Jewish traditions say that the six measures of barley given as a gift to ruth were a sign of six pious men who would descend from her, endowed with six spiritual gifts. The text indicates the direct lineage of king david. Ruth is a moabite woman who marries a judean immigrant named mahlon 1. The inference would be that, the book of ruth was composed not before the later times of the jewish monarchy. And so, when one of the sons asked her to marry him, she was happy and proud to accept. She was dissatisfied with the idolworship of her own people, and when the opportunity arose, she gladly gave up the privileges of royalty in her land and accepted a life of poverty among people she admired. Who is this woman, special enough to have an entire book in the bible named for her, which we read on shavuot, the epic day on which the torah was given to the jewish people.
See the commentary of the gaon of vilna on the book of ruth. Ruth 2 commentary, one of over 110 bible commentaries freely available, this commentary, by the leading authority in the church of christ, presents a verse level look at the bible. The much beloved story of ruth is told with a consummate skill that most likely reflects a long process of polishing through repeated retellings. Only in the second verse are these individuals named, in a dense cluster of words that includes the threefold mention of the word hebrew word for name, shem. The chaldee paraphrase thus relates the debate between naomi and ruth. Ruth was not born a jew, but was accepted into judaism due to her love for torah and the jewish people.
It has been called the most beautiful short story ever written. The latest in the jps bible commentary series, 2011 national jewish book award winner, barbara dobkin award in womens studies the moving story of ruth, with its themes of loyalty, loving kindness hesed, and redemption, is one of the great narratives of the bible. Commentary on the book of ruth by matthew henry old. Shavuot commemorates the acceptance of the torah by the jewish people, and the book of ruth describes the acceptance of the torah by a single individual through an act of conversion. For this reason it is placed in the septuagint after the book of judges. There are some strong similarities to the jps commentary, to be expected, as the classic opinions of the talmud and other jewish writings were consulted for both. 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 the moving story of ruth, with its themes of loyalty, loving kindness hesed, and redemption, is one. May god, by his grace, fit us for all such changes, especially the great change. After reading this commentary, i compared the entries for the book of ruth in the jewish study bible editors adele berlin and marc zvi brettler, oxford univ press, 2004. Ruth 2 commentary james burton coffman commentaries on. Tikva frymerkensky, zl, former professor of hebrew bible and the history of judaism at the university of chicagos divinity. Ruth was a moabite princess of very fine character, who became the.
These opening verses draw our attention to the manner in which this family hovers between names and namelessness. Torah commentators offer two major theses to explain the custom. Upon his death she becomes a childless widow who chooses to accompany her motherinlaw, naomi, to judah. Most of the jewish commentators, from the mention of bethlehem. In the hebrew bible, ruth stands with the song of solomon, lamentations, ecclesiastes, and esther. Ruth s name provides the title for the book of ruth, probably a piece of historical fiction set in the time of the judges. Afflictions will make great and surprising changes in a little time. She lived long enough to see her greatgrandson david, who became the l. It celebrates the loyalty and reward of a young moabite widow ruth who chooses to follow her israelite motherinlaw naomi back to bethlehem after naomi was bereaved of her own husband and two sons. We must not be weary of welldoing, because in due season we shall reap. At harvest time the torah enjoins us to share the lands bounty with the poor and the stranger in our midst.
There was a famine in the land this makes it probable that the things here recorded came to pass in the days of gideon, for that is the only time when we read of a famine in the days of the judges. The book of ruth tells a touching story of the love and devotion of an ancestor of david and jesus christ. Ruth said, entreat me not to leave thee, for i will be a proselyte. This article is adapted from the jps bible commentary. Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. Book of ruth, old testament book belonging to the third section of the biblical canon, known as the ketuvim, or writings. Of course in the old testament days this latter truth was still hidden. It was the person of david, who gave reasons for the writing of ruth, but the promise of the coming of the messiah is. Ruth is the ancestor of king david, and consequently the matriarch of the messianic line. According to the talmud jewish tradition, the prophet samuel wrote the book of ruth. She did not make an excuse to sit still, or go home, till the evening. She took care not to lose time, for she gleaned until evening. While quite obvious at first glance, this theme does present a major difficulty on closer examination.
The two of them travel to bethlehem together, where ruth wins the love of boaz. Ruths son oved is the father of yishai, the father of david. Who is this woman, special enough to have an entire book in the bible named for her, which we read on shavuot, the epic day on which the torah was given to. Lessons from the book of ruth jewish theological seminary.
The book of ruth and the power of names my jewish learning. The first one seems quite straightforward, at least at first glance. Ruth 1 commentary james burton coffman commentaries on. Keil and delitzsch biblical commentary on the old testament. David, daniel, hananiah, mishael, azariah, and the messiah. The story of ruth offers vital lessons to every generation and has enjoyed nearly universal acceptance by biblical scholars and critics throughout the centuries. Other expressions, which the book has in common with the books of samuel and kings, and a. When providence had made her poor, she cheerfully stoops to her lot. As a liberal jewish community, we encourage our young adults to affirm their commitment to the jewish community on shavuot. Ruth came to bethlehem essentially destitute, but she. Ruth most likely comes from a moabite andor hebrew word meaning friendship. Ruth 1 commentary, one of over 110 bible commentaries freely available, this commentary, by the leading authority in the church of christ, presents a verse level look at the bible. The book of leviticus comes to life here, with its injunctions to leave part of the harvest for the needy, and with all of its concern and compassion for the underprivileged within the society. The book of ruth, which is poetically idyllic in character, although the narrative is in the form of prose, contains an episode from the period of the judges.
And a certain man of bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. We also read the book of ruth because ruths fidelity is symbolic of the loyalty expected of the entire jewish community to torah and to the people of israel. On the surface, it is the story of a young virtuous maiden who leaves her family and her nation to cast her lot with a. Written by kirsten nielsen, this commentary meets the aims of the series in providing a. Rabbi matalon delivers an informative introduction to the book of ruth, based on the commentary of the gaon from vilna. Read the full text of the book of ruth in hebrew and english on sefaria. Naomi said, we are commanded to keep sabbaths and good days, on which we may not travel above 2000 cubitsa sabbathdays journey. The book of ruth summary ruth was a moabite princess of very fine character, who became the greatgrandmother of king david. On the surface, it is the story of a young virtuous maiden who leaves her family and her nation to cast her lot with a people and religion that she has not previously known. Book of ruth overview insight for living ministries.
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 of ruth, which appears in the third section of the hebrew bible, ktuvim, writings, is a beautiful folktale written in four short chapters. Let us work the works of him that sent us, while it is day. It is unlikely that it was written before the time of david cp. Obviously, the author was familiar with israels greatest king. For ruth and boaz had a son named obed, who became the father of jesse. The dissatisfaction which she had already felt at the meaningless idolworship of her own people now turned to positive objection. Ruth 2 commentary matthew henry commentary on the whole.
The book of ruth follows the book of judges in our bibles because its setting was in that time period. Ruth deserves to become part of the jewish royal family which will eventually produce the messiah, and be an eternal light for the jewish people and the world. Ruth, naomi and boaz all occupy the stage in turn, and gods. Anyone reading the story of ruth is immediately struck by the strength of her dedication to her mother in law, naomi. See the full text of the book of ruth in hebrew and english with rashis commentary. Rabbi david gedzelman explores the book of ruth with an eye toward structures of covenantal openness, societal protection and compassion. You can find the best commentary on ruth for you using the tools on the right side. In the first verse of the book of ruth, we meet a family without names they are simply a man, his wife, and two sons.