Do What You Know Is Right, Not What Looks Right to Others. The Chida writes that Shmuel wrote Megillas Ruth to counter the claims that arose later against David's kingship saying that he was unfit being that he descended from a Moabite which the Torah prohibits entering our nation. Sign Up to view the rest of this answer. This transaction raises legal questions, but more importantly, the proper inheritance of land has special significance in the Bible. When Naomis family arrived in Moab, Orpah and Ruth would have worshiped the gods of their people, and some scholars believe they did not convert when they married. Mahlon (Hebrew: Maln) and Chilion ( ilyn) were two brothers mentioned in the Book of Ruth.They were the sons of Elimelech of the tribe of Judah and his wife Naomi.Together with their parents, they settled in the land of Moab during the period of the Israelite Judges.On foreign soil, Mahlon married the Moabite convert Ruth (Ruth 4:10) while Chilion . This seems to be tragedy. Central to the Book of Ruth is the institution of the goel, the redeemer whose duty, according to Leviticus 25:25, is to buy back any land sold by his kinsman out of economic necessity. Last Week's Top Questions . The story comes full circle: The family that left its land and had no descendants returns to its homeland and acquires an heir and a patrimony. When the famine abates, Naomi returns to Bethlehem. Orpah. But there is a fascinating subplot appearing in the story, one which had far-reaching implications in later Jewish history. Is it okay for a Christian to play Bedwars on Minecraft? We follow the familiar or follow God. She clearly had the seeds of greatness within her. So Ruth spoke: "Do not plead with me to abandon you, to turn back from accompanying you; for where you go I shall go, and where you spend the night I shall spend the night. The promise to Abraham of progeny and land is renewed in the promise to David of the dynasty and the kingdom. As for why the text continues to refer to her as "", first of all, as @Alex has noted in the comments to the other answers, it is not uncommon to find someone referred to by the country of origin even if they are no longer associated with it. While the two women have several things in common, they are different in some respects. Vote Up "Now Elimelek, Naomis husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. The story of Ruth and Naomi is one of the best-loved stories in the Bible. The story opens with Naomis clan having left the land of promise, and their faith, for a new life in the land of Moab, apart from God. Is it pashut pshat that Rut never ate breakfast? The characters in this story are the family from whom King David, and ultimately, the Messiah will come. If a person has the potential for greatness (as we all do) and misuses it, he can take those same enormous energies and use them for the bad. Ezra/Nehemiah recount the peoples return to the land and the restoration of the community in it. More to the point, none of them seems to be able to restore the family by producing an heir. The book of Ruth tells a smaller story within this narrative, showing God quietly at work in the lives of a few individuals. Ruth's faithful resolve, when set next to Orpah's prudent way, challenges the notion that a bioethic of care is innately feminine, and may further call women and men corporately to participate in a kind of care that is strenuous work. In the Book of Ruth, Orpah and Ruth chose different paths because that was best for them. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. The ancient world had no mechanism for religious conversion or change of citizenship; the very notion was unthinkable. Naomi stands on the road to Judah as her two Moabite daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah, beg to accompany her to her native land in this watercolor by Salvador Dali. Our weekly email is chockful of interesting and relevant insights into Jewish history, food, philosophy, current events, holidays and more Dovid Rosenfeld, a native of the Washington, D.C. area, works both as a programmer for aish.com and as a responder for its Ask the Rabbi service. What does the Bible mean by, "shedding of innocent blood"? to prove that she converted at any point I believe one needs to address this second issue as well. He points to Rambam issurei biah 13:14-15 which states that if there is reason to suspect that the conversion was for reasons beside belief (money, power, love etc.) 2022 28 Jun. Clarify Orpah almost became great. Questions about Ruth. 12 terms . Orpah ( Hebrew: Orp, meaning "neck" or "fawn") is a woman mentioned in the Book of Ruth in the Hebrew Bible. Boaz declared his hope that doing so would "cause the name of the dead man to rise upon his inheritance.". After a brief appearance, she exits the stage of history, presumably no longer playing a role. The two daughters-in-law must consider their future, Naomi pleaded in hopes of dissuading her daughters-in-law from continuing the journey. And Ruth's sister-in-law Orpah followed that advice. A second time, Naomi argued her case. Orpah chose to return to her home, and Ruth decided to stay with Naomi. Ruths response is extraordinary, for she is under no obligation to care for Naomi, just as Naomi, with her own extraordinary response, is under no obligation to provide for Ruth. Israel is suffering from famine and they decide to relocate to the nearby nation of Moab. Since its time for the barley harvest, Ruth decides to glean from a field. The matter is soon settled. In ancient times, a name revealed a lot about that person. The claim was like a thunder-clap. The Book of Ruth, too, is about exile and return, land and people. Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox! Did Job believe God would kill him (Job 13:15)? Their choices do not mean that one is better than the other. Orpah is one of the lesser-known women of the Bible. Now this story reveals the bankruptcy of the Church and its need to give up and follow Israels lead, not some would be Messiah. It was that belief (which she would have shared in common with Naomi) that . She continues with her mother-in-law along the way to the Holy Land. Your people will be my people and your God my God. The third reason for verses 8-13 is to make Ruth's faithfulness to Naomi appear amazing. Comments. "Your people shall be my people, and your God my God" (Ruth 1:16). In the course of the story Ruth determines to abandon her Moabite identity and attached herself to Naomis fate. Matt 7:14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. FROM JOSHUA TO RUTH QUIZ 3. or'-pa (`orpah; for meaning see below): A Moabitess, wife of Mahlon, son of Elimelech and Naomi. What are the biblical principles for solid decision-making? They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. The section known in Jewish tradition as the Former Prophets (Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings) details the vicissitudes of the people in the promised land, until, at the end of Kings, the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar conquers the territory of Judah and sends its people into exile. Naomi attempts to dissuade them three times (vv. Upon leaving Naomi, Orpah ran into a battalion of 100 soldiers. It doesn't change their American-ness. The higher the vote, the further up an answer is. Before that Yaweh was probably part of Ruths ovreall Pantheon of Gods, a Trinity or more of Gods. With each step, leadership lessons become clear to me from Ruth's life: 1. What does it mean that Job repented in dust and ashes? Ruths poetic words, Wherever you go, I will go, wherever you lodge, I will lodge, are rightly famous, both for their beauty of expression and for their sentiment. Ruth lived in the time of the judges. Her new book, A Rescued Life, is now available on Amazon. Ruth, however, remains strong. Naomi at least had kinsman and suddenly Naomis God is Ruths God, Naomis people, her people? Ultimately, Orpah chose to remain behind, and Ruth decided to journey to Bethlehem with Naomi. We read a lot about Ruth, who seems to be Naomis favored daughter-in-law, but not so much about Orpah, the second daughter-in-law. When they return they find the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob welcomes them both with open arms. Land was not to be alienated from its original owner or from his descendants. What does the Bible say about decision-making. King David is a descendant of their offspring. At times we choose the familiar, more comfortable route, and other times, we embrace the unexplored way and trust God to lead. What is the meaning of those who were raised to life at Jesus' death (Matthew 27:52-53)? It is sold by Booklocker.com, as well as by Amazon.com and all the major on-line sellers. After all, Ruth's choice was the scarier of the two, and Ruth didn't have the benefit of hindsight. Comments are sorted chronologically. Why didn't Adam die the day he ate the forbidden fruit, as God said he would in Genesis 2:17? Why did Ruth and Orpah make a different decision? Elimelech (also spelled Elimelek) was the husband of Naomi and the father of two sons, Mahlon and Kilion. Ruth became a mother in Israel, great-grandmother to the spiritual giant David. In different Bibles, the Book of Ruth is put in different places. How can I make the following table quickly? We will discuss how Providence and human choice interacts to shape the history on individuals and nations, God . She was a Moabite woman who married an Israelite. In fact, Ruth's sister-in-law, Orpah, chose to leave: "Look," said Naomi, "your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. With the decisions of the two sister-in-laws, it is often thought that Ruth did the right thing, while Orpah failed and some might criticize Orpah for perceiving unfaithfulness. We meet Orpah for the first time in Ruth 1:3-4. The Book of Ruth is one of the few books of the Bible with a female . "Where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge," she insists. Perhaps, Naomi began to consider her future and the future and hopes of her daughters-in-law. However, there is a minor figure in the Book of Ruth named Orpah. What are the biblical principles for solid decision-making? For me this circumstance reinforces the message of Christ that what is in an individuals heart is what countswhat had always counted, but the Law and its observance had been intended to maintain a close relationship between God and his Chosen People until the coming of Jesus and the new, simpler, covenant. What does the Bible say about miscarriage? Others translate the name as fawn or gazelle-like, giving the sense of fear. The book of Ruth with four chapters started with Naomi and her husband, Elimelech who left their . Great insight in the sacred scripture. Why did Ruth stay with Naomi after Orpah decided to return home? What are the biblical principles for solid decision-making? @bookofruth Moabite is an demonym not a religion. Are we allowed to ask someone if he's a convert? Two daughters-in-law of Naomi were Ruth and: closest relative of Ruth's husband. Anonymous (via GotQuestions). Who should be making the financial decisions for a church body? Kates and G.Twersy-Rimer, Ballantine, 1994). Orpah was motivated by safety, and safety is what she got. Bundled together like sheaves of grain, Boaz and Ruth share a blanket, symbolic of espousal, in this 14th-century illustration from the Wenzel Bible. Youre right in observing that he was executed, but you left off the rest of the story. Who should be making the financial decisions for a church body? 14 Liberal scholars argue that Ruth was written after the Babylonian exile. bookofruth, welcome to Judaism.SE, and thanks very much for this interesting question! And how to capitalize on that? Ruth followed Naomi and became the mother of Obed, and was listed in the genealogy of Jesus. How can the soul prosper as stated in 3 John vs 2? Having seen God at Mount Sinai, we could never again sit still and remain the same. Orpah, by contrast, disappears from the story and is forgotten. Your email address will not be published. Thus, the rabbi disagreed as to when Ruth converted. 2 The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. Who was Ruth in the Bible? Its a beautiful story of redemption and grace. There are indeed a lot of opinions on when Ruth underwent conversion. Asked March 10 2014 Id invite you to research this for yourself and experience the grace Naomi and Ruth shared with us through this story. I would say that it was because, even though Ruth and Orpah were both Moabites by birth who had been married to Jewish men, Ruth had apparently developed a belief in the God of Israel in a way that Orpah had not. Ask a Question. More from . The logical thing for Ruth to do when her husband died was to go home to her own family and look for a new husband. Jasper Soriano, March 18 2021 Naomi refers to her as having returned to "her people and her gods" (1:15). Naomi, her husband, and two sons traveled and settled in Moab after drought, famine, and devastation fell on their home of Bethlehem. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ORPAH. By the end of Genesis the extensive family is settled in Egypt. Want more interaction with the women of iBelieve? The story of Ruth and Orpah is thus a tale of mankinds enormous potential for accomplishment and the incredibly high stakes involved depending how he uses that potential. Here are guidelines to help facilitate a meaningful learning experience for everyone. But she didnt do it. What were the cities of refuge in the Old Testament? There are indeed a lot of opinions on when Ruth underwent conversion. In this article, Adele Berlin argues that Ruth illuminates the main theme of the Hebrew Bible: the continuity of Gods people in their land.Ed. We praise Ruth and forget Orpah. And there are other parallels which can be pointed out. The lives of these three women were interwoven. A not so scholarly article.. LOL. Ruth demonstrates great loyalty when she says to Naomi, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Unfortunately, we have no idea how Orpah's story turned out. Far from being a casual move, the importance of returning is emphasized in chapter 1 by the repetition of the root shuv, return, twelve times as Naomi bids her daughters-in-law return to their families in Moab and as she returns to Judah with Ruth. The whole theme is that of the need of redemption of those unable to rescue themselves by a kinsman redeemer. In verses 11-13, Naomi explains to Orpah and Ruth why they should return to their homeland. What age was Jehoiachin when he began his reign? Naomi then chose to return to Israel and encouraged her daughters. To leave Naomi must have been hard for Orpah. The child born to Ruth and Boaz is a sonborn to Naomi who will renew her life. For Naomi, Ruth is better than seven sons (Ruth 4:15), for she produces what Naomis sons failed to, an heir. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. Report, July 30 2019 Clarify [1] After the death of her husband, Orpah and her sister-in-law Ruth wished to go to Judea with Naomi. A ketana can certainly be mezukeket leyibbum (read: a female minor whose husband dies childless is obligated in yibbum or chalitza to the husbands brothers if he has any.). Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Why did Ruth stay with Naomi after Orpah decided to return home? Theres no grave containing his body. The fact that she had to tell Naomi that Naomis God would be her God only shows that the Church sees its failure in believing in the executed messiah and finally agrees to accept the true God on his terms, with no intercession. I am also acquiring Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, as my wife, so as to perpetuate [Mahlons] name upon his estate, that [his] name may not disappear from among his kinsmen. First, Ruth establishes a physical connection with her newly adopted land as she gleans in Boazs field. Ashwin RamaniIn the third sermon of the "Decisions that Make a Difference" series, Ashwin compares the choices made by Orpah and Ruth. March 10 2014 Perhaps we have chosen familiarity over stepping out in faith. It only takes a minute to sign up. But if not, we would be driven towards every other cause imaginable Communism, anarchism, liberalism, capitalism, you-name-it-ism. Once Rus came to Boaz at night this clinched his belief that her conversion was for the right reasons and he immediately proceeds to "redeem" her. - and that's why Naomi had to point out to her the full ramifications of her decision, so that her acceptance of the mitzvos would be a conscious one. Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. The Talmud (Sotah 42b) explains what happened next. We became alive, possessed driven to make a difference. What Do I Do When My Teen Doesn't Want to Attend Church? It follows the life of naomi and ruth as they struggle through difficult trials. This book is often used by people who want to undermine modern halakhic standards of giyur. Why isn't God mentioned more in the book of Ruth? Elimelechs family recovers its land through this marriage and, when Ruth and Boaz have a son, Obed, the family also gains a future. Ashwin encourages us to take risks for the sake of Christ. While many believe Ruth converted when she said in 1:16, that your G-d is my G-d, Gersonides, also known as Ralbag interpreted chapter 1 to be saying that Orpah and Ruth converted to Judaism prior to marrying Mahlon and Chilion, and the proof is that her conversion is not mentioned for Boaz. However, it seems they became comfortable and complacent because the sons married Moabite women, and they were there for more than a decade. Instead of becoming a spiritual giant, she became a mother of physical giants. Ruth said, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn . It's easy to criticize Orpah for perceived unfaithfulness, but when . The paths we choose lead to eternal consequences. There her husband died, and her sons married Moabite women named Ruth and Orpah. The theme that unites the books from Genesis through Kings and informs much of the Prophets and the Writings is the land and the people. should I perhaps add it to the original question? All rights reserved. Over their years of marriage, they had become attached to Judaism. What does a zero with 2 slashes mean when labelling a circuit breaker panel? Vote Up The gentile women in Jesus ancestry are explicitly brought out by the Gospel writers and demonstrate how foreigners are grafted in to the native family tree of Israel. They are a means of developing ourselves, of directing our drive to achieve towards spirituality and perfecting the world. Orpah chose the familiar path while Ruth . David, as Israels greatest king, founded the Davidic dynasty, the one to which God promised an eternal kingdom. More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free! A good answer provides new insight and perspective. Share Why did Ruth and Orpah make different decisions? Naomi finally accepts Ruth's resolve to stay with her, and the two journey in search of a more prosperous land. Although many of us would like to picture ourselves as the Ruth in this story, we may often find ourselves making more choices as Orpah did. Ruth and Orpah were suddenly faced with a life-altering decision. (1) A sojourn in Moab. Leah and Rachels eagerness to bear children for Jacob is again emphasized when they argue over who shall use the aphrodisiac mandrakes found by Leahs son (Genesis 30:1416). Login or Sign Up to view the rest of this answer. PDF | This study aims to conduct a theological study to answer questions, including: why did Boaz want to marry Ruth? Ruth 1: Ruth 2: Ruth 3: Ruth 4: Ruth's Choice: Ruth's Service: Ruth's Claim: Ruth's Marriage: Naomi and Ruth Mutual Grief: Ruth and Naomi and Boaz Mutual Pursuit: Boaz and Ruth Mutual Love: Ruth's Decision: Return with Naomi Ruth's Devotion: Provide for Naomi Ruth's Request: Redemption by Boaz Ruth's Reward: Relative of Messiah Ruth and Naomi: Ruth and Boaz Vote Up We follow the familiar or follow God. The second decision requires discipline and determination until we reach our destination. Both decisions are important. In the third sermon of the "Decisions that Make a Difference" series, Ashwin compares the choices made by Orpah and Ruth. I believe that it is the Malbim who says that when Ruth Says Ameikh Ami Elokayikh Elokai (your nation is my nation your God is my God) it means that Ruth has taken on keeping the mitzvoth and at this point begins living as a Jew. With regard to when she converted, both Ibn Ezra and Ralbag seem to believe that she converted before she married Machlon, being that we don't find any mention of her conversion afterwards and Boaz certainly would not have married her otherwise. Report There has to be some reason for the details to be there before we can question why they aren't. Her argument was persuasive, and the two women had to make a choice. Naomi even later tested them to see if they have converted. He also serves as a volunteer writer for Torah.org. Go back with her" (Ruth 1:15). I don't see that in the Malbim. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. Ask Us! And why shouldn't open-hearted Orpah, in her little time, also love her Moabite mother-in-law, who is like her own mother, and who will also call her 'daughter'. Second, and more complicated, Naomi offers for sale or redemption a parcel of land that once belonged to her husband, Elimelech. Conservative scholars, however, place authorship during the reign of David. 982, page 76), based on some other Midrashic statements, that at the time of her marriage Ruth was halachically not yet an adult, because she was an ailonis (a woman who never undergoes the normal bodily changes of puberty) but didn't exhibit the symptoms thereof (listed in Rambam, Hil. @msh210 I believe the two points are intertwined, the fact that she is continually called a moabite seems to indicate the she has not converted. What is the significance of Ruth telling Naomi, "Wherever you go, I will go" (Ruth 1:16)? Some believe that their disobedience of this law is why all the men in Naomis life died.