Thursday, January 5, 2012

Ruth 1:7


Ruth 1:7

KJV


Wherefore 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.

(Bible.cc)

Hebrew


7 וַתֵּצֵ֗א (and she departed) מִן־הַמָּקֹום֙ (from the place) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (which) הָיְתָה־שָׁ֔מָּה (she was in) וּשְׁתֵּ֥י (and two) כַלֹּתֶ֖יהָ (daughters in law) עִמָּ֑הּ (her and they) וַתֵּלַ֣כְנָה (went) בַדֶּ֔רֶךְ (on their way) לָשׁ֖וּב (to return) אֶל־אֶ֥רֶץ (to the land) יְהוּדָֽה׃ (of Judah)

(bliblos.com)

Greek Septuagint


7καὶ (and) ἐξῆλθεν (she departed) ἐκ (from) τοῦ (the) τόπου (land) οὗ (where) ἦν (she was) ἐκεῖ (there) καὶ (and) αἱ (the) δύο (two) νύμφαι (daughters in law) αὐτῆς (of her) μετ' (with) αὐτῆς (her) καὶ (and) ἐπορεύοντο (they went) ἐν (in) τῇ (the) ὁδῷ (way) τοῦ (to) ἐπιστρέψαι (turn around and go) εἰς (into) τὴν (the) γῆν (land) ιουδα (of Judah)

(bliblos.com)

Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was


This passage is taking about Naomi.

Naomi had been living in the land of Moab, fleeing from a famine that had plagued the land of Israel. And now she had found out that there was again an abundance of food in the land of Israel, she decides to return that she may dwell among her own people.

And her two daughters in law with her


The daughters in law were Orpah and Ruth who were married to Naomi’s sons who passed away in the land of Moab.

And they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.


The Greek word for “return” - ἐπορεύοντο,  is used very sparingly in the Bible, appearing only 2 times in the New Testament. It doesn’t just mean to return, but a complete turnaround, a change in direction, much like repentance, which indeed this would have been, for the Jews were not permitted to dwell among a foreign nation.

Judah was the fourth son of Jacob born to him by his wife Leah. The name Judah means “Now will I praise Yahweh” although Judah may not have been his full name, just a shortened or abridged version.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Ruth 1:6


Ruth 1:6


KJV


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 had visited his people in giving them bread.

(bible.cc)


Hebrew


6 וַתָּ֤קָם (then arose) הִיא֙ (she) וְכַלֹּתֶ֔יהָ (and her daughters in law) וַתָּ֖שָׁב (to return) מִשְּׂדֵ֣י (from the land of) מֹואָ֑ב (Moab) כִּ֤י (for) שָֽׁמְעָה֙ (she heard) בִּשְׂדֵ֣ה (in the land of) מֹואָ֔ב (Moab) כִּֽי־פָקַ֤ד (that had visited) יְהוָה֙ (the LORD) אֶת־עַמֹּ֔ו (his people) לָתֵ֥ת (giving) לָהֶ֖ם (to them) לָֽחֶם׃(bread)

(biblos.com)


Greek Septuagint


6καὶ (and) ἀνέστη (then arose) αὐτὴ (she) καὶ (and) αἱ (the) δύο (two) νύμφαι (Daughters in law) αὐτῆς (of her) καὶ (and) ἀπέστρεψαν (return) ἐξ (from) ἀγροῦ (the land of) μωαβ (Moab) ὅτι (because) ἤκουσαν (she had heard)  ἐν (in) ἀγρῷ (the land of) μωαβ (Moab) ὅτι (that) ἐπέσκεπται (visited) κύριος (the Lord) τὸν (the) λαὸν (people) αὐτοῦ (of Him) δοῦναι (giving) αὐτοῖς (to them) ἄρτους (bread) 

(biblos.com)


Then she arose with her daughters in law


“She” refers to Naomi.

The Daughters in Law were Orpah and Ruth.

Evidently Naomi felt some responsibility for the wives of her late sons, and so intended to care for them in the land of Israel.

The Greek for daughters in law is νύμφαι which interestingly is the same word used for the mythical creature a “Nymph”.


That she might return from the country of Moab


Naomi with her husband and two sons had moved to Moab as refugees from the land of Israel which was at that time ridden with a severe famine.

Moab was inhabited by the children of Moab, who were descendants of Lot, and thus were related by blood to the Israelites.


For she had heard in the country of Moab how that the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread.


The LORD’s people are the children of Israel.

Bread here, as is very common throughout scripture, is not merely talking about bread, but of food in general.

Monday, January 2, 2012

Ruth 1:5


Ruth 1:5


KJV


And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.


Hebrew


5 וַיָּמ֥וּתוּ (And died) גַם־שְׁנֵיהֶ֖ם (also her [Naomi’s] two [sons]) מַחְלֹ֣ון (Mahlon) וְכִלְיֹ֑ון (and Chilion) וַתִּשָּׁאֵר֙ (and was left) הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה (the woman) מִשְּׁנֵ֥י (of two) יְלָדֶ֖יהָ (sons) וּמֵאִישָֽׁהּ׃(and of her husband)


Greek Septuagint


5καὶ (and) ἀπέθανον (died) καί (and) γε (also) ἀμφότεροι (both) μααλων (Mahlon) καὶ (and) χελαιων (Chilion) καὶ (and) κατελείφθη (was left)(the) γυνὴ (woman) ἀπὸ (of) τοῦ (the) ἀνδρὸς (husband) αὐτῆς (of her) καὶ (and) ἀπὸ (from) τῶν (the) δύο (two) υἱῶν (sons) αὐτῆς (of her)


Commentary


This verse is very easy to understand and needs very little explanation.

The fact that Naomi was left without her husband and two sons meant that all property and duties fell upon her, including the farm in Moab and the responsibility of working the land, which was unseemly for a woman to do, and so it was inevitable that she would have to sell the land in Moab and return back to the land of Israel. Of which we read in the following verses.

Naomi is a Hebrew name which means “my sweetness”

Mahlon and Chilion are Hebrew names which mean “sickness” and “wasting”

Name meanings are taken from the Encyclopedia Biblica.