_Naomi, Elimelch_, _Hebrews who went to live in Moab_.
_Mahlon, Chilion_, _Sons of Naomi and Elimelech_.
_Ruth, Orpah_, _Daughters-in-law of Naomi and Elimelech_.
Boaz, _A wealthy farmer of Beth-lehem and kinsman of Naomi_.
_Reapers_.
_Gleaners_.
_A second kinsman of Naomi_.
PLACE OF THE STORY.
_Moab_.
_Beth-lehem of Judah_.
RUTH.
(One of the sweetest stories of the Bible is that of Ruth the Moabitess. Many of the pages of the Old Testament are filled with the noise and tumult of battle, but this tale breathes only of peace and calm, of sunny harvest days when fair Ruth gleaned in, the fields around the old town of Beth-lehem.)
And it came to pa.s.s in the days when the judges judged, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Beth-lehem-judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
And the name {36} of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, men of Beth-lehem-judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.
And Elimelech Naomi"s husband died; and she was left, and her two sons. And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years.
And Mahlon and Chilion died both of them; and the woman was bereft of her two children and of her husband. Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread. And 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 return unto the land of Judah.
And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go, return each of you to her mother"s house: the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me. The Lord grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband."
Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept. And they said to her, "Nay, but we will return with thee to thy people."
And Naomi said, "Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me?
Turn again, my daughters, go your way."
{37}{38}
[Ill.u.s.tration]
THE FAMILY OF ELIMELECH GOING TO MOAB By Bida
"And a certain man of Beth-lehem-judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons."
[End ill.u.s.tration]
{39}
And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law; but Ruth clave unto her.
And she said, "Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back to her people, and to her G.o.d: return thou after thy sister-in-law."
And Ruth said, "Intreat me not to leave thee, and to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy G.o.d my G.o.d: where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me."
And when she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, she left off speaking to her. So they two went on to Beth-lehem.
And it came to pa.s.s, when they were come to Beth-lehem, that all the city was moved about them, and the women said, "Is this Naomi?"
And she said unto them, "Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty: why call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?"
So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Beth-lehem in the beginning of barley harvest.
And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband"s, a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz. And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, "Let {40} me now go to the field, and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor."
And she said to her, "Go, my daughter."
And she went, and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and she chanced to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.
And, behold, Boaz came from Beth-lehem, and said to the reapers, "The Lord be with you."
And they answered him, "The Lord bless thee."
Then said Boaz to his servant that was set over the reapers, "What young woman is this?"
And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, "It is the Moabitish maiden that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab: and she said, "Let me glean, I pray you, and gather after the reapers among the sheaves": so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, save that she tarried a little in the house."
Then said Boaz to Ruth, "Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither pa.s.s from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens. Let thine eyes be on the field that they reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go to the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn."
Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said to him, "Why have I found favor in thy sight that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?"
{41}
And Boaz answered and said to her, "It hath fully been showed me, all that thou hast done to thy mother-in-law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come to a people which thou knewest not heretofore. The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord, the G.o.d of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to take refuge."
Then she said, "Let me find favor in thy sight, my lord; because thou hast comforted me, and because thou hast spoken kindly unto thine handmaid, though I am a stranger."
And at mealtime Boaz said unto her, "Come hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the cup."
And she sat beside the reapers: and they pa.s.sed her parched grain, and she ate and was satisfied.
And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, "Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not.
And also pull out some for her from, the bundles, and leave it, and let her glean, and rebuke her not."
So she gleaned in the field until even; and she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned.
And she said unto her, "Where hast thou gleaned today? and where hast thou worked? blessed be he that helped thee."
And she showed her mother-in-law with whom she had {42} worked, and said, "The man"s name with whom I worked to-day is Boaz."