Book of Ruth, ch. 1
A man, who had fields and a home at Bethlehem, took his wife and two sons to live in another country, Moab. They left their own land because there was so little food there,—it was a time of famine.
This family stayed in Moab about ten years, and the sons each married a young woman of that land. But it was not a happy country, because the people worshiped idols.
And all did not go well with the family of Israel: the father and the two sons died. After their deaths, the mother, whose name was Naomi, was very lonely, and decided to return to Bethlehem. And, also, she had heard the famine there was ended.
The sons’ wives wanted to go with her. Their names were Ruth and Orpah, and they had been very good to Naomi. So the three women started out on the joey.
But Naomi thought the young women would not be happy in another land, and said they should stay in Moab with their own people. She asked the Lord to reward them for their kindness to her, and kissed them goodbye.
So Orpah stayed in Moab. But Ruth loved Naomi still more, and she had learned of the true God, Who was honored at Bethlehem, and she was willing to leave her own people. She begged earnestly to go with Naomi. She said,
“Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.”
Then Naomi took Ruth along with her. We are not told how they traveled, but we suppose they walked, for they were poor. And we do not know how many miles they had to go, but it must have been a journey of several days at least, and over rough, hilly roads.
At last, they safely reached Bethlehem, and Naomi again, was with her people who were surprised to see her.
Find Bethlehem on a map of Palestine. It is south of Jerusalem, and Moab was east and south of the Dead Sea.
Note: There would have been no fane in Israel if the people had obeyed God’s words, but after they were sorry for their evil ways, God again blessed them with plenty for all (Deut. 28:11,1211And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers to give thee. 12The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. (Deuteronomy 28:11‑12)).
ML 09/04/1938