CHAPTER 1
Ruth walked down the narrow, crowded streets of Kir-
hareseth, her mind and heart in turmoil. Her beloved
husband, Mahlon, was dying of a lingering illness that had
come upon him months earlier. She fought the sorrow and
fear stirring in her. How would she live without Mahlon?
She'd dreamed of living a long life with the man she
loved, bearing his children, growing old with him. And
now, she suffered watching him suffer. She grieved that
there would never be children to carry on his name.
But it was the new moon, and her mother was expecting her
for her monthly visit. They would drink tea, eat the
delicacies of her father's table, and talk about family
matters. Ruth dreaded this visit. She couldn't keep her
mind from her troubles. And she didn't want to hear what
her mother thought was the cause of them.
Poor Naomi! How could her mother-in-law bear another loss?
Ten years ago, she'd lost her husband, Elimelech; and her
younger son, Kilion, had died last spring. Would Naomi's
faith in the God of Israel continue to give her peace, or
would she finally crumble beneath the crushing grief of
losing her last son?
Oh, Lord God of Israel, hear our cry!
From the time Naomi had told her about the true God, she
had believed because she saw such peace in her mother-in-
law. It was a peace that defied circumstances. Ruth had
never seen such peace, certainly not in the house of her
mother and father. She and Naomi had spoken often of God,
especially when questions had arisen in Ruth's heart. And
the answers had always come down to trusting God, obeying
Him, accepting His will, knowing there was a purpose in
what was happening even if they couldn't see it. But
sometimes the pain seemed unbearable.
And Ruth was afraid.
Would she be inconsolable like her sister-in-law, Orpah,
had been when Kilion died last year, wailing and rocking
and refusing to eat until Ruth and Naomi were afraid for
her health?
Oh, Lord God, don't let me be a burden to Naomi. Give me
the strength to help her.
When she reached her father's house, she took a deep
breath, squared her shoulders, and knocked. A servant
opened the door and smiled brightly. "Ruth! Come," she
beckoned eagerly. "Come."
It was difficult to enter her father's grand house with
its expensive furnishings and not make comparisons to the
humble abode of her husband. Here, everywhere she looked
was the conspicuous evidence of wealth—fine urns, rugs,
beautifully colored linen curtains, low tables inlaid with
ivory. She had grown up in this house and taken her
father's wealth for granted. Then she met, fell in love
with, and married a young Hebrew merchant who was having
difficulty keeping the family business going and,
sometimes, keeping food on the table.
Her father and mother took great pride in their
possessions, but over the years of living with Naomi, Ruth
had come to recognize her own parents' poverty of spirit.
There was a richness in Naomi's life that had nothing to
do with the house she lived in or the material possessions
she had.
"Ah, my beautiful daughter." Ruth's mother entered the
room and embraced her. They exchanged kisses. "Sit, my
love." She clapped her hands, gave quick orders to a
maiden, and sat on one of the plump scarlet-and-blue
cushions. "Do you notice anything new?"
Ruth glanced around. Was there a new table or wall hanging
or rug? When she looked back at her mother, she saw her
fingering a gold necklace.
"What do you think? It's beautiful, isn't it? A gift from
your father. It's from Egypt."
"He's always been generous," Ruth said, her mind drifting
back to Mahlon. He'd insisted she come today, insisted she
leave him for a while. His mother was with him. Everything
was fine. Go. Go and enjoy yourself. But how could she?
All she could think about was Mahlon and how quickly she
could leave this place and go home to him, where she
belonged.
A servant entered with a tray laden with fruit, bread, two
goblets, and an urn of wine. A second servant set down a
platter of cooked grain with bits of roasted lamb. Ruth's
stomach cramped at the tantalizing aroma of the well-
seasoned food, but she didn't extend her hand, even when
her mother pressed her. How could she take a bite when
Mahlon was too ill to eat anything at all? How could she
enjoy the delicacies her mother spread out on the table
before her when her mother-in-law had nothing in the house
but bread, olive oil, and sour wine?
"You must keep up your strength, Ruth," her mother said
softly. "You're so thin."
"Perhaps in a while, Mother."
"Orpah's mother spoke with me in the marketplace
yesterday. Has everything been done that can be done?"
Unable to speak, Ruth nodded. Naomi, insisting there was
always hope, continued to pray and beseech God. She and
Ruth both prayed. Prayer had become an unceasing habit.
"Oh, my darling. I'm so sorry you're going through this."
Her mother reached out and placed her hand over Ruth's.
For a moment, she was silent. "What will you do when he
dies?"
Ruth's eyes filled with tears at the blunt question. "I
will grieve. I will comfort Naomi. Beyond that, I don't
know. And I can't think about it now."
"But you must."
"Mother," Ruth said softly in protest and then drew in a
sobbing breath as she covered her face.
Her mother rushed on. "I didn't ask you here to cause you
more pain. I know how much you love Mahlon. If your father
didn't love you so much, he would have insisted you marry
Kasim, and you wouldn't be facing such anguish now. Your
father wants you to know that you're welcome to come home.
And you know how much I'd love to have you here with me
again, even if only for a little while. You needn't stay
with Naomi if Mahlon dies. Come back to us."
Ruth dropped her hands into her lap and stared at her
mother through her tears. "After all Naomi has been
through, could I leave her? My duty is to my husband's
household, Mother. You know that."
"Naomi would be the first to tell you to return to us. Do
you think she'll want to stay here when her last son dies?
She will go home to her own people where she belongs."
The words cut into Ruth's heart. Her mother spoke as
though Mahlon was already dead and Naomi best
forgotten. "I must go, Mother." She started to rise.
Her mother caught her hand. "No, please, listen to me.
Naomi's husband was eager to adopt our customs and become
one of us, but your mother-in-law has always held herself
aloof. She still dresses like a Hebrew. She's never set
foot in one of our temples nor given a single offering to
any one of our gods. Perhaps that's why she suffers so.
Our gods are angry with her."
"She has a God of her own."
"Oh yes, and what good is he? What has he given her but
poverty and grief?" She made a sweeping gesture. "Look
around you, Daughter. See how the gods of Moab bless us.
Look at what we have to show for our faith."
"But you're never satisfied, Mother."
Her eyes darkened. "I'm satisfied."
"Then why do you always want more? Possessions don't
matter to Naomi."
Her mother released her hand angrily. "Of course not. Why
would possessions matter to someone who will never have
them?"
"You don't understand, Mother."
"I understand that you've turned away from the gods of
your own people to worship hers. And what good has come
from it? You're being punished for it. Turn back to the
gods of our people, Ruth. Leave that house of sorrow and
come home."
Home to what? Her father and mother had never been
content. The more wealth her father accumulated, the more
he wanted. Their appetites were ever whetted for increase.
Nothing satisfied. In a few days, her mother would tire of
the gold necklace she wore, and she would hunger for
something new, something about which to boast.
Naomi boasted in nothing but the God of Israel. And she
found peace even in the midst of chaos when she went to
Him in prayer.
God, oh God, help me! There are so many things I don't
understand. I have no answers for my mother. Can you hear
the voice of a frightened Moabitess? I don't want my faith
to die if You choose to take Mahlon from me. My mother's
words are like spears in my heart. Shield me.
She wept.
"We know you must stay with Mahlon to the end, Ruth. And
we understand that you'll want to stay for a few weeks
after that and comfort Naomi. Fulfill your duty to her.
Then come home to us, my love. Come home where you belong
and where life will be so much easier for you. Everyone
will understand. Naomi loves you. She'll want the best for
you, just as we do. There's no need for you to live in
poverty. You're young and beautiful. You have your whole
life ahead of you."
But Ruth couldn't imagine her life without the man she
loved or the mother-in-law who had opened her heart to
her. How could staying a few weeks fulfill her obligation
to Naomi? Duty was not the only bond between them. There
was also love. Not just love for one another but love for
the God they both believed in.
"I can't leave her, Mother."
"But what about your own family? What about your father?
What about me? Come home, Ruth. Please come home to us.
How can I bear to see you live in such poor circumstances
when ..."
Ruth felt torn between her love for her mother and father
and her love for Naomi and Orpah. If Mahlon did die, could
she turn her back on them and walk away? Could she go back
to living the way she had before, bowing down to the
statues representing the gods of her mother and father,
gods she no longer believed even existed? The bond she had
with Naomi was deeper than a relationship by marriage.
Ruth had come to embrace her mother-in-law's beliefs in an
unseen God. She had explained her new beliefs to her
mother and father, and heard them laugh and shake their
heads. "How can you believe such nonsense? An unseen god?"
She loved her mother and father deeply, but she wouldn't
turn her back on Naomi or the truth she had come to
realize through her.
"Mahlon, Naomi, and Orpah are my family, Mother, just as
Father became yours when you married him."
When her mother's face crumpled in tears, Ruth embraced
her. "You know I love you, Mother. I'll always love you.
But I must do what's right."
"This isn't right! You're throwing away your life!"
Ruth saw that her mother refused to understand. Things
could never be the same as they had been when Ruth was a
child in her father's household. She was a woman now, with
a husband and a mother-in-law and responsibilities toward
both. Her life didn't belong to herself anymore. And even
if it did, would her decision be any different?
Oh, Lord, give me strength. I feel like a broken jar with
all the oil spilling out.
She had to tell her mother the truth. It wouldn't be fair
to leave her with false hopes.
"I won't leave Naomi, Mother. You have Father. You have my
brothers and their wives and children, and my sisters and
their families. If Mahlon does die, who will Naomi have
left?"
"She will have Orpah," her mother said stubbornly. "Let
Orpah stay with her."
Orpah didn't believe in the God of Israel. She still
worshiped idols and burned incense to Ashteroth. "Orpah is
a kind and loving daughter-in-law, but she doesn't share
Naomi's faith."
Her mother's eyes darkened in anger. "How can you persist
in believing in this unseen god of hers after all that's
happened? It's not fair that you give up your life for
this ill-fated family! If Naomi decides to leave, let her
go!"
Ruth refused to be drawn into another argument about whose
god had grander temples or the most elaborate and
pleasurable worship services. She drew back and
stood. "Mahlon needs me. I must go."
Her mother rose with her, weeping again as she followed
her to the door. "Please consider carefully what you're
going to do, Ruth. I beg of you! Don't throw your life
away!"
Ruth's emotions warred within her. Love ... grief ...
impatience ... confusion. She turned and embraced her
mother quickly. "I love you," she said in a choked
voice. "Tell Father I love him, too." She released her
hold, turned away, and hurried out the door.
As she sped along the narrow city streets, she covered her
face with her shawl so those passing would not see her
anguish.
————————————————————————————————————————
Grief is deeper when the sun goes down and memories rise
up with the moon and stars. The streets of Kir-hareseth
were deserted now, everyone home and asleep, but Naomi's
mind was whirring as she sat at the end of her pallet, her
back against the cold stone wall of her small house. She
felt alone, even though her two beloved daughters-in-law
lay sleeping within a few feet of her. They were worn out
with sorrow. Each had lost a husband, Orpah first and then
Ruth. But they would never experience the deeper grief of
losing their children, for they had none.
My sons are dead! My sons, oh, my sons ... Naomi wanted to
scream out her pain, but for the sake of the young women
sleeping nearby held it in instead.
It was dark now, so dark the night closed in around Naomi,
bringing with it fear and doubt. She tried to pray, but
her whispered words seemed to bounce off the ceiling and
land back in her lap unheard. And she began to wonder. Had
God ever heard her prayers? Had the Lord ever listened to
her pleas?
Like the approach of locusts ready to feast upon her
faith, the silence hummed inside her head. She pressed her
hands over her ears and clenched her teeth. Why was the
night like this? Sometimes the darkness was so still she
could hear her own blood rushing through her veins. The
sound was like a heavy rain washing open the doors of her
mind, flooding her with memories she wanted to forget.
The room echoed with her dead husband's voice. "We're
going to Moab whether you like it or not, Naomi! There's
no famine there."
"But, Elimelech, we mustn't leave Bethlehem! It's our
home."
"Our home is turning to dust!"
"If we trust and obey God, He will provide."
"Are you blind? Look around you, woman. God has abandoned
us!"
"Because you and others bow down to baals!"
"I bow down to Baal because he's the lord of this land!"
"Moses told our fathers the Lord is God and there is no
other!"
"And what good has God done for us lately?" Elimelech
argued. "How long since rain last fell on our land? When
was the last time our crops produced even a little more
than what we need to fill our own stomachs?"
"But you are saying it yourself, my husband. The Lord has
provided what we need to survive."
"I'm sick of hearing you say that! I'm the one taking care
of us, Naomi. I'm the one working my flesh to the bones on
this rocky ground and watching my crops die! Don't tell me
God is taking care of us! Look at my hands! Look at the
calluses and tell me it's God who takes care of you and
our sons. God stands far off and watches while everything
I own turns to dust. He's abandoned us! You're just a
woman. What do you understand of these things? I'll do
what's right in my own eyes."
That same day, Elimelech had mortgaged the land he'd
inherited from his father. He'd come home, packed their
possessions on two donkeys, and taken Naomi and their
sons, Mahlon and Kilion, away from Bethlehem. She'd barely
had time to bid good-bye to her friends and few remaining
family members. Elimelech had been so certain he was
making the right decision! What man wanted to hear the
constant dripping of a nagging wife? So she did what she
felt she could do: she kept silent with her doubts and she
prayed.
She prayed in the morning when she first awakened. She
prayed throughout the day as she worked. And she prayed
when she lay down upon her pallet at night. She prayed and
prayed and prayed—and watched her life turn to ashes.
Elimelech found work in Moab at Kir-hareseth. He cut off
his locks of hair, shaved off his beard, and donned
Moabite clothing to make his way easier. There were other
Israelites sojourning in Moab and living in Kir-hareseth.
They, too, had come to wait out the famine in the Promised
Land, and they, too, quickly embraced the ways of the
people around them and forgot the Law of Moses and the
promises of God.
It was summer when Elimelech died.
"I just need to rest." He'd come home complaining of pain
in his chest. "I'll be fine in the morning." He'd sat
right where she was sitting now, rubbing his arm, up and
down, up and down, grimacing. "Naomi?" The strange catch
in his throat had brought her to her knees before him.
"What, my love?" She took his hand and covered it with her
own, wanting to comfort him.
"Naomi," he said again, the sweat beading on his forehead.
He'd looked terrified. "I only did what I thought was
right." His lips were blue. She'd wanted to comfort him.
She'd held him in her arms and tried to soothe him. But
nothing had helped ease his torment.
Even now, after fifteen years, the grief rose up in her
again, renewed by Mahlon's untimely death, just as her
grief had been renewed and deepened last year when Kilion
died. There was no escaping the pain, no hiding from it,
no pushing it down deep inside her anymore. She remembered
everything so acutely, especially her unanswered prayers.
She'd prayed so hard that God wouldn't take her husband
from her, prayed that God would have mercy upon him, and
kept praying even as she watched the light ebb from
Elimelech's eyes. Then she prayed for mercy and saw death
take him.
Her sons had buried their father among Moabites. At first,
she could scarcely believe Elimelech was gone. She kept
thinking she would awaken from this nightmare and he would
be there, complaining as always. When full realization had
sunk in that she would never see him again, she had become
angry with him. But that, too, passed. She had been too
busy helping her sons put food on the table.
It had been fifteen years since Elimelech died, and still
the grief would rise up unexpectedly. It was never as
sharp as those first weeks, but it never fully dulled. She
had thought the pain of losing her husband was the
greatest of all, but that was before she had lost sons.
Now, she was drowning in a sea of sorrow.
She couldn't even pray anymore. She had always had a
glimmer of hope and a sense of God's presence. Now she
felt God was beyond reach, His mercy not meant for her.
All her prayers were like smoke blown away by an angry
wind. Every one of them. Perhaps Elimelech had been right
after all. God was standing far off, watching her suffer.
God, where are You? How do I find You?
She wanted to defend herself against His judgment. Hadn't
she pleaded with her husband to stay in Bethlehem? Hadn't
she begged him to trust in God? Hadn't she prayed that God
would change Elimelech's mind and they would go home?
Hadn't she wanted to return to Bethlehem when Elimelech
died? When God had taken Elimelech, hadn't she tried
desperately to convince her sons that they should go back
to the land God had promised them? But Mahlon and Kilion
had been old enough by then to decide for themselves.
"What is there for us, Mother? This is our home."
Their hearts had been turned away from God and the
Promised Land years ago. Their home in Bethlehem was
nothing more than a bad memory to them, a place of
hardship and heartache. Their father had never said a good
word about it. Why should her sons want to return? They
knew little of Hebrew customs and laws, for Elimelech had
neglected his duties. He'd never taught his sons the
history of the Israelites, the Law of Moses, the way of
righteousness. Her sons had watched how Elimelech lived
and done as he had done. When their father died, they
listened to the elders of Kir-hareseth. They listened to
the priests of Chemosh. They listened to their own desires
and thoughts and did as they pleased, even unto taking
Moabite wives for themselves. Oh, the grief her sons had
caused her!
Nothing she had said to them had mattered. They loved her,
but she was just a woman. What did she know? So they said.
So they'd been taught to believe by their father before
them.
Naomi looked at her daughters-in-law sleeping nearby. How
strange that they were her only consolation now, these
young women she'd grieved over when first she heard about
them. Foreign wives! The shame of Israel! Oh, how she had
despaired. Yet she'd managed to put on a smiling face when
Mahlon brought Ruth home, and Kilion brought Orpah. What
else could she do? She could not bring herself to risk
losing the love of her sons. And she'd hoped to have some
small influence upon their young wives.
Now they were widows like her, and as dear to her as if
they had come from her own womb. Nothing brings people
closer together than shared suffering. She remembered in
the beginning, she had accepted them and tried to build a
relationship with each of them in order to keep peace in
her house. And secretly, she'd prayed that Ruth's and
Orpah's hearts would be softened toward the God of Israel.
If she could teach them about the Lord, perhaps there
would be hope for the next generation. But now her last
hope for the future was lost.
A sudden fever had taken Kilion last spring. Then a
lingering illness had brought Mahlon down. Kilion had died
in the space of a few days, suffering little discomfort,
but poor Mahlon had received no such mercy. When he fell
ill, the suffering went on and on. She could do nothing
but watch her eldest son, the firstfruit of Elimelech, be
eaten alive by disease. She'd prayed countless times for
God to ease his suffering, for God to put all the sins of
her husband and sons upon her, but the days wore on and
on. Poor Ruth, poor faithful, loving Ruth. How many nights
had the girl sought to ease Mahlon's pain and ended up
weeping over her helplessness? Sometimes Naomi wished she
could escape the city and run out into the fields and
scream and tear her hair and throw dust over herself. She
had wept when Mahlon looked up at her with the eyes of a
wounded animal in agony, hounded by terror.
Her own grief had almost consumed her during those long,
terrible months, but she had spoken to Mahlon often and
gently of the mercy of the Lord. Mercy! her heart had
cried within her. Mercy! Lord God, mercy! While Ruth had
ministered to her husband's physical needs, Naomi sat by
and told him about the signs and wonders God had performed
in Egypt and in the wilderness, and in the land of Canaan.
He couldn't resist her now, but was he ready to repent and
seek the Lord? She told Mahlon how God had delivered the
Israelites from Egypt, not because they deserved it, but
because He had chosen them to be His people. She told him
about Moses and the Law and how the people were stubborn
like Elimelech and rebelled. She told him about the
blessings and the cursings. And she told him about the
promises. When he slept, she bowed her head and prayed.
Oh, Lord, Lord ... She couldn't find the words. Oh, Lord,
search my heart... . She prayed and prayed and prayed.
And still Mahlon had died.
Ruth had been sitting with him and holding his hand when
he died. She let out a long, anguished cry when he stopped
breathing, then wailed and covered her head.
Had it been only twenty-two days ago?
Orpah had tried to comfort her and Ruth by saying Mahlon
would be at peace now; his pain was over. Naomi wanted to
believe these words, but they seemed hollow, without
foundation. What did Orpah know of God?
Naomi's sorrow was so deep that she felt paralyzed by it.
All she could do was wait for the sun to rise so she could
go on sitting in this dusty, dank corner and listening to
the rush of people going past her door. How dare life go
on as it always had, when her sons were dead! She resented
the laughter of neighbors outside her door. She was
embittered by the changeless activity. Were her loved ones
so unimportant they might have been mere grains of sand
cast into the Dead Sea, leaving hardly a ripple? Only
Orpah and Ruth shared her anguish.
Naomi hated Moab and Kir-hareseth more with each day that
passed. She hated these foreign people. And she hated
herself for hating them. It wasn't their fault Elimelech,
Kilion, and Mahlon had taken up ways displeasing to God.
Men decide their own path, but it is God who judges, God
who prevails.
The sun rose, and Naomi wished she could close her eyes
and die. Instead, she found herself alive and aware of
what was going on around her. She could hear Orpah and
Ruth weeping together and talking in soft voices so they
wouldn't disturb her. She ate when they asked her to do so
and lay down when they pleaded with her to rest. But she
felt lost and angry and hopeless and afraid.
She wallowed in memories, thinking back over the early
years of marriage with Elimelech. Oh, how they'd laughed
together and dreamed of a fine future brought by hard work
and dedication to the land. Naomi, his merry one, he'd
called her. She remembered the joy when she found she was
with child, the anticipation, the celebration when a son
was born—first one, then another. She had sustained them
with her body, nursing them until they were able to walk.
She had rejoiced in their childish exuberance, laughed at
their antics, relished their presence. Life had been full
then. She'd felt God's presence in every blessing.
What do I have now? Nothing! I will never know joy again.
Things had been bad in Bethlehem, but everything got worse
when they left. She'd tried—and failed—to have influence
over Elimelech. She had wanted to raise her sons in the
ways of the Lord, but Elimelech felt the Laws of Moses
were too rigid, too intolerant. "Our way is not the only
way, Naomi. Look around you and see how the Moabites
prosper. Those in Bethlehem are still reduced to scraping
out a living from the earth." In her heart, she'd known
Elimelech was rejecting God, but she could never find the
words to convince him he must turn back.
Is that why I'm being punished? Should I have been more
determined in reasoning with Elimelech? Should I have gone
to the elders for help instead of being too ashamed to
admit what was happening in my home? Should I have gone to
his brothers? I should have found someone he respected who
might have been able to dissuade him from leaving the land
God gave us! Perhaps if I'd refused to leave Bethlehem,
everything would have turned out differently. Perhaps if
we'd stayed, my husband and sons would still be alive.
How she tormented herself wondering if she could have done
things differently, worrying that she had failed those she
loved so much.
Oh, why didn't I teach Kilion and Mahlon the importance of
the Law? I should have been a better mother. I should have
made them sit down and listen. I should have worried less
about losing their love and more about losing their souls.
And now I've lost them forever. I've lost my sons ... oh,
my sons, my sons ...
She didn't speak the words aloud, but she was scourged
with self-recriminations day after day and night after
night.
Father, forgive me. I was weak. I was foolish. I took the
easy way and followed Elimelech because I wanted peace in
our family. I didn't want to be a contentious wife. I
wanted to support him in his endeavors. I wanted to be his
helpmate. But You warned us of the cursings to come if we
were unfaithful. Oh, Father, I wanted to be faithful. I
tried to be faithful. Every day, I felt torn, my husband
on one side and You on the other. I didn't know what else
to do but pray in silence and hope in secret and walk
alongside Elimelech and then my sons. I hoped and prayed
every day they would come to their senses and we'd go home
to the land You gave us. Oh, God, I've prayed and prayed
all these years, and not one prayer has been answered. My
husband is dead. My sons are dead! You have stripped me
bare! You have poured me out! Who is left but You, Father?
What do I have to cling to now but You?
She rocked back and forth, moaning.
Ruth rose and put her arms around her. "Mother, I'll take
care of you." The girl's tenderness broke Naomi's heart.
She wept in her daughter-in-law's arms, allowing herself
to be held and rocked like a baby. But it was no comfort,
for other thoughts rushed into her tortured mind and made
her cry all the harder.
There would be no children to carry on the names of her
sons. It would be as though they never lived at all. Their
names will go down into the dust along with them. No
children ... there will be no children ...
————————————————————————————————————————
Seventy days passed before Naomi went outside the door of
her small house. The sunlight hurt her eyes. She was weak
from grieving, having wept enough tears to fill a cistern,
and it was time to stop. Crying would not bring the dead
back to life. She must think of the living. Ruth and Orpah
were young women, too young to spend the rest of their
lives mourning over Mahlon and Kilion, or taking care of
an old woman whose life was over.
She sat on the stool outside her door and watched someone
else's children. They raced down the street, their
laughter echoing back as they rounded a corner. Children
were life, and hers were no more. But there was still a
chance for her daughters-in-law, if she did what she knew
she must.
If she remained in Kir-hareseth, Ruth and Orpah would
continue to live with her. They would spend their youth
looking after the mother of their dead husbands. How could
she allow these sweet girls to waste their lives on her?
She loved them too much to continue to see them begging
for a handful of grain from strangers or living off
charity from friends and relatives. But if she left Kir-
hareseth and Moab, her daughters-in-law could return to
their families, who would welcome them. Naomi had no doubt
their fathers would find husbands for them quickly, for
they were young and beautiful. Then Ruth and Orpah would
have the joy of children. Naomi wanted that for them more
than anything.
As for her, she wanted to go home to Bethlehem. She didn't
know if any of her relatives or friends remained there or
had survived the famine, but she had heard that the famine
had finally ended. Perhaps the Midianite raids had also
come to an end. Even so, what did it matter? She longed to
go home, and she was willing to accept whatever she found
when she reached Bethlehem. If she must be reduced to
spending her last years as a beggar, so be it. At least
she would feel the Promised Land beneath her feet again.
At least she would be where others worshiped God as she
did.
Oh, Lord, make it be so. Bring me safely home before I
die. Oh, Father, have mercy on me, for I'm alone and in
deep distress. My problems go from bad to worse. And I
want to do what's right in Your eyes. Help me!
Neighbors greeted her as they passed by. She smiled and
nodded her head while her mind raced on. Why am I sitting
here? Am I waiting for God to speak to me audibly as He
did to Moses? Who am I that God would speak in such a
manner? Do I expect Him to write a letter to me on that
wall over there telling me what to do? I know what I must
do! I will repent and return to my homeland.
Naomi put her hands on her knees and pushed herself up.
Lowering her shawl to her shoulders, she went back into
her house. Ruth was kneeling, flattening bread dough and
laying it over the metal stove, while Orpah was mending a
garment. Both young women glanced up and smiled at her.
She paused, gazing between them, trying to find words to
explain, and failing. She turned away and began gathering
her few things.
Ruth rose. "What are you doing, Mother?"
"I'm packing."
"Packing?" Orpah said. "But where are you going?"
"I'm going home."
————————————————————————————————————————
Naomi had known that Ruth and Orpah would insist on
accompanying her to Bethlehem. Impetuous youth. She didn't
argue with them; she knew they would soon understand the
immensity of leaving Moab and their families behind. She
was sure they would be ready to go home again by the time
they reached the Arnon River. It would be far easier to
dissuade them at the boundary of their country than to
waste her breath arguing with them now. She would enjoy
their company awhile longer and then send them home. She
didn't want to ponder the fact that she would never see
them again after they left her. She would never forget
them, and she would pray for them every day for as long as
she lived.
As they prepared to leave the house, Naomi wondered if
they would even make it down the hill with all the things
Orpah had decided to bring. The poor girl. She couldn't
bear to leave anything behind. She was loaded down with
everything she had accumulated during her marriage to
Kilion, including a small stool. Orpah moaned in
distress. "Oh, I wish we could bring the table and rug ..."
Ruth, on the other hand, had only a pack full of colorful
sashes she'd made, a skin of water, and enough grain and
raisin cakes to last for several days. "Where are the rest
of your things, Ruth?" Naomi asked her.
"I have all I need. Let me carry the cooking pan, Mother.
It's too heavy for you. We'll travel farther today if I
carry it."
Naomi had spoken to the family next door, telling them
Orpah and Ruth would be returning in a day or two. She
wanted to be sure no one bothered what was left in the
house. When the young women returned to Kir-hareseth, they
could sell everything, including the house, and split
whatever came of it. Naomi didn't care about any of the
belongings she was leaving behind. She preferred the plain
things of her people to the finery of the Moabites,
Philistines, and Egyptians. It was Elimelech who had
placed such importance on the gifts he gave her, and they
would be out of place in Bethlehem.
She suspected that Ruth would give everything to Orpah.
Dear Ruth—she had such a generous heart, not to mention a
wealthy father who would want her to return to his house.
Naomi knew him well enough to suspect that he already had
another husband in mind for Ruth, a rich merchant's son or
an official in the king's court. Her heart sank at the
thought of Ruth married to someone other than her son.
Curious ... the same wasn't true of Orpah.
Perhaps it was because Ruth had responded to her teachings
about the true God. How Naomi had rejoiced as she watched
the slow budding of the girl's faith.
"Did you see your father and mother yesterday, Ruth?"
Ruth shook her head.
"Why not? They should know you're leaving the city."
"They will know that I'm with you."
"Do they know I'm going back to Bethlehem?"
"My mother said you would, and I told her that even if you
did, I belong with my husband's family."
Naomi said no more about it. She started off, carrying
only a small sack of parched grain, a skin of water, and a
leather bag in which was a sandalwood box containing
crystals of frankincense. She would give it to the priest
when she reached Bethlehem, an offering for the Lord.
She felt a sense of relief as she walked through the gates
of Kir-hareseth and saw the road before her. Whatever
hardships came, at least she was on her way back to
Canaan. She didn't look back. Orpah did look back, weeping
softly, but Ruth merely smiled and gazed off toward the
King's Highway to the Dead Sea. "It's a good day to begin
our journey, Mother."
The day wore on and the sun rose, hot and oppressive.
Naomi felt despair creeping into her heart. Soon she would
say good-bye to these daughters. Lord, give me the
strength to place their needs ahead of my fear of being
alone. Father, bless them for their kindness to me. Take
them safely home, and give me the courage to go on alone.
At midday they stopped to rest beneath a terebinth tree.
Naomi accepted the raisin cake and cup of water Ruth
offered, but Orpah declined food. She was quiet, her eyes
downcast. Ruth sat down and wiped the perspiration from
her face. She looked weary but was more concerned about
her sister-in-law than herself. "Are you not feeling well,
Orpah?"
"I'll be all right after a rest."
Naomi knew what was wrong, but the knowledge gave her no
satisfaction. She must send them back now. There was still
time enough for them to be safely back inside the city
walls before nightfall. She finished eating quickly and
rose, lifting to her own back the bundle Ruth had insisted
upon carrying to this point.
"What are you doing?" Ruth said, rising as well.
"I'm going on alone."
"No, Mother!"
Orpah came to her feet and joined Ruth in protest, weeping
profusely. "Don't go! Please don't go."
Naomi's heart broke, but she knew she must remain
firm. "Go back to your mothers' homes instead of coming
with me. And may the Lord reward you for your kindness to
your husbands and to me. May the Lord bless you with the
security of another marriage."
Ruth wept. "No." She shook her head. "No, no ..." She
stepped forward. "We want to go with you to your people."
"Why should you go on with me?" Naomi said, striving and
failing to keep her voice from becoming strident with
restrained emotion. "Can I still give birth to other sons
who could grow up to be your husbands? No, my daughters,
return to your parents' homes, for I am too old to marry
again. And even if it were possible, and I were to get
married tonight and bear sons, then what? Would you wait
for them to grow up and refuse to marry someone else? No,
of course not, my daughters! Things are far more bitter
for me than for you, because the Lord Himself has caused
me to suffer."
Ruth and Orpah wept harder. Orpah embraced her. "I shall
never forget you, Naomi. May you have a safe journey home."
"Nor I you," Naomi said and kissed her. "And a safe
journey to you as well!"
Orpah took up her bundles and started back toward Kir-
hareseth. She paused after a little way and looked back,
perplexed. "Aren't you coming, Ruth?"
"No." Ruth shook her head, her eyes awash with tears. "I'm
going with Mother."
Orpah dropped her things and ran back to embrace her. "Are
you certain, my sister?"
"Never more certain."
"Please ..."
"No. Go back without me. I will go on with Naomi."
With one last look back, Orpah started off again. Naomi
watched Orpah walk quickly away and then looked at Ruth.
She stretched out her hand and pointed toward Kir-
hareseth. "See. Your sister-in-law has gone back to her
people and to her gods. You should do the same."
Tears slipped down Ruth's face, but she didn't
move. "Don't ask me to leave you and turn back, for I
won't."
"But how can I not tell you to go?" Naomi came
closer. "You heard what I said, Ruth. Should I take you
back to Bethlehem with me so you can have the same bitter
existence I'll have? Should you grow old without a husband
and children? Go after Orpah! Return to your mother and
father!"
"No," Ruth said, weeping. "I won't leave you. Make me your
proselyte."
Naomi's heart squeezed tight. "Oh, my sweet one, think of
what you're saying. The lives of my people are not as easy
as what you've known. We're commanded to keep sabbaths and
holy days, on which we may not travel more than two
thousand cubits."
"I will go wherever you go."
Naomi knew she must speak the truth, even if it hurt
Ruth's feelings. "We're commanded not to spend the night
with Gentiles."
"I will live wherever you live."
"We're commanded to keep over six hundred precepts!"
"Whatever your people keep I will keep, Mother, for your
people will be my people."
Naomi kept on. "We are forbidden to worship any strange
god. Chemosh is an abomination!"
"Your God will be my God."
Naomi spread her hands. "We have four sorts of deaths for
malefactors, Ruth: stoning, burning, strangling, and
slaying with the sword. Reconsider your words!" When Ruth
said nothing, she went on, beseeching Ruth to see the many
ways their people were different. "Our people are buried
in houses of sepulchre."
"Then let it be so for me as well, Mother." Falling to her
knees, Ruth wrapped her arms around Naomi's waist. "I will
die where you die and will be buried there." When Naomi
tried to press her back, Ruth clung more tightly. "And may
the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death
to separate us!"
Weeping now, Naomi placed her hands on Ruth's head and
stroked her hair. Naomi looked up at the heavens. She had
never hoped for this, never expected that this young
Moabitess would be willing to give up everything in order
to go with her. She looked down again, stroking Ruth's
head absently. "You will never see your mother and father
and brothers and sisters again, Ruth. Do you realize that?"
"Yes." Ruth raised her head. Her face was streaked with
tears.
"Your life will be easier if you return."
"Oh, Naomi, how can I go back to my old life when you hold
the words of truth?" Her arms tightened again as she began
to sob. "Please don't plead with me to leave you. Don't
lead me into temptation. I'm going with you!"
Your God will be my God.
How could Naomi say no to such words? Hadn't she prayed
that Ruth's heart would be softened toward the God of
Israel? One prayer had been answered, one prayer among
thousands. "Be at ease," she said gently and loosened
Ruth's arms from around her waist. Cupping Ruth's face,
she smiled down at her. She smoothed away Ruth's
tears. "As God wills. Whatever comes, we'll face together."
Ruth's eyes shone as she smiled in relief. "I will heed
your every word, for I know you'll teach me what I need to
know."
"Everything I learned at my mother's knee I will make
known to you. All I have is yours. I give it to you with
pleasure." For Naomi knew now there was more than marriage
to her son that had grafted this girl into her life and
heart. And now she would pray that Ruth would be grafted
in among her people as well.
You have not forgotten me, Lord. You knew I couldn't make
it home alone. You have not abandoned me.
"Come," Naomi said, taking Ruth's hand and helping her
up. "We must make a long journey before we reach home."
————————————————————————————————————————
Ruth didn't dwell on what hardships she and Naomi might
encounter when they reached Bethlehem. Each day of travel
was enough trouble to bear without fearing what might come
when they reached their destination. Ruth had lived in
fear all during the months of Mahlon's illness, and it had
accomplished nothing. She'd loved her husband, but she
couldn't save him. All her efforts to make him better had
failed, and the fear of losing him hadn't prevented death
from coming anyway. Nor had fear helped her face the
difficulties of surviving without a man to provide for the
household. After Mahlon's death, she decided she would
never again allow her mind to dwell on things beyond her
control. The future was one of these things. She would
face whatever came and do the best with whatever life God
gave her.
Naomi often comforted her without even realizing it. "The
Lord will take care of us," she'd said last night, and
Ruth had lain awake on the hard earth, staring up at the
stars and thinking about those words. The Lord will take
care of us. After all Naomi had suffered, she still clung
to her faith. Ruth was comforted by Naomi's strength. The
Lord will take care of us. She chose to believe it because
her mother-in-law said it was true.
From the time she had entered Mahlon's home, Ruth had
known there was something different about Naomi. First
there was the outward sign: her clothing. Even after years
of living among the Moabites, her mother-in-law continued
to dress as a Hebrew. She didn't do so with an air of
pride, as though she was better than those living around
her. It was simply who she was. Ruth had also seen her
deep faith in God. At first, she'd worried that Naomi's
long silences meant she didn't like Mahlon's choice of a
wife. But Mahlon had said that wasn't so.
"She's just praying," Mahlon told her with a shrug. "She's
done it for as long as I can remember. Don't let it upset
you. It doesn't do any harm. Just ignore her."
But Ruth hadn't ignored her mother-in-law. She could see
that prayer meant a great deal to Naomi, and Ruth wanted
to understand more about it. So she had surreptitiously
watched Naomi. Sometimes her mother-in-law would look so
peaceful when she talked to her god, and at other times,
anguished. Every morning, often at midday, and always
during the evening hours, Naomi would draw her shawl over
her head, sit in the corner of the house, and become still
and quiet. Ruth asked her once what she prayed about, and
Naomi had smiled and said, "Everything." Her eyes had
grown sad. "Mostly about my sons." She'd reached out and
put her hand over Ruth's, her eyes softening. "And my
daughters."
The kind words had brought tears to Ruth's eyes. Naomi's
good opinion had mattered very much, for Ruth admired her
greatly. Naomi was kind and pleasant, fair in her division
of chores, and she always worked as hard as everyone else.
She loved both of her sons deeply and equally, and despite
their cultural differences, she embraced Ruth and Orpah as
daughters. Love seemed to be a gift Naomi had in
abundance. And though Mahlon seemed unimpressed, Ruth
sensed a deep, abiding knowledge and wisdom in her mother-
in-law, knowledge and wisdom she longed to share.
Yet Ruth sensed her sorrow as well. Naomi was never quite
settled in Kir-hareseth, never quite at ease with the
world around her. It had to do with her God. Ruth had been
afraid to approach Naomi and talk with her about it. So
she approached her husband instead.
Mahlon had never had much to say about the God of his
people. In fact, he seemed to know very little about
him. "Why are you so interested in God?"
"Shouldn't I be able to teach your sons about him?"
"Teach them about Chemosh if it pleases you. It doesn't
matter to me. I'm sure my mother will teach them about
Yahweh. The important thing is for them to be tolerant of
all religions. That's the only way they're going to
succeed in Kir-hareseth."
In Mahlon's eyes, one god was no better than any other,
but Naomi could not compromise. She was respectful, never
disdaining others' beliefs, but she held to her faith in
Yahweh with quiet tenacity.
Ruth looked at her mother-in-law now, curled on her side,
her head resting on a stone for a pillow. She'd fallen
asleep within minutes after eating the bread Ruth prepared
for her. The sun was down and the air was cooling quickly.
Ruth rose and carefully draped her shawl over Naomi. The
journey was already very difficult for her mother-in-law.
She had eaten very little during the weeks following
Mahlon's death. Ruth had feared that Naomi would waste
away in grief. So she had prepared savory stews in an
effort to entice her mother-in-law's appetite. Now it was
the physical exhaustion that dampened Naomi's appetite.
She was so tired after walking all day, she could barely
keep her eyes open long enough to eat anything. It was
strange, but Ruth felt as though they had traded
positions. Naomi had become the child, and she the caring
mother. "But I don't mind," she whispered, leaning down to
kiss Naomi's cheek. She smoothed the tendrils of black
hair back from her mother-in-law's sunburned brow.
Ruth rose and hugged her arms close to her body, shivering
slightly. Mount Nebo stood in the distance. Naomi had told
her this morning that Moses had gone up onto that mountain
and died there after putting Joshua in charge of God's
people. They had crossed the Jordan River soon afterward
and claimed Canaan. She loved it when Naomi talked about
what God had done for the Hebrews. She felt a strange
stirring within her as she learned of His mighty feats and
His unfailing love.
She closed her eyes and lifted her face to the
heavens. "Lord, help me to take care of your servant
Naomi," she whispered. "It's because of her that I've come
to believe in You. Please guide our steps and bring us
safely home to Bethlehem. And, Lord, if it isn't too much
to ask, let there be old friends to greet Naomi upon her
return, people who loved her in days gone by and will
continue to love her in the difficult days ahead."