1Elimelech driven by famine into Moab dieth there, as do also his sons Mahlon and Chilion, who had married Moabitish wives. 6Naomi the wife of Elimelech prepareth to return, but dissuadeth her daughters in law from going with her; of whom Orpah leaveth her, but Ruth with great constancy accompanieth her. 19They two come to Bethlehem, where the inhabitants flock around with enquiries concerning them.
1NOW it came to pass in the days when the 1judges ruled, that there was a famine in the 2land. And a certain man of 3Beth-lehem-judah went to sojourn in the 4country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
1 See Judges 2 on verse 16.
2 Canaan. Compare Judges 6:4, 6.
3 See Judges 12 on verse 8.
4 That is, in the land of the Moabites, who descended from Lot, Deut. 2:9. This land was situated in the east, beyond Jordan, having many plain fields, see Deut. 34:1, 8.
2And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife 5Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, 6Ephrathites of Beth-lehem-judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and 7continued there.
5 See verse 20.
6 Bethlehem-judah was formerly called also Ephrata, Gen. 35:10 and likewise the land wherein Bethlehem was, Micah 5:2. Hence they are called Ephratites.
7 Hebr. were.
3And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.
4And they took them wives of the 8women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years.
8 Which was lawful to do, if these women were converted, otherwise not; for to marry women from Canaan was forbidden, upon this ground, lest they would seduce the people of God unto idolatry, which reason or ground had also place in the Moabitish idolatrous women. See Ezra 9:1; Neh. 13:23. That Ruth was converted, appears plainly in verse 16; Ruth 2:12.
5And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and 9the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.
9 Naomi.
6¶Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return 10from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the LORD had 11visited his people in giving them 12bread.
10 To go unto Bethlehem-judah, verse 19.
11 See Gen. 21 on verse 1.
12 That is, corn, and besides all things necessary to the sustentation of man’s life: so that the famine and scarcity ceased.
7Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to 13return unto the land of Judah.
13 Understand this of Naomi, who had dwelt before in the land of Judah, and in returning was accompanied with her daughters in law, who had not been, nor dwelt there. See verse 10; Ruth 2:6.
8And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her 14mother’s house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the 15dead, and with me.
14 Either because perhaps Orpah’s father was dead, or because the mothers do cunningly love the daughters most. It is said of Ruth, Ruth 2:11, that she had left her father.
15 Meaning Mahlon and Chilion, the sons of Naomi, and her daughters in law’s true lawful husbands.
9The LORD grant you that ye may find 16rest, each of you in the house of her 17husband. Then she 18kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.
16 See Ruth 3:1.
17 Which you may happen to marry.
18 To take her leave of them, see Gen. 29 on verse 11.
10And they said unto her, Surely we will 19return with thee unto thy people.
19 That is, we will accompany you, who returns unto your people, and will go with you.
11And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my 20womb, that they may be your 21husbands?
20 Hebr. bowels.
21 According to the law, Deut. 25:5.
12Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too 22old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an 23husband also to night, and should also bear sons;
22 Hebr. I am grown older, then that I should become to an husband.
23 Hebr. should become to an husband, namely, a wife, or should this night lie with an husband.
13Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having 24husbands? nay, my daughters; for 25it grieveth me much for your sakes that the 26hand of the LORD is gone out against me.
24 Hebr. should become to no husband.
25 Namely, that I must part from you: or, because I, now being old, have lost my husband and children, and you may yet enjoy comforts from future husbands and children. Other, it is most bitter to me for your sakes or because of you: because you have lost your husbands, and are now also so loath to depart from me.
26 As if she had said: Forasmuch as it is God’s blow, vexation and work, that I am bereft of my husband, and both my sons, and now also must lose your company, therefore I must wholly cast myself upon God, rest satisfied in His will; and so ought you to do also.
14And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her 27mother in law; but Ruth 28clavea unto her.
27 Namely, Naomi, taking therewith her leave, and returning to her dwelling place. See the following verse and on verse 9.
28 That is, she would not part from Naomi; but tarried with her, and went on with her, as in the following verses is declared.
a clung.
15And 29she said, Behold, thy 30sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto 31her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.
29 Naomi.
30 Hebr. your brother’s wife, that is here, she who has had your husband’s brother.
31 Or, her god, namely, the idol of the Moabites, called Chemosh. See Judges 11 on verse 24.
16And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: 32thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
32 Hereby she manifests her conversion to the true God, and the fellowship of His church; wherein it seems that Naomi, with the preceding arguments, had wanted to try her from the example of her sister in law. Compare Joshua 24:19.
17Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: 33the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.
33 That is, let the Lord punish me so, and let Him continue in His punishment, or increase the same, if I mean otherwise or do otherwise, than I have spoken. It is a kind of oath, wherein the evil is concealed which they thought or wished to themselves, or left to the judgment of God. Compare Gen. 14 on verse 23; 1 Kings 19 on verse 2.
18When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.
19¶So they two went until they came to Beth-lehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Beth-lehem, that all the city was moved about them, and 34they said, Is this Naomi?
34 The women at Bethlehem.
20And she said unto them, Call me not 35Naomi, call me 36Mara: for the 37Almighty hath dealt 38very bitterly with me.
35 That is, my loveliness, delightfulness, my pleasure.
36 That is, bitter or bitterness.
37 Hebr. Schaddai. See Gen. 17 on verse 1.
38 In bereaving me of my husband and both my sons.
21I went out 39full, and the LORD hath brought me home again 40empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath 41testified against me, and the Almighty hath 42afflicted me?
39 Having my husband and my two sons alive, with sufficient means to live upon.
40 Namely, bereft of my husband, and my two sons, and means. See below Ruth 2:18.
41 That is, has set Himself as an adversary against me, or, has testified by His judgments and vexations His displeasure against me, and convinced me of my sins. Compare Job 10:17; 16:8. Mal. 3:5; James 5:3.
42 Other, hath pressed me down or smitten, that is, has sent me adversity, misery and sorrow. See Gen. 19 on verse 19.
22So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which 43returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Beth-lehem in the beginning of barley harvest.
43 That is, accompanied Naomi in her return: as verses 7, 10.