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Ruth Obeys God And Finds

LoveAn EasyEnglish Bible Version and Commentary (2800 word vocabulary) on the Book o

!uth

www.easyenglish.info

Hazel Rea and Chris Gladwell

The translated Bible text has beenthrough Advanced Checking.

Words in boxes are from the Bible.

A word list at the end explains words with a *star by them.

IntroductionThe book of uth is a beautiful story. The events in it happened over !""" years ago. Because it isabout ordinary people# this story can help us today. This story is about an ordinary family whosemembers suffered many losses but $od went on looking after them. Then he gave them new giftsto make them glad.

We do not know who wrote uth. %erhaps it was a familiar story that a *scribe wrote down after&ing 'avid(s death. )n chapter verses +,-# there is a list of people who were born into uth(sfamily. This includes &ing 'avid. /e was a very great king# an *ancestor of 0esus.

Chapter 1v1There was a *famine in the country. )t happened in the days when the *1udges ruled thepeople. A man from Bethlehem in 0udah went to stay in the country called 2oab. /is wife andhis two sons went with him. v2The man(s name was 3limelech and his wife(s name was4aomi. /is two sons( names were 2ahlon and &ilion. They were all *3phrathites. They wentfrom Bethlehem in 0udah and they came to live in 2oab.

5erses +- These verses introduce the story. The events happened in the time of the *1udges#before there was a king ruling )srael(s people. 0udah was an area in the south and west of )srael.2oab was on the opposite side of the 'ead 6ea and was a separate state.

Bethlehem was a large town. The local area usually produced plenty of food. Then there was a

*famine 7a time when crops did not grow well and so there was not enough food8. 3limelech andhis family wanted security. They left home to look for food elsewhere. They came to a countrywhere the people did not *worship $od.

3limelech was from 3phrath. This probably meant that he belonged to one of the chief families inBethlehem. 793phrath( is an old name for Bethlehem : see 2icah ;

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5erse ! 3limelech died. We do not know his age or the cause of his death. 4aomi still had twosons who could provide for her.

5erses -; The two sons married local girls# =rpah and uth. They were from 2oab. 7The name oftheir god was Chemosh : see &ings !ook(# said 4aomi# 9your *sister-in-law is going back to her family and to her gods. $oback with her.(

v16-17But uth said#

'o not ask me to leave you or not to follow you.

Where you go# ) will go. And where you stay# ) will stay.

our people will be my people and your $od will be my $od.Where you die# ) will die. And there they will bury me.

) want the *>=' to hurt me if anything except death makes us separate.

v18Then 4aomi knew that uth wanted to go with her. 6o# she did not argue any more.

5erses +;-+, uth understood the practical wisdom of 4aomi(s advice. /owever# her love for4aomi and her wish to obey $od made her strong. 6he would be loyal to him and to 4aomi. 6hewas ready to give up everything else. 9Where you go# ) will go. And where you stay# ) will stay. ourpeople will be my people and your $od will be my $od(# she said. uth chose to belong to 4aomi(speople and to *worship 4aomi(s $od. The book now becomes uth(s story.

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v19The two women went to Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem# all the people in thetown started to talk about them. The women asked# 9)s this really 4aomiD( v20But 4aomi saidto them# 9'o not call me 4aomi. Call me *2ara# because *The Almighty has made life verybitter for me. v21) went away full. The *>=' has brought me back empty. 6o do not call me4aomi. The *>=' has spoken against me. *The Almighty has done bad things to me.( v226o 4aomi came home. uth# her son(s wife# came with her from the country called 2oab.They reached Bethlehem at the beginning of the *barley harvest.

5erses +- uth and 4aomi travelled together. They arrived at Bethlehem when the men werebeginning to harvest the *barley. The women from the town recognised 4aomi. They weresurprised at how she appeared. 6he explained her circumstances. 6he thought that her nameshould now be 2ara. 2ara means 9bitter(. 6he was without a husband or sons. 6he had nothing.6he thought that $od was against her. =nly uth# the young woman from 2oab# remained withher. But in all that she had suffered# 4aomi did not stop believing $od. 6he did not understand whyher life was sad. 6he only knew that $od was in command.

Chapter 2v13limelech had been 4aomi(s husband. BoaG was a relative of 3limelech. BoaG was an

important man. v2uth was from 2oab. 6he said to 4aomi# 9>et me go to the field where )can *glean *grain. %erhaps someone will be kind to me.( 4aomi said to her# 9$o# my daughter.(v36o uth left and went to the field. There she *gleaned *grain behind the harvesters. 4owshe happened to come to the part of the field that belonged to BoaG. /e was a relative of3limelech. v40ust then# BoaG came from Bethlehem. /e said to the harvesters# 9) pray thatthe *>=' will be with you.( They said to BoaG# 9We pray that the *>=' will do good thingsto you.(

5erse + This verse tells us about BoaG before he actually comes into the story. /e was a relative of4aomi(s husband# 3limelech# and he was a rich and honourable man. )t is important for us to knowthe family connection. )n )srael# families owned the land. All the land was a gift from $od# so eachfamily cared very much about their part of it. 3limelech had no son to take his responsibilities# but

his family tried to help 4aomi and uth.5erses -! uth was younger than 4aomi was. 6o she offered to gather grain that the men hadleft. )t was usual to allow widows and foreigners to do this 7see >eviticus +

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v86o BoaG said to uth# 9>isten to me# my daughter. 'o not go to another part of this field to*glean. 'o not go away from here. 6tay with my women servants. v9>ook in the field wherethe harvesters are. *$lean where they are. ) will tell the men not to touch you. The men havefilled 1ars with water. )f you want a drink# use those 1ars.( v10Then uth fell on the ground andhid her face. 6he asked him# 9Why are you so kind to meD Why did you notice meD ) am aforeign woman.( v11BoaG replied# 9They told me everything that you have done for yourhusband(s mother. When your husband died# you came away from your mother and father andfrom your own country. ou came to people that you did not know before. v12 ) ask the*>=' to be good to you for what you have done. ) pray that the *>='# the $od of )srael#will pay you in full. That is because you came to him for protection.( v13Then she said# 9ouare so kind to me# my *lord# because you are giving me help. ) am only a servant girl# but youspeak to me like a friend. ) am not even one of your own women servants.(

5erses ;-+! 5erse ; makes it clear that BoaG and uth had not met before. The chief worker toldhis master that uth had come to Bethlehem with 4aomi. And he told BoaG that she was from2oab. 6he had asked him to allow her to 1oin the other women. And he did. 6he worked hard. 6oBoaG(s chief worker had obeyed $od(s law. The stranger had gathered food with the women fromBethlehem.

)n verse ,# BoaG showed uth that he accepted her. /e gave her protection. And he offered her

drink from the water 1ugs that his young men had brought. This was more than the law demanded.BoaG was very helpful to uth. /e was a generous master. And he was kind to those whodepended on him.

uth had not expected so much kindness. 6he was very grateful and humble. 6he fell on theground to show that she respected him. /er first Huestion was# 9Why are you so kind to meD ) am aforeign woman.( /e had looked after her especially.

BoaG showed uth that he accepted her. BoaG(s $od will accept her too. 6he has chosen to comeand be one of $od(s people# so $od will surround her with his love. /e will keep uth safe. /e willbe like a mother bird that provides shelter for her babies under her wings.

v14When it was time for a meal# BoaG said to her# 9Come with us. Take some of our bread.%ut it in the *vinegar.( 6o she sat by the harvesters. BoaG gave her some of the *barley# hot

from the fire. 6he ate as much as she wanted. But some remained. v15Then uth started to*glean again. BoaG told his men# 9>et her *glean under the *sheaves. 'o not stop her. v16oucan also pull out some *barley from the *sheaves. 'rop it where she can *glean it. And do nottell her that she must not.(

5erses +-+? BoaG continued to offer uth more than $od(s law told him to do. /e was happy foruth to share food with him. And he allowed her to take grain from the whole field# not 1ust theedges. )t was a huge gift without limits. $od is a generous $od who loves us. And so he gives tous in the same way.

v176o# uth *gleaned in the field until the evening. Then she *threshed what she had*gleaned. 6he had about " litres of *barley *grain. v186he took the *grain and she went tothe town. /er husband(s mother saw how much uth had *gleaned. Then she gave her

husband(s mother the food that she had not eaten at the meal time. v19 /er husband(smother asked her# 9Where did you *glean todayD Where did you workD $ood things shouldhappen to the man who gave you help.( 6o she told her husband(s mother what she had done.6he said# 9The name of the man that ) worked with today is BoaG.( v20Then 4aomi said to herson(s wife# 9) pray that the *>=' will do good things to himI /e has not stopped showing hiskind love to the living and to the dead.( 4aomi also said to her# 9The man is a relative of ours./e might *redeem us.( v21Then uth# the woman from 2oab# said# 9BoaG also told me# E6taynear my servants until the end of the harvestF.( v224aomi said to uth# her son(s wife# 9)t isgood if you stay with his young women. 'o not go to another field where someone may hurtyou.( v236o uth stayed near BoaG(s young women. 6he *gleaned until the end of the *barleyharvest and of the wheat harvest. 6he continued to live with her husband(s mother.

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5erses +@-"a uth had gathered about " litres of grain. 6he was able to take this to 4aomi# aswell as what remained from her meal. Jirst 4aomi blessed the good man who had been kind touth. Then she praised $od for the meeting of uth and BoaG. $od had remembered those whowere dead# 3limelech and his sons. And he had remembered the widows who were still living. /iskindness continues for all time. By BoaG# $od will provide for them.

5erses "b-! BoaG was a member of 3limelech(s family 7see verse +8. /e would protect uth asshe continued to find food in his fields. After the *barley harvest# it was the wheat harvest. Allthrough the time of harvest# uth worked in the fields that belonged to BoaG.

Chapter 3

IntroductionThe harvest was now over. 4aomi made plans for the future. )f a man from )srael died withoutchildren# his brother or another relative used to marry the widow. That was the custom. Then thefirst son that she had would carry on the dead man(s name. And he would own his land. 76ee'euteronomy ;=' will be good to you(# said BoaG. 9ou are even morekind to me now than you were earlier. ou have not run after young men# poor or rich. v114ow# my daughter# do not be afraid. ) will do everything that you have suggested. 3veryone inthe town knows that you are a good woman. v12)t is true that ) am a *redeemer. But there is a*redeemer closer to you than ) am. v136tay here for the night. )t may happen in the morningthat he will *redeem you. )f so# that will be good. /e will *redeem you. But if he does not want

to *redeem you# then ) will *redeem you. ) promise this# as the *>=' livesI >ie down untilmorning.

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v146o uth lay by his feet until the morning. 6he got up before anyone might recognise theperson next to him. BoaG said# 9'o not let anyone know that a woman came to the *threshingfloor.( v15/e also said# 9Bring me your *shawl. /old it in front of me.( When she did# hepoured a lot of *barley into it. /e gave her help to pick it up. Then he went back to town. v16uth came back to her husband(s mother. 4aomi said to uth# 9What happened# mydaughterD( uth told her all that had happened with BoaG. v176he also said# 9/e gave me allthis *barley. /e told me not to come back to my husband(s mother with empty hands.( v184aomi replied# 9Wait# my daughter. And see what happens. The man will make sure that hefinishes everything today.(

5erses +"-+, We know already that BoaG was an honourable man. /e was kind to uth. And hekept her visit secret so that nobody would think bad things about her. /e also thought about howuth and 4aomi would need food now. They would need food now because the fields were empty./e gave her another large Huantity of grain. /e was very generous. /owever# he could not marryuth yet. There was a man who was a closer relative to 3limelech(s family than BoaG. BoaG had toask this man if he wanted to marry uth.

Chapter 4

v1BoaG went to the gate of the town. /e sat down there. Then the other *redeemer camepast him. /e was the one that BoaG had talked about. BoaG said# 92y friend# come here andsit down.( 6o the man went over and sat down. v2BoaG had found +" important men from thetown. /e said to them# 96it down here( and they sat down. v3 BoaG said to the other*redeemer# 9=ur brother 3limelech had part of the field. 4aomi# who has returned from 2oab#wants to sell it. v4) thought that ) ought to tell you about it. ) suggest that you buy it. Buy it infront of all the people who are sitting here and in front of our people(s leaders. )f you will*redeem it# then *redeem it. But if you will not *redeem it then tell me. Then ) will know. Thereis nobody else to *redeem it except you first and me second.( 9es# ) will *redeem it(# the otherman said. v5BoaG said# 9=n the day that you buy the field from 4aomi you also buy it fromuth. 6he is the woman from 2oab. 6he is the widow of the dead man. ou must take heralso to continue the dead man(s name on his land.( v6The other *redeemer replied# 9) cannot

*redeem it. )f ) did# ) might put my own land in danger. ou *redeem it in my place. ) cannot doit.(

5erses +-? BoaG arranged a public meeting with this man. There were +" witnesses. They met atthe city(s gate. 2en arranged matters there. And they decided what was fair there. )t wasnecessary for men who were not in the same family to witness the arrangements. We do not knowthis other man(s name. BoaG said that 4aomi had land to sell. BoaG had to offer the land to him firstbecause he was a closer relative of 3limelech.

The man was glad to buy the land# so that it would still belong to 3limelech(s relatives. /owever#BoaG said that he must also marry uth. And he must make her son the owner of the land. /emust be the one to give 3limelech an *heir. That *heir would have a right to 4aomi(s land. Thischanged everything. The man could not risk his own family(s future. /e would have to provide for

uth(s child or children until they became adults. 6o# he would have less money to give to his otherchildren. And perhaps# when he died# some of his own land would also belong to uth(s child. 6oagain# there would be less land for his other children to own. Jor these reasons# this man gaveBoaG his right to the land and to uth.

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v74ow this is how they finished selling or *redeeming anything in earlier times in )srael. Aman took off his shoe and gave it to the other man. This was the proper way in )srael. v8/esaid to BoaG# 9ou buy it.( And he took off his shoe. v9Then BoaG said to the important menand to all the people# 9Today you saw what ) did. ) bought from 4aomi all that 3limelech#2ahlon and &ilion had. v10uth# the woman from 2oab# was the wife of 2ahlon. 6he also isnow mine. This means that everyone will remember him. And they will remember where hisland was. /is family will not forget him and the people from his village will not forget him. ouhave all seen this today.( v11The most important people and everyone else said# 9We haveseen it. We pray that the woman coming into your home will be like achel and >eah. Thesetwo women built up the house of )srael. We want you to be important in 3phrathah andfamous in Bethlehem. v12We pray that your family will be like the family of %ereG# the son ofTamar and 0udah. We pray that this will happen because of your child. We pray that the*>=' will give you a child by this young woman.(

5erses @-+" The man took off his shoe. This was the custom to show that he agreed to give up hisrights to the property. /e agreed to pass them to another man. BoaG took the shoe from him tomake the arrangement final. Then BoaG said that he would take uth to be his wife.

5erses ++-+ The agreement was now legal. There were witnesses to it. The witnesses werehappy with what had happened. They blessed BoaG. The witnesses prayed that uth would be like

achel and >eah. And they prayed that she would be the mother of a great family. achel and>eah were the wives of 0acob# and they were important in the history of $od(s people. The +family groups of )srael came from these two women. The witnesses also prayed that BoaG woulddo many good things. They prayed that he would be famous for all these good things.

v136o BoaG took uth and she became his wife. /e had sex with her. Then she was going tohave a baby. The *>=' gave her a baby son. v14The women said to 4aomi# 9The *>=' isgood. Today he has given you a *redeemer. We pray that his name will be famous in all )sraelIv15/e will give you a new life. /e will give you help when you become old. our son(s wifeloves you. 6he is better to you than @ sons. 6he is the boy(s mother.( v164aomi held the boyin her arms. 6he took great care of him. v17The women that lived there said# 94aomi has hada son.( They called him =bed. /e was the father of 0esse. 0esse was the father of 'avid.

5erse +! uth and BoaG became husband and wife# and $od gave them a son. All through thisstory# we see $od giving good gifts to his people who are true to him.

5erses +-+@ 4ow 4aomi had a child to make her happy# too. /er friends praised $od for thebaby. And they prayed that the baby would have a good life. 4aomi had returned to Bethlehemfeeling bitter and empty. 4ow she again had a child to look after. 6he was hopeful for the future.3veryone shared her 1oy. /er name was still 4aomi. 7They did not call her 2araI8 The baby(s namewas =bed# which means 9servant(. >ike BoaG and uth# he served $od.

v18-22This is the *family tree of %ereG