Ruth 1-4, 1 Samuel 1,2 - All the City...Doth Know Thou Art a Virtuous Woman

Background
Many years had passed since the Israelites had crossed the Jordan and formed a loose tribal confederacy in the central highlands of Canaan. As they established their own settlements, they gradually discarded their nomadic traditions and adopted an agricultural way of life.

“Yet their position remained precarious. The northern tribes were almost constantly at war with those walled cities that remained under the control of the Canaanites, and they frequently had to defend themselves against invasions by people from the east: the Ammonites and Midianites. In contrast, Judah, which occupied the southern end of the Israelite territory, seems to have been relatively tranquil and not involved in the great wars that concerned the Judges.

“The people of Judah regularly battled another sort of enemy: the climate. Judah occupied a rugged plateau in the semiarid lands west of the Dead Sea. Normally, the land was fertile enough to sustain fields of wheat and barley, grape vineyards and groves of olive and fig trees. But occasionally the rains failed, the crops withered and there was famine.

“During one such disaster, a Judean man named Elimelech, who lived in the town of Bethlehem, fled the land with his wife, Naomi, and their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion. The family traveled to Moab, a kingdom on the eastern borders of the Dead Sea. The distance was not great—perhaps 30 or 40 miles along the edge of that inland sea.

Chapter 1
Elimelech + Naomi
   - Sons Mahlon and Chilion

Travelled to Moab
     Elimelech died
     Mahlon married Ruth (Moabitess)
     Chilion married Orpah (Moabitess)
They dwelled there 10 years
     Mahlon and Chilion died

What did Naomi decide to do? (v.6) Return back to Moab, since the famine had ended
What did Naomi tell her sisters-in-law to do?  (v.8) Return back to their families
*** What can we learn from Naomi’s concern for her daughters-in-law that can help us in our family relationships?
How did Ruth and Orpah respond to Naomi? (v.14-16) Orpah left to go back home and Ruth stayed with her

What do we learn about Ruth? (Loyal, Loving, Sacrifice being away from family, Selflessness)
What did Ruth give up to go with Naomi? Homeland, Family, Friends, Religion
What did she gain? (v.16) The gospel of Jesus Christ
Look up Chemosh in the Bible Dictionary
What do you think it means when Ruth said she wanted to make Naomi's God her God?
There were lots of false Gods in the Old Testament times. The primary god of the Moabites was Chemosh. While there is no indication that Ruth and her sister-in-law, Orpah, were believers in this false god, two verses say that Ruth was converted to the true God of Israel. In her beautiful expression of loyalty and devotion to Naomi, Ruth said that she not only wished to stay with her mother-in-law but also desired to make Naomi’s people her people and Naomi’s God her God. Later, Boaz, praising Ruth’s concern for Naomi, says to her, “A full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust” (Ruth 2:12; emphasis added). Both of these passages indicate that Ruth was converted.

*** What can we learn from Ruth about making sacrifices for the gospel?

How did the people in Bethlehem react to seeing Naomi and Ruth? (v.19-20)
Naomi here used a play on words based on her name. In Hebrew Naomi means “sweet or pleasant” and Mara means “bitter.” When, after many years’ absence, the people greeted her in surprise by asking, “Is this Naomi?” (v. 19), she responded by saying, “Call me not Naomi [pleasant], call me Mara [bitter]: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me” (v. 20). This reply was not an accusation, only Naomi’s way of saying that she had endured much tragedy while in Moab.

They came to Bethlem at the beginning of harvest.

Chapter 2
How did Ruth get to work? (v.2) Glean ears of corn to gain favor in the sight of Boaz
Harvesting was difficult work and demanded long hours. Young men moved through the fields grasping handfuls of the grain and cutting through the stalks with sickles. These small bunches of grain were then bound into bundles called sheaves. As the men worked rapidly, a number of stalks fell to the ground. If the men were careful and took the time, these too could be gathered up. However, any stalks that dropped were allowed to remain where they fell. Poor people, following the reapers, were permitted to ‘glean,’ or gather, the random stalks—possibly all that stood between them and starvation. In addition, the edges of the field, where the sickle was not as easily wielded, were left unharvested. The poor were welcome to that portion, as well. “The destitute of Bethlehem now included Ruth and Naomi, and Ruth offered to go into the fields and glean.

Chapter 3

What did Naomi tell Ruth to do? (v.1-4) 

What was Ruth's purpose in going into Boaz? (v.6-9)

What does spread they skirt over thine handmaid mean? (v.9)

Naomi wanted to help her faithful daughter-in-law secure a husband and family.  To do this, Naomi considered the levirate marriage, a practice that had prevailed for many years in Israel.

see Deuteronomy 25:5–10 for the levirate marriage obligation in Israelite families) 

How did Ruth make her proposal to Boaz? v:6-9

“When Boaz awoke from his sleep by the pile of grain, which he was guarding as was the custom during harvest time, he was startled by Ruth’s presence. She was direct in her proposal. The word rendered ‘skirt’ also means ‘wing,’ and her request is not unlike our idiom ‘take me under your wing.’ Gesenius, the famous Hebraist, says it was a proper proposal of marriage—even though the girl was doing the proposing!”

The idiom means “protect me,” or, in other words, “be my protector or husband.”

“According to our customs, indeed, this act of Naomi and Ruth appears a very objectionable one from a moral point of view, but it was not so when judged by the customs of the people of Israel at that time. Boaz, who was an honourable man, and, according to (v.10), no doubt somewhat advanced in years, praised Ruth for having taken refuge with him, and promised to fulfil her wishes when he had satisfied himself that the nearer redeemer would renounce his right and duty. As he acknowledged by this very declaration, that under certain circumstances it would be his duty as redeemer to marry Ruth, he took no offence at the manner in which she had approached him and proposed to become his wife. On the contrary, he regarded it as a proof of feminine virtue and modesty, that she had not gone after young men, but offered herself as a wife to an old man like him. This conduct on the part of Boaz is a sufficient proof that women might have confidence in him that he would do nothing unseemly. And he justified such confidence

“The word here rendered ‘redeemer’ we translate literally from Hebrew go’el and this is its proper translation. It is rendered merely ‘kinsman’ in the King James English translation. The function of a go’el was to make it possible for a widow who had lost home and property to return to her former status and security and to have seed to perpetuate her family.

“It is easy to see why the later prophets borrowed this word from the social laws of Israel and used it to describe the functions of Him who would become the Divine Redeemer: Think of what He does to restore us to proper status with God, and to give us future security and eternal ‘seed.’

When Ruth’s husband died, his nearest male relative was supposed to marry Ruth. Boaz was not the nearest male relative, but he agreed to marry Ruth if the nearest male relative did not wish to do so

What was Ruth's reputation among the people of Bethlehem? (v.11) All the City Doth Know....
*** Why is it important that our family members, friends, and neighbors know what we believe in and what values we strive to uphold? 

Chapter 4

How was a public agreement made legally binding? (v.7-12)

The public life of an Israelite village was concentrated at its main gate. It was here that matters of law were brought for adjudication before the elders of the community. They also were the official witnesses for transactions such as the one in which Boaz agreed to marry Ruth if her kinsman would give up all rights to her dead husband’s property. A man renouncing property rights removed a sandal and presented it to the new property holder, a gesture that everyone understood and considered binding if witnessed by the elders

Who married Ruth? Boaz.  They had a child together (v.13)

What significance came of this marriage? They had a child who was a descendant of King David

see Matthew 1:5-16

President Thomas S. Monson called Ruth a heroine

1 Samuel

Hannah, wife of Elkanah, was childless. Each year at the temple she wept and prayed for a son

What promise did she make with the Lord? (v.11)

Conclusion

The book of Ruth contains one of the most beautiful stories ever written. Despite being set in a day when political chaos and moral degeneracy existed in parts of the land, this story contains not a single demeaning feature and is uplifting and heartwarming. The following are examples of quiet devotion and obedience from this story:

1. Ruth’s marriage to Mahlon led to her conversion from the Moabite to the Israelite way of life.
2. Ruth’s choice to remain with her widowed mother-in-law, Naomi, is an example of selfless concern for others.
3. The acts of kindness exhibited by Ruth and Boaz had a positive effect on those around them.
4. Ruth’s virtue and integrity impressed the noble Boaz, and he was honorable in his relation to her, showing willingness to assume family responsibility.
5. The union of Boaz and Ruth produced a royal posterity from whom came King David and eventually Jesus Christ.

President John Taylor used the example of Ruth to describe modern Saints who also were willing to give up homes and kinships to be where their God wanted them to be: “‘Thanks be to the God of Israel who has counted us worthy to receive the principles of truth.’ These were the feelings you had and enjoyed in your far distant homes. And your obedience to those principles tore you from your homes, firesides and associations and brought you here, for you felt like one of old, when she said, ‘Whither thou goest I will go; thy God shall be my God, thy people shall be my people, and where thou diest there will I be buried.’ And you have gathered to Zion that you might be taught and instructed in the laws of life and listen to the words which emanate from God, become one people and one nation, partake of one spirit, and prepare yourselves, your progenitors and posterity for an everlasting inheritance in the celestial kingdom of God.

“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Romans 8:6). The truth of this declaration is evident in the contrasting stories of Samson and Ruth. The prophets have always been anxious that the Saints find that peace which comes from living a Christlike life. 

President Spencer W. Kimball gave us this challenge:

“Would a frequent housecleaning be in order for all of us?

“I may not be able to eliminate pornographic trash, but my family and I need not buy or view it.

“I may not be able to close disreputable businesses, but I can stay away from areas of questioned honor and ill repute.

“I may not be able to greatly reduce the divorces of the land or save all broken homes and frustrated children, but I can keep my own home a congenial one, my marriage happy, my home a heaven, and my children well adjusted.

“I may not be able to stop the growing claims to freedom from laws based on morals, or change all opinions regarding looseness in sex and growing perversions, but I can guarantee devotion to all high ideals and standards in my own home, and I can work toward giving my own family a happy, interdependent spiritual life.

“I may not be able to stop all graft and dishonesty in high places, but I myself can be honest and upright, full of integrity and true honor, and my family will be trained likewise.

“I may not be able to insure family prayers, home evening, meeting attendance, and spiritual, well-integrated lives in all my neighbors, but I can be certain that my children will be happy at home. They will grow strong and tall and realize their freedom is found at home, in their faith, in clean living, and in opportunity to serve. As Christ said, ‘And the truth shall make you free.’

“No virtues in the perfection we strive for are more important than integrity and honesty. Let us then be complete, unbroken, pure, and sincere, to develop in ourselves that quality of soul we prize so highly in others.

Ruth's loyalty, integrity, selflessness, sacrifices, and dedication to the gospel blessed her with the gospel and ultimately led to the birth of the Savior through her lineage.  There are righteous women among us with such divine qualities.  We are so blessed to have the examples of these women to help us desire and achieve such righteousness.