Through the Bible – Day 92

_1-2Before Israel was ruled by kings, Elimelech from the tribe of Ephrath lived in the town of Bethlehem. His wife was named Naomi, and their two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. But when their crops failed, they moved to the country of Moab. And while they were there, ₃Elimelech died, leaving Naomi with only her two sons.

₄Later, Naomi's sons married Moabite women. One was named Orpah and the other Ruth. About ten years later, ₅Mahlon and Chilion also died. Now Naomi had no husband or sons.

_6-7When Naomi heard that the LORD had given his people a good harvest, she and her two daughters-in-law got ready to leave Moab and go to Judah. As they were on their way there, ₈Naomi said to them, “Don't you want to go back home to your own mothers? You were kind to my husband and sons, and you have always been kind to me. I pray that the LORD will be just as kind to you. ₉May he give each of you another husband and a home of your own.”

Naomi kissed them. They cried ₁₀and said, “We want to go with you and live among your people.”

₁₁But she replied, “My daughters, why don't you return home? What good will it do you to go with me? Do you think I could have more sons for you to marry? ₁₂You must go back home, because I am too old to marry again. Even if I got married tonight and later had more sons, ₁₃would you wait for them to become old enough to marry? No, my daughters! Life is harder for me than it is for you, because the LORD has turned against me.”

₁₄They cried again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth held on to her. ₁₅Naomi then said to Ruth, “Look, your sister-in-law is going back to her people and to her gods! Why don't you go with her?”

₁₆Ruth answered,

₁₈When Naomi saw that Ruth had made up her mind to go with her, she stopped urging her to go back.

₁₉They reached Bethlehem, and the whole town was excited to see them. The women who lived there asked, “Can this really be Naomi?”

₂₀Then she told them, “Don't call me Naomi any longer! Call me Mara, because God has made my life bitter. ₂₁I had everything when I left, but the LORD has brought me back with nothing. How can you still call me Naomi, when God has turned against me and made my life so hard?”

₂₂The barley harvest was just beginning when Naomi and Ruth, her Moabite daughter-in-law, arrived in Bethlehem.

_1-3One day, Ruth said to Naomi, “Let me see if I can find someone who will let me pick up the grain left in the fields by the harvest workers.”

Naomi answered, “Go ahead, my daughter.” So straight away, Ruth went out to pick up grain in a field owned by Boaz. He was a relative of Naomi's husband Elimelech, as well as a rich and important man.

₄When Boaz left Bethlehem and went out to his field, he said to the harvest workers, “The LORD bless you!”

They replied, “And may the LORD bless you!”

₅Then Boaz asked the man in charge of the harvest workers, “Who is that young woman?”

₆The man answered, “She is the one who came back from Moab with Naomi. ₇She asked if she could pick up grain left by the harvest workers, and she has been working all morning without a moment's rest.”

₈Boaz went over to Ruth and said, “I think it would be best for you not to pick up grain in anyone else's field. Stay here with the women ₉and follow along behind them, as they gather up what the men have cut. I have warned the men not to bother you, and whenever you are thirsty, you can drink from the water jars they have filled.”

₁₀Ruth bowed down to the ground and said, “You know I come from another country. Why are you so good to me?”

₁₁Boaz answered, “I've heard how you've helped your mother-in-law ever since your husband died. You even left your own father and mother to come and live in a foreign land among people you don't know. ₁₂I pray that the LORD God of Israel will reward you for what you have done. And now that you have come to him for protection, I pray that he will bless you.”

₁₃Ruth replied, “Sir, it's good of you to speak kindly to me and make me feel so welcome. I'm not even one of your servants.”

₁₄At mealtime Boaz said to Ruth, “Come, eat with us. Have some bread and dip it in the sauce.” Straight away she sat down with the workers, and Boaz handed her some roasted grain. Ruth ate all she wanted and had some left over.

₁₅When Ruth got up to start picking up grain, Boaz told his men, “Don't stop her, even if she picks up grain from where it is stacked. ₁₆Be sure to pull out some stalks of grain from the bundles and leave them on the ground for her. And don't speak harshly to her!”

₁₇Ruth worked in the field until evening. Then after she had pounded the grain off the stalks, she had a large basket full of grain. ₁₈She took the grain to town and showed Naomi how much she had picked up. Ruth also gave her the food left over from her lunch.

₁₉Naomi said, “Where did you work today? Whose field was it? God bless the man who treated you so well!” Then Ruth told her that she had worked in the field of a man named Boaz.

₂₀“The LORD bless Boaz!” Naomi replied. “He has shown that he is still loyal to the living and to the dead. Boaz is a close relative, one of those who is supposed to look after us.”

₂₁Ruth told her, “Boaz even said I could stay in the field with his workers until they had finished gathering all his grain.”

₂₂Naomi replied, “My daughter, it's good that you can pick up grain beside the women who work in his field. Who knows what might happen to you in someone else's field!” ₂₃And so, Ruth stayed close to the women, while picking up grain in his field.

Ruth worked in the fields until the barley and wheat were harvested. And all this time she lived with Naomi.

₁One day, Naomi said to Ruth:

₅Ruth answered, “I'll do whatever you say.” ₆She went out to the place where Boaz was working and did what Naomi had told her.

₇After Boaz finished eating and drinking and was feeling happy, he went over and fell asleep near the pile of grain. Ruth slipped over quietly. She lifted the cover and lay down near his feet.

₈In the middle of the night, Boaz suddenly woke up and was shocked to see a woman lying at his feet. ₉“Who are you?” he asked.

“Sir, I am Ruth,” she answered, “and you are the relative who is supposed to take care of me. So spread the edge of your cover over me.”

₁₀Boaz replied:

₁₄Ruth lay down again, but she got up before daylight, because Boaz did not want anyone to know she had been there. ₁₅Then he told her to spread out her cape. And he filled it with a lot of grain and placed it on her shoulder.

When Ruth got back to town, ₁₆Naomi asked her what had happened, and Ruth told her everything. ₁₇She also said, “Boaz gave me this grain, because he didn't want me to come back without something for you.”

₁₈Naomi replied, “Just be patient and don't worry about what will happen. He won't rest until everything is settled today!”

₁Meanwhile, Boaz had gone to the meeting place at the town gate and was sitting there when the other close relative came by. So Boaz invited him to come over and sit down, and he did. ₂Then Boaz got ten of the town leaders and also asked them to sit down. After they had sat down, ₃he said to the man:

The man replied, “I will buy it!”

₅“If you do buy it from Naomi,” Boaz told him, “you must also marry Ruth. Then if you have a son by her, the property will stay in the family of Ruth's first husband.”

₆The man answered, “If that's the case, I don't want to buy it! That would make problems with the property I already own. You may buy it yourself, because I cannot.”

₇To make a sale legal in those days, one person would take off a sandal and give it to the other. ₈So after the man had agreed to let Boaz buy the property, he took off one of his sandals and handed it to Boaz.

₉Boaz told the town leaders and everyone else:

₁₁The town leaders and the others standing there said:

₁₃Boaz married Ruth, and the LORD blessed her with a son. ₁₄After his birth, the women said to Naomi:

₁₆Naomi loved the boy and took good care of him. ₁₇The neighbourhood women named him Obed, but they called him “Naomi's Boy”.

When Obed grew up he had a son named Jesse, who later became the father of King David. _18-22Here is a list of the ancestors of David: Jesse, Obed, Boaz, Salmon, Nahshon, Amminadab, Ram, Hezron, and Perez.

₃₇Jesus said:

₃₉Jesus also used some sayings as he spoke to the people. He said: