Lot would be the father of the moabites and the ammonites. Historically, it was a time after the israelites had taken over the promised land, when israel had no king. One daughterinlaw did, but ruth stayed with naomi and returned with her to israel. My object in writing this paper is, not to, interpret the book of ruth in its typical bearing on the ways of god with the remnant and nation of israel in days to. Even though its small, this remarkable book contains many principles with profound impact to our lives today. Ruth was a moabitess, a member of an accursed race. However, it is not expected of women to stand by the roadside and greet passing strangers. Ruth the moabite and the blessing of foreigners jstor. The book of ruth is dated almost to the period of the judges and is a story of romance, redemption, and loyalty. Naturally, rabbit runs, but you already saw that coming. By his descent from ruth, david may be said to have had moabite blood in his veins.
Ruth is an example of how god can change a life and take it in a direction he has foreordained, and we see god working out his perfect plan in ruths life, just as he does with all his children romans 8. Ruth leonard is an atheist and exprostitute who demands that rabbit leave his wife and marry her. Elimelech died, and the sons married two moabite women. The sovereignty of god is manifest in the story of ruth as how god in times of decline of his people preserved a seed in one of his servants that led to. Moabite, member of a westsemitic people who lived in the highlands east of the dead sea now in westcentral jordan and flourished in the 9th century bc. According to the biblical book of ruth, ruth was a moabite woman who married into an israelite family and eventually converted to judaism. She is the greatgrandmother of king david and hence an ancestor of the messiah.
A christian reading of ruth and the hebrew scriptures, touchstone, may 2009, 2024. Yahwehs rejection of the moabites had nothing to do with their ethnicity. The book of ruth testifies to friendly relations between moab and bethlehem, one of the towns of the tribe of judah. God had forbidden the hebrews to intermarry with the moabites.
After the death of their husbands, naomi and ruth went to. Both david and jesus are descendants of a moabite ruth. Many believe the book of ruth to be the most beautiful love story in the bible. King david was the third generation from ruth and boaz. The book of ruth historical context from zondervan. Ruth could not be a moabite because she was the great grandmother of king david. Chapter 1 describes the life of elimelech and his family in moab. As we read the book of ruth we would do well to heed the storys challenge and consider the moabites in our community. In the book of judges, two verses are repeatedly used. A bible study guide for women the purpose of this study is to give women who desire to learn more about gods word helpful information that. My object in writing this paper is, not to, interpret the book of ruth in its typical bearing on the ways of god with the remnant and nation of israel in days to come. The younger also bore a son and called his name benammi.
There is also a command never to betray or despise an edomite, because they are of relation i personally believe that this passage of deuteronomy. Oct 16, 2019 the book of ruth is one of only two books of the bible to be named after women the other is esther. David in turn fought against the moabites and forced them to pay heavy tribute 2 samuel 8. The most positive depiction of a woman of moab appears in the book of ruth, where the books namesake is a moabite. Chapter 3 naomi instructs ruth to go to the threshing floor and lie at the feet of boaz. In the narrative, she is not an israelite but rather is from moab. The moabites moab was the area east of the dead sea, extending northward for about 50 miles and inland for about 30 miles. May 17, 2017 why our church no longer plays bethel or hillsong music, pastor explains false teachings duration. Not only does ruth come across as an admirable character, one who has the best interests of an israelite family at heart, but the story also.
Ruth the moabite and the blessing of foreigners michael s. Moab was a flourishing kingdom east of the dead sea that competed politically and militarily with israel. The moabite men showed their lack of proper character traits when they did not greet the passing jewish nation with bread and water. On its face, the book of ruth is a short selfcontained story, unconnected to the narrative sequence from genesis through kings. The origins of the moabites lots firstborn child, which came through lots own daughter, her firstborn, was called moab and he is the father of the moabites to this day gen 19. Beit hatfutsot, the oster visual documentation center. It is interesting that ruth was a moabite and she was king davids great grandmother, and she was mentioned in the genealogy of jesus in matthew chapter one. That is 11 generations from jacob all the way to david, a period of at least 800 years.
Mahlon ruths husband and kilion orpahs husband sinned against the mosaic law, which prohibited any association with the moabites deu 7. Moab was formed by the incestuous union of lot and his oldest daughter gen 19. Chapter 2 ruth gleans in the fields of boaz chapter 3 naomi instructs ruth to go to the threshing floor and lie at the feet of boaz chapter 4 ruth s marriage to boaz wikipedia. In fact, our sages tell us that this is how the book of ruth came to be written. The mesha stela presents a moabite version of 2kgs 3. Were there any restrictions on jews marrying moabites. The biblical view of the relationship between israel and moab, and especially between. They were of the clan of ephrath from bethlehem in judah.
Ruth is a young widow o ruth and her sister, orpah, followed in their mother inlaws footsteps of widowhood at a young age. Chemosh was a god in the land of the moabites this idol was not mentioned in the book of ruth. Ruth was a moabite princess according to tradition. Even king david had moabite ancestry, according to the book of ruth.
The moabites occupied a vital place along the kings highway, the ancient trade route connecting egypt with mesopotamia, syria, and anatolia. The moabites worshipped a god named chemosh and one of their idolatrous rituals included child sacrifice. The best essay ive ever read on the book of ruth for. At first glance, the book of ruth appears to disregard the torah law that does not allow moabites to enter into the jewish people. He committed his parents to the protection of the king of moab, when hard pressed by saul. Ruth was a moabite from the land of moab, located across the dead sea to the east of israel. Brad embry regent university have started a program unit at sbl for the megilloth, it remains.
They are known principally through information given in the old testament and from the inscription on the moabite stone. The sovereignty of god is manifest in the story of ruth as how god in times of decline of his people preserved a seed in one of his servants that led to the birth of david and then to the birth of jesus the messiah. By the end of the book, ruth married boaz and had a son named obed. Although she came from a pagan background in moab, once she met the god of israel, ruth became a. May 29, 2006 at first glance, the book of ruth appears to disregard the torah law that does not allow moabites to enter into the jewish people. It also presents a delightful account of the remnant of true faith and piety in the period of the judges, relieving an otherwise wholly. This is the same list, aside from a few spelling variations, that we see at the end of the book of ruth. Wherein also figuratively is set forth the state of the church which is subject to manifold afflictions, and yet at length god giveth good and joyful issue, teaching us to abide with patience till god. Apr 17, 2012 meeting ruth the moabite and listening to her can redefine how we think of the other and compel us to ask good soulshaping questions. If you married a moab, your descendants would not be allowed in the temple for ten generations.
Therefore, ruth, as a moabite, is an unlikely hero in jewish story. Before we look at the book of ruth we need to sort out some of the background, but i do recommend that you read the whole book before you start. Intro to ruth biblica the international bible society. Not simply because its a great story about love, loyalty, faith, romance and redemption. May 31, 2016 the historical context to the mother of all converts, the moabite princess ruth, and her dramatic story of conviction and perseverance in embracing judaism in circa 11th century bce. The moabites were related to the israelites through their common ancestor, terah. According to the interpretation to the book of ruth by rabbi yosef zeev lipowitz in a book called nachalat yosef, the seed of wrongdoing was nourished after the death of joshua, the last leader before the judges period, who was not only the nations savior, but also the spiritual, political and moral instructor for the battered young. The name of rabbits mistress in this book is a bit of an ironic twist on the book of ruth. Meeting ruth the moabite and listening to her can redefine how we think of the other and compel us to ask good soulshaping questions. A bible study guide for women the gospel of christ. Keep all of the above in mind as we now engage some of the bits and pieces jots and tittles of this fulfillment. Even they could join his people israel if they trusted in him. May, 20 whatever rabbi zeira said, the book of ruth is not so pure and simple, rather, its frank and open description of the courtship of ruth and boaz in bethlehem is an apologia for the glorious dynasty.
The book of ruth reflects a time of peace between israel and moab contrast jdg 3. To start off, i would suggest that you sit down and read through this beautiful book. Moabites and israelites could probably understand each others languages. Comparets work ruth was an israelite, one will see that the israelites had driven the moabites out of the land of moab hundreds of years previous to ruths time. The book of ruth explains that this strange turn of events was due to ruths great faith.
The dead sea with the ancient moabite territory in the distance. From zoar, the cradle of this tribe, on the southeastern border of the dead sea, they gradually spread over the region on the east of jordan. Their primary god was chemosh, but the moabites also worshiped many other pagan gods and sometimes engaged in human sacrifice. Of these, amminadab was young enough to be a leader of judah in the armies numbered on the. Whatever rabbi zeira said, the book of ruth is not so pure and simple, rather, its frank and open description of the courtship of ruth and boaz in bethlehem is an apologia for the glorious dynasty. If this suggests that the book of ruth is an anomaly, i propose to show that, on the contrary, its thematic connections with the rest of the bible are much stronger than we generally perceive. Moore fuller theological seminary southwest phoenix, az 85034 tue book of rut ihs ohe of th mose t. Some of the quotes from this book are used in marriages. Like 1sa 12, it gives a series of intimate glimpses into the private lives of the members of an israelite family.
Ruths faith is more striking when we consider the family she married into. Originally the territory of ancient moab was dominated by a race of giants known as the emim. Ruth is the person after whom the book of ruth is named. Stuck right there in the old testament is a book named after a nonjewish woman. 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. The book of ruth in the time of the judges and ruth, the moabitess. Ruth the moabitess, or blessing and rest charles stanley. Deuteronomy 23 through 25 refers to all the individuals that are excluded from the assembly of the lord, specifically the ammonites and moabites. In more recent times, one archaeological discovery related to the moabites has been of important significance.
How long was the family of elimelech in moab before naomis husband and sons died. This is the woman around whom the story in the book of ruth revolves. If she ever was, there is no mention of it at all in the bible. In the book of ruth, it is not just the scenery, but the plot itself is derived from the land, and the importance of the inheritance of the land. The moabites were a tribe descended from moab, the son of lot, born of an incestuous relationship with his oldest daughter genesis 19. Book of ruth literary currents in biblical interpretation. The book of ruth is a story about ruth, the grandmother of king david, and naomi a jewish woman who had left. The best essay ive ever read on the book of ruth by jmh on november 1, 2011 in art, bible and theology, biblical theology, typology peter leithart, when gentile meets jew.
Children celebrating shavuot at the jewish school, pleven, bulgaria 1929. Obed would become the grandfather of david, the king of israel ruth 4. After the death of their husbands, naomi and ruth went to bethlehem. Moore fuller theological seminary southwest phoenix, az 85034 tue book of rut ihs ohe of th mose t compelling stories ever written, not.
Why our church no longer plays bethel or hillsong music, pastor explains false teachings duration. According to the book of deuteronomy, moses interpreted the torah for the children of israel at mount nebo in moab. The torah prohibits marriage to moabites but ruth is not only welcomed but is an ancestor of king david, and through him the messiah. He was a wealthy, prominent man from the clan of elimelech. The ancient moabites background bible study bible history. Moabites were pagans and worshiped the god chemosh. The territory of the moabites in ancient times ancient moab. Not only does ruth come across as an admirable character, one who has the best interests of an israelite family at heart, but the story also makes her a very close ancestor of king david. Ruth heard about another godactually a fertility goddess who offered the moabites regeneration through the gratification of lust with harlot priestesses in the temple. The book of ruth the argument this book is intituled after the name of ruth. The land of moab lay east and southeast of the dead sea, and chiefly south of the river arnon.