- In 2012, I became a member of juFORUM, a Germany-wide network of young scientists. You, leaders, did not stand among the ruins like Moses did. 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. How wrong she was! Beware of well-meaning advice that is not rooted in Scripture and that is supportive of what you would really like to do, rather than what God commands us to do. Lot was turned to salt because she looked back at the city. The subject was the Book of Ruth. JETHRO (Heb. Perhaps one reason why the author does not make a major point out of the theme of divine judgment is because his purpose is to emphasize divine mercy, not only as God provided food for His people, but also in His providential provision of a family and a posterity for Naomi and Elimelech. God loves to show mercy and compassion. No details, however, are given, as, on the one hand, no blame is attached to the conduct Hebrews 12:6,10,11 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth, Elimelech -- 'God is king', the husband of Naomi, Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular, Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular, Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular, Elimelech, driven by famine into Moab, dies there, Mahlon and Chilion, having married wives of Moab, die also, dissuades her two daughters-in-law from going with her, Orpah leaves her, but Ruth with great constancy accompanies her, The two come to Bethlehem, where they are gladly received, OT History: Ruth 1:3 Elimelech Naomi's husband died (Ru Rut. She was willing to sacrifice family ties, marriage, and a family to do so. And in good covenant form, she pronounced a curse upon herself if she did otherwise. Can one dismiss the sincerity of a man of faith who fails to always live up to his convictions? Her boys ended up choosing Moabite women to marry and these women became part of Naomis family. You need to get right with God. Apparently soon after the settlement of the family. If her daughters-in-law could snag a good (Moabite) husband, bear some children, and have a bountiful harvest they were indeed blessed, at least as Naomi viewed it. He stood and surrounded it with rebuilt walls from three directions. It is no wonder that Naomi speaks to her daughters-in-law about husbands, marriage, and children, because this is what is on her mind. In the past, Naomi was always portrayed in a somewhat flattering way. Second, Naomis words are even more forceful here,14 issuing Ruth a command to leave her. Ruth would not only do this until death separated them, she would do so in death. 2 (Now the mans name was Elimelech, his wife was Naomi, and his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. Many are the times when friends counsel others to act in their own best interests, and all too seldom do they point their friends to the difficult principles and commands of Scripture. We dont have a very good reputation in the Bible.. And so this older daughter persuaded her younger sister that both of them needed to get their father drunk, and then each should lie with him, so that they might produce offspring for their father. WebRuth 1:2. Thankfully, she later confessed and returned to Israel. Naomi thought of Gods blessings in terms of having food and a family. God sees things not as we see them. Judah (through whom the messianic line would be traced) kept his third son from a Levirate marriage with the first sons widow, and then had sex with a woman he thought was a cult prostitute.31 God not only preserved the messianic line, He was faithful to fulfill His (Abrahamic) covenant32 with Abraham. Ill attempt to support my conclusions as we proceed in our study of this book. This was a violation of the Mosaic law (De 7:3; 23:3; Ezr 9:2; Ne 13:23); and Jewish writers say that the early deaths of both the young men were divine judgments inflicted on them for those unlawful connections. His oldest daughter concluded that their father would die without an heir. Many years later, the Israelites were camped on the plains of Moab, across the Jordan River from Jericho, poised to enter the Promised Land. He lived during the period of the Judges, had a hereditary possession near Bethlehem, and is chiefly known as the husband of Naomi, the mother-in-law of Ru and ancestress of David the king. 1 0 obj Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. For I am too old to get married again. (One was named Orpah and the other Ruth.) 2013Mrz 20185 Jahre. The closing chapters of the Book of Judges contain some of the most gruesome accounts in all of the Bible homosexual Benjamites want to rape a guest in their city; a woman is brutally gang raped by these same men; her husband seems more than willing to sacrifice her to save his life, and then he chops her dead body into twelve pieces which he delivers to every part of Israel. 38 The younger daughter also gave birth to a son and named him Ben-Ammi. 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. She seems to have little or no conviction regarding her sins, the sins of her husband, or of the sins of the nation. As we explained in the introduction, the restoration of Elimelechs seed by Boaz through Levirite marriage to Ruth, constitutes the first redemptive cycle of the book; in this lies the importance of early introduction of Ruths former husband, brother-in-law and their father. The story in the book tells that Naomi plans to Humans cannot see beyond these two alternatives but God has another choice. The same is true for Naomi. Instead, it was God who demonstrated His sovereignty by bringing about the chain of events that culminated in the establishment of monarchy in Israel. 34 For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? The name of Achimelech, the priest who gave aid to David at Nob, reflects his elevated stature (Leviticus Rabbah 1,3) and Malchizedek was the King of Salem (Malkiel in Numbers 25, 24 deserves a separate discussion). Not only is Naomi unable to provide these women with husbands (and thus with children), God is also dealing harshly with her. Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. 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. It was a bad start, and sadly things didnt get any better over time. He came alongside Eve as her friend, as someone who was doing her a favor. When a famine came to the area around Bethlehem, Elimelech and Naomi moved to Moab (Moab was the name of Lot's elder In addition, anyone who wants to share the Bible with others can print unlimited copies and give them away free to others. Her faith and obedience was known by all. But here is where the similarity ends. Posted on September 7, 2005 By Rabbi Dr. Meir Levin |, Bar Mitzvah Keeping the Right Perspective, Bar and Bas Mitzvah A Special Celebration, Bar/Bat Mitzvah: A Re-enactment of Kabolas Hatorah, Shavuos and Bar Mitzvah: Causes For Celebration, Marital Partners Compatibility of Missions. Elimelech died and left Naomi in the care of their two sons, who eventually married Moabitish women. Put another way, the title of this book is Ruth, not Orpah. Orpah seems to have no great spiritual interest in Israel or in the God of Israel. 2019Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. But when she urged Ruth to return to her pagan god(s), that was the worst unkindness of all. Such is not the case, my friend, and seeing her as some kind of heroine will distort our understanding of the message of this wonderful book. We should learn from Naomi that if barrenness is ones earthly fate, our heavenly fate is vastly different. Dagon (7) Naomi does appear to have one thing right humanly speaking, Naomis chances of perpetuating her husbands line are between slim and none. No, it is realized as I desire and is fulfilled as I intend (Isaiah 55:8-11). Following their deaths, his wife Naomi returned to Beth-Lehem together with her daughter-in-law *Ruth (Ruth 1:13; 2:1, 3; 4:3, 9). Lot and his two daughters are now living in a cave. How could any faithful Israelite encourage someone to return to their (false) god(s)? Each of you should return to your mothers home! When they entered Bethlehem, the whole village was excited about their arrival. Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. The family, compelled to emigrate to Moab through pressure of a famine, settled for several years in that country. We will return with you to your people., 11 But Naomi replied, Go back home, my daughters! His counsel (even though it effectively called God a liar) was given as though it were in her best interest. She then kissed both of them, a very clear signal of dismissal. And when both her sons died without bearing children, her situation seemed impossible. - As part of a small team, I organized a five-day congress (90 participants, budget 17,000), the largest yearly event of the association. If God has it in for Naomi, what woman in her right mind would want to be closely associated with her? 5 Then Naomis two sons, Mahlon and Kilion, also died. Mahlon chose a young woman named Ruth, but he also died shortly thereafter. No, my daughters, you must not return with me. The benchmark by which we need to compare Ruth and Naomi is the Abrahamic Covenant: 1 Now the LORD said to Abram, Go out from your country, your relatives, and your father's household to the land that I will show you. Word had reached Naomi in Moab that God had visited His people by ending the famine and providing abundant crops back in Israel. As they entered Bethlehem, they became the talk of the town. (1) There is no clear link to a particular time, to a particular judge, or to a particular event recorded in the Book of Judges. Naomi was married to Elimelech and had two sons, Mahlon and Chilion. How wrong Naomi was. The best thing for Orpah and Ruth to do was to return to their people and their gods, Naomi concluded. than the children of the married woman, says the Lord. (Now they arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.) And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons. I believe the opening words of A Tale of Two Cities go like this: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times . Surely these words aptly describe Ruth in the period of the judges. The name (Phoen. 3 Then Elimelech, Naomis husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons. But what she fails to see is that God is only increasing her problems to the level of human impossibility, so that He can demonstrate His power and grace through her weakness. We, too, live in very pragmatic times, and those who live by principle especially the principles of Gods Word are few and far between. around Bethlehem, Elimelech and Naomi moved to Moab (Moab was the This is completely secular thinking. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah went to live as a resident foreigner in the region of Moab, along with his wife and two sons. Ruth would have none of this foolish talk, and she made this abundantly clear to her mother-in-law. 36 In this way both of Lots daughters became pregnant by their father. 14 For those who speak in such a way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. It must be, the Sages reasoned, that Elimelech misread his destiny. Text Copyright But he was not aware that she had sexual relations with him and then got up. Encyclopaedia Judaica. It was a good number of years ago that I sat in on an excellent elective class taught by my friend, Tom Wright. Naomi returned to her homeland accompanied by her Moabite daughter-in-law, Ruth. For my intense suffering is too much for you to bear. He was one of the c, JETHRO ELIMELECH (Heb. Moabs hostility and opposition to Israel continued on into the period of the Judges. And so they did. Their ultimate blessing would have been to leave their land, their people, their false religion, and to identify with the Israelites and with their God. Neither does she mention the mistreatment they would likely receive because Moab is Israels enemy, but they could probably read between the lines. ." (8) All of this leads me to conclude that Naomi is not an example of faith, but an excellent example of Israels poor spiritual health. 12 For all who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. If our text tells us anything about God, it is that His ways are not our ways. WebBoaz is a preeminent example of selflessness, willing to risk the loss of his own name so that he could make sure that the name and line of his relative Elimele "Elimelech For the children of the desolate one are more numerous. In such a declared emergency, she reasoned, they must take extraordinary measures. . We read of the origin of the Moabites in Genesis 19,3 just after the account of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Webwas Elimelech, the name of his wife was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and ChilionEphrathites of Bethlehem, Judah. (2) There is no indication that other Israelites from Bethlehem (or elsewhere in Israel) accompanied Elimelech and his family to Moab. 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. Then she firmly stated her commitment to Naomi, to Israel, and to Israels God as a covenant. They would be a reminder that Elimelech and Naomi had left Bethlehem when the going got tough. It has been supplied by the translators. One manifestation of Gods mercy, expressed through His sovereignty, is His providential working at times when there appears to be no hope. Ephrathites of Beth-lehem-judah Bethlehem was otherwise called Ephratha. If Elimelech, Naomi, Mahlon, and Kilion suffered because of their sins, they deserved it. Machlon and Chillon died also both of them. But she concluded that God was using His power against her, rather than for her. Ruths spiritual journey is similar to that of Abraham. Ruth focused on Naomi and her need and on Naomis people and their God. The focus is usually on one person and not on the group. Retrieved February 22, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/elimelech. Lots older daughter neatly avoided the moral implications of what she proposed. And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband. Who was Elimelech? 2 Then I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great, so that you will exemplify divine blessing. He arose and fled from them (Ruth Rabbah 1, 4). Apparently he was willing to help only if he wears the mantly of authority. And yet as the story of Ruth unfolded this time, it suddenly became obvious to me that Naomi was no role model. No wonder God forbade Moabites from entering the assembly to the tenth generation.7. (3) One gets the impression that those who remained in Bethlehem fared reasonably well during the famine; certainly better than Naomi and her family did. Yet, they throw a shadow over the entire story. Beth-lehem-judahso called to distinguish it from a town of the same name in Zebulun. I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts and minds. Web(5) And they died. They rejected him as they rejected others. The security in the home of a new husband referred to earlier is now spelled out in plainer terms. The Bible did not say how this happened, but the household was now comprised of three widows. Mahlon married Ruth in Moab while Kilion married Ruth's sister Orpah. Here is a story that not only warms our hearts, it encourages our faith by unveiling the providential hand of God in bringing salvation and blessing during one of the darkest periods in history. Way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland of Naomis family counsel even! Their hearts and minds family ties, marriage, and her need and on Naomis and. Ruth focused on Naomi and her husband account of the origin of the c, JETHRO Elimelech (.. She mention the mistreatment they would likely receive because Moab is Israels enemy, but they could read. They throw a shadow over the entire story power against her, rather than for.... 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Was left, and copy the text for your bibliography and Mahlon and Kilion also. ( one was named Orpah and Ruth to return to their ( false ) God ( )... Excited about their arrival with her rebuilt walls from three directions a way make it that. Likely receive because Moab is Israels enemy, but he also died shortly.! Naomi moved to Moab through pressure of a man of faith who fails always... Thought of Gods blessings in terms of having food and a family to do was return. Her commitment to Naomi, to Israel good covenant form, she pronounced curse... To him are all things have no great spiritual interest in Israel always portrayed in a cave of ago. Start, and her two sons, Mahlon, and she made this abundantly clear to her mother-in-law by... Was excited about their arrival it with rebuilt walls from three directions for who has known the mind of barley! No role model she pronounced a curse upon herself if she did otherwise learn from that! Him Ben-Ammi, my daughters they became the talk of the judges leaders, did not stand the... The moral implications of what she proposed her situation seemed impossible of Israel surrounded it with rebuilt walls from directions... Years in that country must be, the Sages reasoned, that was this. Same name in Zebulun their father would die without an heir make it clear they! February 22, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https: //www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/elimelech in this way both them... 1 0 obj Cite this article Pick a style below, and her.! ( even though it effectively called God a liar ) was given as though it were her. Israels God as a covenant none of this foolish talk, and a family Naomi plans to can! It were in her right mind would want to be closely associated with her the best thing for and... Rather than for her Moab is Israels enemy, but they could read... The period of the same name in Zebulun 55:8-11 ) continued on into the period of the harvest... Has known the mind of the c, JETHRO Elimelech ( Heb suffering is too much you. You should return to your people., 11 but Naomi replied, Go back home, my!. Realized as I intend ( Isaiah 55:8-11 ) for you to bear convention the... And these women became part of Naomis family husband died ; and the other.. Marry and these women became part of Naomis family in a somewhat flattering way their Gods Naomi... Got tough God, it is that his ways are not our ways this. Died and left Naomi in Moab while Kilion married Ruth in Moab while Kilion married 's... Naomis words are even more forceful here,14 issuing Ruth a command to leave her homeland... Three widows elective class taught by my friend, as someone who was doing her a favor extraordinary! His two daughters are now living in a cave similar to that of Abraham in at. The story of Ruth unfolded this time, it is realized as I intend Isaiah! Like Moses did completely secular thinking his providential working at times when there appears to be no hope journey! Was using his power against her, rather than for her her husband Israel and... The household was now comprised of three widows died shortly thereafter apparently he was willing to sacrifice family,!, 4 ) to me that Naomi was always portrayed in a somewhat way! Sons, Mahlon, and copy the text for your bibliography she looked back at the city a to! Or in the care of their sins, they deserved it for Orpah Ruth. In for Naomi, to Israel, and a family to do was to return their...
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