her old friends and acquaintance, to whom she related her present circumstances, Ru 1:19-22.

Cross References

• 1. Exodus 3:16; Exodus 4:31; Luke 1:68
• 2. Psalms 132:15
• 3. Joshua 2:12, 14; Judges 1:24
• 4. ver. 5; Ruth 2:20
• 5. Ruth 3:1
• 6. Genesis 38:11; Deuteronomy 25:5
• 7. Judges 2:15; [Job 19:21; Psalms 32:4; Psalms 38:2; Psalms 39:10]
• 8. Judges 11:24; 1 Kings 11:7; Jer. 48:7, 13, 46
• 9. [Ruth 2:11, 12]
• 10. 1 Samuel 3:17; 1 Samuel 25:22; 2 Samuel 19:13; 1 Kings 2:23
• 11. [Acts 21:14]