Introduction
Ruth 1:1–22: Over the next four days we will read through the book of Ruth. The story takes place in the time of the judges, a violent and lawless period in Israel’s history. Today’s reading introduces Ruth and her mother-in-law Naomi. Naomi had moved with her husband and sons to the land of Moab, where her sons married Moabite women. Some years later the men die and Naomi decides to return to Bethlehem in the land of Judah. Ruth insists on going with her.
Today’s Key Verse: Ruth 1:16b GNT
[Ruth said:] “Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.”
Read
1 1-2 Long ago, in the days before Israel had a king, there was a famine in the land. So a man named Elimelech, who belonged to the clan of Ephrath and who lived in Bethlehem in Judah, went with his wife Naomi and their two sons Mahlon and Chilion to live for a while in the country of Moab. While they were living there, 3 Elimelech died, and Naomi was left alone with her two sons, 4 who married Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. About ten years later 5 Mahlon and Chilion also died, and Naomi was left all alone, without husband or sons.
6 Some time later Naomi heard that the Lord had blessed his people by giving them good crops; so she got ready to leave Moab with her daughters-in-law. 7 They started out together to go back to Judah, but on the way 8 she said to them, “Go back home and stay with your mothers. May the Lord be as good to you as you have been to me and to those who have died. 9 And may the Lord make it possible for each of you to marry again and have a home.”
So Naomi kissed them good-bye. But they started crying 10 and said to her, “No! We will go with you to your people.”
11 “You must go back, my daughters,” Naomi answered. “Why do you want to come with me? Do you think I could have sons again for you to marry? 12 Go back home, for I am too old to get married again. Even if I thought there was still hope, and so got married tonight and had sons, 13 would you wait until they had grown up? Would this keep you from marrying someone else? No, my daughters, you know that’s impossible. The Lord has turned against me, and I feel very sorry for you.”
14 Again they started crying. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye and went back home, but Ruth held on to her. 15 So Naomi said to her, “Ruth, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her god. Go back home with her.”
16 But Ruth answered, “Don’t ask me to leave you! Let me go with you. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. 17 Wherever you die, I will die, and that is where I will be buried. May the Lord‘s worst punishment come upon me if I let anything but death separate me from you!”
18 When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she said nothing more.
19 They went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived, the whole town became excited, and the women there exclaimed, “Is this really Naomi?”
20 “Don’t call me Naomi,” she answered; “call me Marah, because Almighty God has made my life bitter. 21 When I left here, I had plenty, but the Lord has brought me back without a thing. Why call me Naomi when the Lord Almighty has condemned me and sent me trouble?”
22 This, then, was how Naomi came back from Moab with Ruth, her Moabite daughter-in-law. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the barley harvest was just beginning.
Reflect
Why does Elimelech leave Bethlehem with his family, and why does Naomi later decide to go back (verses 1, 6)? When Naomi tells her daughters-in-law to remain in Moab, how does Orpah respond (verse 14)? How does Ruth (verses 16–17)? Ruth is given a choice. How might you choose to follow God today?
Pray
Lord God, you are with us always, in times of plenty and in times of hardship. Make us firm in faith and help us cling to you in love, following you wherever you would take us and trusting always in the goodness of your mercy. Amen.
Tomorrow’s Reading
Ruth 2:1–23: Ruth works in the field of Boaz.
