Boaz redeemeth Elimelech's inheritance; marrieth Ruth. 1 Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down. 2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down. 3 And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's:

are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi. 10 Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.

4 And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it. 5 Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance. 6 And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it.

7 Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a testimony in Israel.

8 Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. he drew off his shoe.

So

9 And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye

11 And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachael and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Beth-lehem :

12 And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman.

13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son.

14 And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel.

15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.

16 And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.

17 And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying,

There is a son born to Naomi; he is the father of Jesse, the faand they called his name Obed: ther of David.

LECTURE 449.

That they who marry ought to make provision for a family. It is probable that the next of kin to Elimelech had a family already, whose inheritance might be injured, if he should have another numerous family by Ruth, more than the land of Elimelech would suffice for. And it may be supposed that Boaz on the other hand had no children, or no risk, with his great wealth, of not being able to provide amply for all whom he might have. And hence we may observe, that even amongst the Israelites, who were so deeply impressed with a desire to have children, and so plainly taught to regard them as a blessing bestowed by God, there was nevertheless a due regard paid to the important consideration of maintaining them. From Boaz we learn the right principle of choice in forming the connexion of marriage; his reason for doing that which was proposed to him being this: "for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman." Ch. 3. 11. But from the nearer kinsman we learn further, that before forming such a connexion at all, we are not merely to consult our own inclination, but to consider what means we have, of providing for the future wants of those, who may probably be the issue of our marriage. Selfishness must herein give place to a kind concern for the children yet unborn. And however anxious men may be to enter into the married state, yet if they have not made a suitable provision, they are bound to wait, and to exercise in the meantime self denial, diligence and frugality. And we might here also do well to observe the reasons, which made the Israelites so anxious to leave children behind them, and so careful, if a man died childless, "to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance," that is to say, to have it occupied by some one called after his name, and reckoned for his offspring. It was because of their expectation, that the promise of God to Abraham and his seed had yet to be fulfilled, in some better happiness, and greater glory, than any which they had yet enjoyed. It was because they had been taught to look for Shiloh's coming, and to expect, that when He should come, their families, if not then extinct, would be made partakers of those promised blessings. And it was because God would have us learn, from that which He taught them to feel, to value all the blessedness which He gives us here, as an earnest of some better things, which He has prepared for us in heaven. Let us then desire of God to give us a spiritual seed, children of our own or of our brethren, who, by means of our instruction and example, shall be brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; and who, together with us, shall be "sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory." Eph. 1. 13, 14.

The generations from Pharez to David.

18 Now these are the genera- Nahshon, and Nahshon begat tions of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron,

19 And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab, 20 And Amminadab begat

Salmon,

21 And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,

22 And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.

LECTURE 450.

Encouragement towards the conversion of the wicked.

One chief reason of Ruth's history being set forth in Scripture appears in this genealogy at the end of the book. She became the wife of Boaz. And "Boaz begat Obed, and Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David." Hence it follows that Ruth was one of those mothers in Israel from whom our Lord's earthly parentage was reckoned. But why then, it may be asked, have we not the like minute particulars set down, of each successive father and mother in that most highly honoured genealogy? Why was this one generation deemed worthy of such distinguished mention, whilst many others are passed over in comparative silence? The reason probably is this, that besides the profit to be derived from the particulars of Ruth's history, there is an important lesson to be learnt from the fact, that one of the daughters of Moab was thus grafted into the nation of Israel, into the tribe of Judah, into the family of David, into the genealogy of Christ. For when we consider the origin of the Moabitish nation, see Gen. 19. 37, when we call to mind the sentence recorded against them in the Law, see Deut. 23. 3, and when we remember what bitter enemies they were to Israel, and how entirely their idolatry made them aliens from God, we shall be prepared to see, in this fact, an intimation highly to be valued, that God would in Christ reconcile all men to Himself; even those who are most estranged by idolatrous belief, even those who are most alienated by wicked works. Let therefore Ruth's history largely encourage us, to send forth the glad tidings of salvation, to the most distant and most benighted of the ends of the earth. Let it prompt us to hope more cheerfully, and to pray more faithfully, and to give more bountifully, whatsoever means we set on foot, or are called upon to support, towards converting the heathen to Christianity. And let it move also the most abandoned amongst ourselves, and encourage us in the endeavours which we make in their behalf, with this thought, that God, who made all men, is no respecter of persons; and with the assurance, that He willeth not that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL, otherwise called, THE FIRST BOOK OF THE KINGS, 1. 1-8.

Elkanah, Hannah, and Peninnah.

1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite:

2 And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. 3 And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there. 4 And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her

sons and her daughters, portions: 5 But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the LORD had shut up her womb.

6 And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb.

7 And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.

8 Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?

LECTURE 451.

The happiness of comforting the afflicted.

In Peninnah we see the hatefulness of a disposition to provoke; a disposition of as frequent occurrence, as almost any of the many evil propensities of our hearts. Strange that we should naturally have pleasure in making each other fret! Strange that we, who are ourselves liable in so many things to suffer, should delight in aggravating by vexation the sufferings of our fellow creatures! Let us thank God, if this our evil nature has been changed in us by grace. Let us give Him the glory, if we have been enabled, by the power of his Holy Spirit working in our hearts, to "rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep." Rom. 12. 15. And let us learn from Elkanah, that if others are still cruel and perverse, we ought to treat them with due respect and kindness; whilst we pour forth the chief warmth of our affection for the comfort and encouragement of those, who suffer by their cruelty and perversity. He gave portions of his offerings to Peninnah and her children. "But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion;" or, as it is rendered in the margin, "a double portion." Whilst all our brethren, all our friends are entitled to our regard, the afflicted claim a twofold share of our attention. Happy are they, who find their pleasure in relieving pain! How much happier than they, whose joy is in inflicting it! Happy are they, who are glad to comfort the distressed! How much happier than those, who are pleased to make them fret!

The prayer of Hannah is granted ; and Samuel is born.
So the woman went her way, and
did eat, and her countenance was
no more sad.

9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD.

10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.

11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth.

13 Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.

14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.

15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.

16 Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto. 17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.

18 And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight.

19 And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LoRD remembered her.

20 Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.

21 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.

22 But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever. 23 And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.

24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child was young.

25 And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.

26 And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD.