Elimelech and his sons having died in Moab, his widow returns to Bethlehem with Ruth. NOW it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was famine in the land. And a certain man of Beth-lehem-judah went to sojourn in 2 the country of Moab,2 he, and his wife, and his two sons. And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Beth-lehem-judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.

3 And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left and her two sons.
4 And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Deu. 7. 3
Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years.
5 And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her
two sons and 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 how that the LORD 7 had visited his people in 'giving them bread. Wherefore she went forth out of 131 1.k. 1. 63. the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went 8 on the way to return unto the land of Judah. And Naomi said unto her two daughters-in-law, * Go, return each to her mother's house: 'the LORD deal kindly 9 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 10 them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept. And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.

And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are 12 there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to-night, and should 13 also bear sons; would ye tarry 4 for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for 14 your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me. And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law; but Ruth clave unto her.

15

2

y

And she said, Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people, and unto 16 'her gods: "return thou after thy sister-in-law. And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be 17 my people, and thy God my God: 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 18 thee and me. When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.

19

a

So they two went until they came to Beth-lehem. And it came to pass when they were come to Beth-lehem, that all the city was moved about them, and 20 they said, Is this Naomi? And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi [i. e. pleasant], call me Mara [i. e. bitter]: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly 21 with me. I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?

22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Beth-lehem, in the beginning of barley harvest.2

1 John 2 19. Judg. 11. 24.

"see ver. 8; Jos 24 15, 19; 2 K. 22; Lk. 14. 26, 27, 33; 24. 28.

72 Ki. 2 2, 4, 6. 2 Sam. 15. 21.

4 ch. 2. 11, 12; Ps. 45 10.

42 Cor. 6 16-18; 1 Thes. 1. 9.

b1 Sam. 3. 17; 25. 22; 2 Sam. 39; 19 13; I KL. 223; 2 Ki. 6.31. Ac. 21. 14.

Mt. 21. 10.

called

I eh. 4. 21:
Boog, Mt. 1. 5, and
Lk. 1. 32.
Le. 19. 9, 10; Deu.

Ruth being treated kindly by Boaz, claims from him the duty of a kinsman. 2 AND Naomi had a *kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the ch. 3. 2, 12. 2 family of Elimelech; and his name was 'Boaz. And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and "glean ears of corn after him in 3 whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter. And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap3 was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.

4

24. 19.

P. 129. 7, 8: Lk. L ; 2 Thes. 3. 16.

1 Tim. 6. 1, 2

And, behold, Boaz came from Beth-lehem, and said unto the reapers, "The 5 LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee. Then said 6 Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this? And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish 7 damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab: and she said, ch. 1. 22.

I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she

came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house.6

9

5. 13; M. 9. 2, 22

Ge. 20. 6

1 Sam. 25. 23

teh. 1. 14, 16, 17. Heb. 11. 24-3

8 Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean 1 Sam. 36, 16; 2 KL 9 in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens: let thine eyes be on the field that they do 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 unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn. 10 Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, 11 seeing I am a stranger? And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been showed me, 'all that thou hast done unto 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 unto a people which thou knewest not hereto12 fore. The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the 13 LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust. Then she said, ch 116; Ps. 17. 8: Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, "though I be not like 14 unto one of thine handmaidens. And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar.7 And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did 1 Sam. 17. 17; 25. 18. 15 eat, and was sufficed, and left. And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and re16 proach her not: and let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and 17 leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not. So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah 8

18 of barley. And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned and she brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved after she was sufficed.

19

ver. 14.

And her mother-in-law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to-day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And ver. 10; P. 41. 1. she showed her mother-in-law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man's 20 name with whom I wrought to-day is Boaz. And Naomi said unto her daughterin-law, Blessed be he of the LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the ch. 3. 10: 2 Samı. 2. living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin 21 unto us, 'one of our next kinsmen. And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all 22 my harvest. And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter-in-law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in any other 23 field. So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest;3 and dwelt with her mother-in-law.

3

2

0

Then Naomi her mother-in-law said unto her, My daughter, 'shall I not seek 2 rest for thee, that it may be well with thee? And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth5 barley 3 to-night in the threshingfloor. Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself 4 known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking. And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell 5 thee what thou shalt do. And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do.

6

And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother7 in-law bade her. And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, 8 and uncovered his feet, and laid her down. And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his 9 feet. And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near 10 kinsman [or, one that hath right to redeem]. And he said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou hast showed more kindness in the latter end than 'at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether 11 poor or rich. And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art "a virtuous 12 woman. And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: how beit there is a 13 kinsman nearer than I. Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman's part but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the LORD liveth: lie down until the morning.

14

a

b

And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the 15 floor. Also he said, Bring the vail9 that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her: and she went 10 into the city.

16

And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, Who art thou, my daughter? 17 And she told her all that the man had done to her. And she said, These six

1 Or, 'one that hath a right to redeem.' See Lev. xxv. 25; Deut. xxv. 5.

2 Rather, 'servants;' including the maidens mentioned in ver. 23.

3 About the end of May or beginning of June.

4 In estimating the conduct of Naomi and Ruth, we must remember that, by the custom of the Hebrews and the surrounding nations, Ruth was already virtually the wife of her late husband's nearest kinsman, and that no further marriage ceremony was needed to perfect her claim to conjugal rights, Deut. xxv. 5. Naomi seems not to have been aware that there was a kinsman nearer than Boaz; whilst his character for justice, and his kindness to Ruth, led her to expect that he would fulfil the requirements of the customary law.

After the corn had been threshed by oxen on the open floor (see on Deut. xxv. 4), it was winnowed by throwing it up with shovels against the evening's breeze, which blew away the chaff, whilst the heavier grain fell

5; Job 29. 13. A Pro. 17. 17. í chỉ 39; 46 k see Le. 25. 25.

1 Cor. 7. 36; 1 Tim. 5.8

ch. 1. 9.

cl. 2. 8, 20-23.

2 Sam. 14. 2; Ps. 104. 15; M. 6. 17.

P Ge. 43. 34: Judg. $9. 6, 9, 22; 2 Sam, 13. 29, Est. 1. 10

Ezek. 16. 8.
ver. 12; cli, 2. 20.
ch. 2. 20.

ch. 1. 8.

" Pro. 12. 4.
& ver. 9.
y ch. 4. 1.

ch. 4. 5: Deu. 25. 5 -9; Mt. 22. 24.

a Judg. & 19; Jer.4.2.

b Ro. 12. 17: 14. 16: 1 Cor. 10. 32; 2 Cor. 8 21; 1 Thes. 5. 22.

in a heap. During this time it was important that the owner should look well after his produce to secure it from depredation.

These were nuptial preparations. The use of oil after bathing is very important in hot climates.

7 Or, 'thy wing: a symbol of matrimonial protection. See refs.

8 It is evident from this that Boaz regarded Ruth's conduct (on the supposition that he was the next of kin) as not only justifiable, but praiseworthy; indicating the constancy of her attachment ('kindness') to her deceased husband, whose name and family she desired to perpetuate.

9 The Eastern vail is large enough to envelope the whole person; and that worn by the poorer classes is coarse and very strong.

10 Rather, he (Boaz) went;' instead of remaining at his threshing-floor; being anxious to settle the matter at

once.

с

measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy 18 mother-in-law. Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.

4

Ps. 37. 3-5; In 30.7.

25 7; Job 29.7.

cb. 3 12

21. 8; Pre. 31. 23

Marriage of Boaz and Ruth; birth of Obed; genealogy, THEN went Boaz up to the gate,1 and sat him down there: and, behold, the Deu. 16. 18 ; 21. 19; kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! 2 turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down. And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat Ex. 18 21, 22; 1 Ki 3 down. And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth2 a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's: 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 5 it beside thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it. Then said

Jer. 22. 7-9.

à Ge. 21, 18; Jer. 22 10-12

i Le. 25. 25-29.

Den. 55, 6; Mt. 22.24 I eh. 3 12, 13.

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 ch. 3 13; Ge. 29. 8; 6 dead upon his inheritance. And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar5 mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for 7 I cannot redeem it. 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 8 Israel. Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe.

9

0

Deu. 25. 7-10.

• Deu. 25 6

And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, " Ye are witnesses this see refs. ver. 4 day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and 10 Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi. 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 11 brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day. And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD G. 216; Pa. make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be 12 famous in Beth-lehem: 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, 14 the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son. And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a 15 kinsman [or, redeemer], that his name may be famous in Israel. 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 a better to thee than seven sons, 16 hath borne him. And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became 17 nurse unto it. And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David. 8

18, 19 Now these are the generations of Pharez: 20 begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab, and 21 Nahshon begat Salmon, and Salmon begat 22 Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat & David.

1 This gives a vivid picture of the legal proceedings of the Hebrews, before written documents had come into use, as in the time of Jeremiah (xxxii. 10).

2 Or, hath sold.' It is likely that the land, in consequence of the poverty of the family, had been already sold; and the right of redemption, according to Lev. xxv., had come into exercise.

3 The marginal reading of the Hebrew Bible is preferable: Thou wilt also purchase Ruth the Moabitess,' etc. 4 The eldest son of such a marriage was reckoned to the deceased, though he did not always bear his name.

5 Had he had but one son by Ruth, and no other by another wife, his own name and inheritance would have been merged altogether in that of Elimelech. This narrative shows clearly the beneficial operation of the law of Deut. xxv. 5, which allowed a man, by incurring a small penalty, to decline such a marriage when it was either disagreeable or inconvenient.

d

Pharez begat Hezron, and Hezron
Amminadab begat Nahshon, and
Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed, and

6 In the East, among unlettered people, the shoe was, and indeed still is, the pledge of a bargain, and thus the symbol of possession: hence a man gave his shoe to the person to whom he transferred a property or right; and, according to the law in Deut. xxv. 9, a man who would not redeem his kinsman's right had his shoe plucked off by the widow. It is to the first-named, not the latter practice, that the text refers. In later times the Jews have been used to deliver a handkerchief for the same purpose.

7 The word 'father' is probably here used, as it is often elsewhere, in the general sense of ancestor.

8 Thus Jehovah rewarded Ruth's conjugal constancy, filial affection, and pious preference of the God and people of Israel, as well as the generosity and honour of Boaz;making them ancestors of a royal house, and, according to his human nature, of Him who is 'King of kings, and Lord of lords.'

THE FIRST BOOK

OTHERWISE CALLED

OF SAMUEL,

THE FIRST BOOK OF THE KINGS.

THE two books of Samuel originally formed only one, which was called "The Book of Samuel;" but was divided by the Greek translators into two, and designated "The First and Second Books of Kings." Their authorship is uncertain; but there is great probability in the ancient opinion, founded on various passages in the books of Chronicles, that they were the productions of contemporary prophets, with a few explanatory insertions by their successors. Thus, the first sixteen chapters, with a few subsequent portions, may be attributed to Samuel, whose name, according to Hebrew custom, is given to the whole; and the rest to Nathan and Gad. The few passages which have been supposed by some to indicate a later origin appear to have been either subsequent additions, or to be susceptible of a different explanation. Upon some of these, remarks will be found in the notes. The great subject of these books is the institution of the monarchy, and its establishment in the family of David. The Divine plan of redemption is thus presented in a new aspect, exhibiting the delegation of royal authority by the Invisible King to the hands of a human representative. From the time when the man after God's own heart' was seated on the throne, the Spirit of prophecy delights to employ the emblems of royalty to set forth the spiritual glories of Messiah (see Psa. ii., xlv., ex., etc.) whilst the inspired history of the line of David opens a track by which, step after step, we are led on to Him in whom the independent successions of prophets, priests, and kings finally meet.

It is remarkable, too, that almost at the same time a new era of prophecy began, which extended, with scarcely any interruption, to the days of Malachi. Samuel is spoken of, in Acts iii. 24, as the first of this succession of prophets, whose chief object was to foreshow the redemption of Christ, and to prepare the way for his coming, as well as to give religious instruction to the people. The maintenance of this succession was doubtless greatly assisted by the schools of the prophets, so frequently alluded to in the subsequent history, which are supposed to have been first established under Samuel.

These two books extend over a period of 154 years according to Usher, or 172 according to Hales.

THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL begins with an account of the birth and early ministry of that prophet: it describes the low and oppressed condition of the people at that period; the appointment of Samuel as judge; and his eminently useful services, both as a prophet and as a ruler; and mentions the degeneracy of his sons. It then relates the change in the mode of government by the introduction of the monarchy; an event which had been

1

a

anticipated by Moses four hundred years before (see Deut. xvii. 14). As this was a change of great importance in the national history, the circumstances attending it are related in detail. Under Divine direction, Saul is appointed king; but, not conducting himself in the government according to the command of God, he is rejected; and the son of Jesse is chosen by God, and anointed as his successor. David is then, by the arrangements of Providence, brought before the eyes of the nation, and into relationship with Saul; who, however, being jealous of his growing popularity, attempts his life, drives him from court into the wilderness, and subjects him to the most harassing persecutions. These are overruled by God to prepare David for the work he had to do; developing his fortitude and prudence, and making him intimately acquainted with the power of the dreaded Philistines and other enemies, whom he was afterwards to subjugate.

The history of David is important, not only on account of the great moral and spiritual lessons which it affords, but also for the understanding of many other parts of Scripture, particularly the Psalms and much of the New Testament. As an ancestor of the Messiah according to the flesh, and as a representative of him and of his people, both in his conflicts and in his triumphs, his whole life is invested with peculiar interest. See the Preface to the Psalms.

This book may be divided into two parts:

I. THE CONCLUSION OF THE TIMES OF THE JUDGES: comprising the birth and early life of Samuel; the wickedness of Eli's sons, and denunciations of judgment against his family (ch. i.-iii.); defeat of the Israelites; capture of the ark; chastisement of the Philistines, and restoration of the ark (iv.-vi.); repentance and deliverance of the Israelites (vii.)

The

II. THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE MONARCHY. people desire a king (ch. viii); designation and appointment of Saul (ix., x.); Saul's victory over the Ammonites (xi.); Samuel's address to the people on resigning the government (xii.); Saul's wars with the Philistines and Amalekites, his disobedience and rejection (xiii.-xv.); anointing of David by Samuel (xvi.); his victory over Goliath (xvii.); his persecution by Saul, and flight to Ramah, Nob, Gath, and Adullam (xviii.-xxii. 1—5); the slaughter of the priests at Nob (xxii. 6-23); David's rescue of Keilah, and flight into the wilderness and to Gath (xxiii.-xxvii.); renewal of war by the Philistines; Saul and the witch of Endor (xxviii.); David's dismissal by the Philistine princes, and pursuit of the Amalekites (xxix., xxx.); defeat of the Israelites by the Philistines, and death of Saul and his sons (xxxi.)

Samuel's birth and dedication to the service of God; Hannah's song of thanksgiving. NOW there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim,' of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah,2 the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, 2 the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite: 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

1 Chr. 6. 27. 34.

Ru. 1. 2.

see refs. Ge. 4. 19.

d see refs. Judg. 13. 2.

Ex. 23, 114, 17: Deu 16. 16: 1.k. 2. 41.

And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto Deu. 12. 5-7.

1 That is, Ramah of Zuph, whose descendants resided here. It is so called to distinguish it from another Ramah.

2 He was a Levite of the line of Kohath, and the family of Korah; and his descendants, the singers, are therefore

called 'sons of Korah,' 1 Chron. vi. 33-38.

He is called

an Ephrathite probably because he resided in Mount Ephraim, which was a prolongation northwards of the mountains of Judah.