WebThe Bible Exposition Commentary: The meaning of redemption. "Elimelech Encyclopedia.com. 26 The way they acquired the 400 wives by wiping out Jabesh Gilead is no more noble. What a marvelous woman of faith Ruth was. She was willing to sacrifice family ties, marriage, and a family to do so. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament. and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband; deprived both of her husband and her sons, which was a great affliction, aggravated by her being in a strange country; many are the afflictions of the righteous. 15 The translations differ here. Cholim Prayers for Those in Need, Make a Donation 10 But they said to her, No! That strongly suggests that she was still a Moabite at heart, still an idolater at heart. No, my daughters, you must not return with me. Can this be Naomi? they asked (verse 19). The more Naomi protests her miserable state, the more we are being prepared for a great work of God. The subject was the Book of Ruth. It certainly would be safer for the two women to travel together, but it is Orpah who will travel alone, not Ruth. Even if she were able to bear children, it would be unreasonable for these two widows to wait 20 years for replacement husbands. No, in Naomis mind there was no good reason to remain with her as she returned to her homeland. 5 Then Naomis two sons, Mahlon and Kilion, also died. In Judges 3, we read that the Israelites were subject to Eglon, king of Moab, for 18 years.8 Since the Moabites were not Canaanites, marriage to a Moabite was not strictly forbidden.9 Nevertheless, Moabites were not only regarded as aliens or foreigners, but also as second class citizens. Marriage to a Moabite was not something one did to gain status in Israel. The second clue that this name is meant to be interpreted is how the verse presents it. We should learn from Naomi that if barrenness is ones earthly fate, our heavenly fate is vastly different. 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. There may have been others who traveled to Moab with Elimelech and his family, but the author does not make a point of telling this to his readers. ELAM (Heb. We read of the origin of the Moabites in Genesis 19,3 just after the account of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. 4 0 obj (One was named Orpah and the other Ruth.) That person is a true Jew at heart. The Messianic seed was often put at risk in the Old Testament. Ruth 4:9 The woman was left of her two sons and her husband , The Lord had visited his people in giving them bread . The contrast between Naomi and Ruth is very clear when the two womens words and actions are viewed from the vantage point of the Abrahamic Covenant. But when she urged Ruth to return to her pagan god(s), that was the worst unkindness of all. For the children of the desolate one are more numerous. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah went to live as a resident foreigner in the region of Moab, along with Orpah seems to have no great spiritual interest in Israel or in the God of Israel. The focus is usually on one person and not on the group. Apparently Elimelech abandoned his people because they scorned their leaders. This is entirely consistent with Old Testament history and with the warnings recorded in Leviticus 26:18-20 and Deuteronomy 28:23-24. RACHEL (Heb. There her husband died, and her sons married Moabite women named Ruth and Orpah. 3 I will bless those who bless you, but the one who treats you lightly I must curse, and all the families of the earth will bless one another by your name (Genesis 12:1-3, emphasis mine). We will not focus overmuch on the details as much as on the concepts. 1 Shout for joy, O barren one who has not given birth! Elimelech was severely punished for his failings but the good within him was preserved and rewarded and he became the progenitor of the Royal line. In Job and in Ruth, this term seems to underscore Gods power, but in the context of suffering and adversity. 15 So Naomi said, Look, your sister-in-law is returning to her people and to her god. Elimelech Weisblum of Lizhensk (1717March 11, 1787) was a rabbi and one of the great founding Rebbes of the Hasidic movement. Surely you would not remain unmarried all that time! We need to bear in mind that what is at stake here is the Messianic line, the line which will ultimately bring forth Messiah. I am reminded of Satans strategy in the Garden of Eden. 4 The LORD said to Moses, Arrest all the leaders of the people, and hang them up before the LORD in broad daylight, so that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel. 5 So Moses said to the judges of Israel, Each of you must execute those of his men who were joined to Baal-peor (Numbers 25:1-5). She was one who received Gods blessings because she blessed one of Abrahams offspring by remaining with her and committing to care for her.28 Ruth was a woman who committed herself for a lifetime, and she did so in spite of her national pride, her family affections, the example of her sister-in-law, and the urgings of her mother-in-law. At this point in time, one would not think that Naomi would be at the top of the list in the hall of faith: 13 These all died in faith without receiving the things promised, but they saw them in the distance and welcomed them and acknowledged that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth. Such early setting out of the players is quite unusual in Biblical writing. To walk in the steps of Abraham, one like Ruth would need to: (1) leave her relatives; (2) leave her homeland; and, (3) trust God to bless her as she sought to bless her mother-in-law. Ruth 1:3 Commentaries: Then Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died; and she was left with her two sons. And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons. 1:1-5 Elimelech's care to provide for his family, was not to be blamed; but his removal into the country of Moab could not be justified. There were no men nearby to marry, she reasoned, so there was no conventional way25 for them to bear children and thus to preserve their fathers line. And they continued to live there about ten years. Anyone is at liberty to use this lesson for educational purposes only, with or without credit. WebElimelech and his sons all died in Moab, leaving Naomi, Ruth, and Orpah widowed. Put another way, the title of this book is Ruth, not Orpah. They did not seem to live by it, so why would they consider it important to teach it to a Moabite? endobj It is also true (as God Himself says above) that God also punishes the guilty, but that is not the totality of who God is. Ruth focused on Naomi and her need and on Naomis people and their God. The security in the home of a new husband referred to earlier is now spelled out in plainer terms. WebElimelech died, leaving Naomi with only her two sons. ). A wolf approached and he fought the wolf. The best thing for her to do was to return to Bethlehem and live out the rest of her days, dying empty (i.e., childless). I will be their God and they will be my people (Jeremiah 31:33). WebDeutsches Jungforschernetzwerk - juFORUM e.V. 20 It could well be that Orpah had much to say, but the author did not wish to focus on her as she is not the heroine of this story. Naomi instructs us to beware of Calvinism run amuck. Judah married a Canaanite woman, and two of his sons died because of their sin. Now that Orpah has decided to turn back, Naomi appears to have more leverage. In our text (as in Judges and everywhere else in Scripture), man looks bad, very bad, and God looks good, very good. In Esther, the people of God were supposed to return to the Promised Land, but they chose instead to dwell in the apparent peace and safety of Persia. It says in verse three that Elimelech died in Moab. Clearly as quite young men. <>/XObject<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> It took two attempts to convince Orpah to turn back and three attempts to convince Naomi that her efforts to turn Ruth away were futile. (February 22, 2023). WebElimelech was a member of the tribe of Judah, a native of Bethlehem Judah, a man of wealth and probably head of a family or clan ( Ruth 1:2,3; 2:1,3 ). stream 3 Sometime later Naomis husband Elimelech died, so she and her two sons were left alone. She then kissed both of them, a very clear signal of dismissal. The ultimate test is the Word of God and Naomis counsel, while it sometimes used Gods name, did not conform to Gods Word. She views God as harsh and uncaring, doling out affliction and trouble in a way that is completely unrelated to her attitudes and actions. Bob was born and raised in a Christian home i More, The Net Pastors Journal, Eng. In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. Can one, on the other hand, forgive and excuse his deficiencies and the damage that they bring about? There is no doubt that this is a great honor and privilege for a woman. Mahlon chose a young woman named Ruth, but he also died shortly thereafter. But he by no means leaves the guilty unpunished, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children and childrens children, to the third and fourth generation (Exodus 34:6-7, emphasis mine). Major Gift. In the midst of her affliction and hopeless despair, God is at work preparing for the gracious things He is about to reveal to her and to the reader. Ruth does not cling to Naomi as a kindred spirit, but as a very needy person. This is completely secular thinking. EphrathitesThe ancient name of Beth-lehem was Ephrath (Ge 35:19; 48:7), which was continued after the occupation of the land by the Hebrews, even down to the time of the prophet Micah (Mic 5:2). Humans cannot see beyond these two alternatives but God has another choice. Naomis second effort13 will be less subtle and more pointed and forceful. As Orpah kisses Naomi goodbye and turns back toward home, Ruth clings all the more tightly to her mother-in-law. For I am too old to get married again. Create a Memorial Which is greater 36 yards 2 feet and 114 feet 2 inch? He deals out Justice, rejecting the bad and rewarding the good. The word redeem means to set free by paying a price. In the case of Ruth and Naomi, Elimelechs property had either been sold or was under some kind of mortgage, and the rights to the land had passed to Ruths husband, Mahlon, when Elimelech died. Web1 During the time of the judges there was a famine in the land of Judah. Text Copyright 2005 by Rabbi Dr. Meir Levin and Torah.org. 3 Then Elimelech, Naomis husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons. This is the origin of the Moabites and the Ammonites. But when there was a famine in the land, they moved to the neighboring country of Moab. Another label for pragmatism is doing what seems right in our own eyes. That was the spirit of the age during the days of the judges. 1 During the time of the judges there was a famine in the land of Judah. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous before God, but those who do the law will be declared righteous. After only ten years in Moab, Elimelechs sons also died. No wonder God forbade Moabites from entering the assembly to the tenth generation.7. When kings ruled, My God is King, denoted not only spiritual but also political power. 18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped trying to dissuade her. The resolution to these irregularities is primarily exegetical. Ruths words are her covenant with Naomi, with Israel, and with God, patterned after Gods covenant with Abraham and his descendants: Only death will be able to separate me from you! (Ruth 1:16-17). 14 Again they wept loudly. The genealogy provided in chapter 4 would incline us to believe that the events of Ruth took place later rather than sooner in the period of the judges, because Ruth is the great grandmother of David.17 But other than this, there do not appear to be any direct links to events or persons in the Book of Judges. He was right, but, was there, perhaps, a personal element in his reaction? <>>> The usual pattern is the reverse; first, we are told a mans name and familial antecedents and only then are his actions described. Other translations have another another husband. Rabbi Shimon Ben Gamliel said: The ancestors who used the power of Divine Inspiration drew names out of (future) events; we who do not have access to Divine Inspiration, draw names from our forefathers (Genesis Rabbah 37,7)., What does the name Elimelech mean? Elimelech was Naomi's husband. Mahlon married Ruth in Moab while Kilion married Ruth's sister Orpah. However, the date of retrieval is often important. , Akk. This news prompted her to return to her people and to her land. as Ili-Milku, a variant of the name Milk-ilu, ruler of Gezer. When we met, I had no idea who he was, but he introduced himself something like this, Hi, Bob, Im Nate Mirza. In Judges 19-21, we find a similar situation. Web(5) And they died. Naomi heard that the famine in Judah had ended and food was now available in Bethlehem ( Ruth 1:6 ), so she determined to return. She was full when she had a husband and two sons; now she was empty, for all she had was Ruth. We dont have a very good reputation in the Bible.. 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