Rut 1:8-18

8 Y Noemí dijo a sus dos nueras: Andad, volveos cada una a la casa de su madre: El SEÑOR haga con vosotras misericordia, como la habéis hecho con los muertos y conmigo

9 Os conceda el SEÑOR que halléis descanso, cada una en casa de su marido. Luego las besó, y ellas lloraron a voz en grito

10 Y le dijeron: Ciertamente nosotras volveremos contigo a tu pueblo

11 Y Noemí respondió: Volveos, hijas mías; ¿para qué habéis de ir conmigo? ¿Tengo yo más hijos en el vientre, que puedan ser vuestros maridos

12 Volveos, hijas mías, e idos; que yo ya soy vieja para ser para varón. Y aunque dijera: Esperanza tengo; y esta noche fuera con varón, y aun diera a luz hijos

13 ¿habíais vosotras de esperarlos hasta que fueran grandes? ¿Habíais vosotras de quedaros sin casar por amor de ellos? No, hijas mías; que mayor amargura tengo yo que vosotras, porque la mano del SEÑOR ha salido contra mí

14 Mas ellas alzando otra vez su voz, lloraron; y Orfa besó a su suegra, mas Rut se quedó con ella

15 Y ella dijo: He aquí tu cuñada se ha vuelto a su pueblo y a sus dioses; vuélvete tú tras ella

16 Y Rut respondió: No me ruegues que te deje, y me aparte de ti; porque dondequiera que tú fueres, iré yo; y dondequiera que vivieres, viviré. Tu pueblo será mi pueblo, y tu Dios mi Dios

17 Donde tú murieres, moriré yo, y allí seré sepultada; así me haga el SEÑOR, y así me dé, que sólo la muerte hará separación entre mí y ti

18 Y viendo ella que estaba tan valiente para ir con ella, dejó de hablarle

Rut 1:8-18 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.