The Pulpit Commentary — Ruth — Section 10

Section 2 (eh. i. 6-14). The widowed mother of the family, Naomi, resolved to return to Bethlehem. Section 3 (eh. i. 15-22). Ruth, her Moabitish daug-hter--in-law, attaches herself indissolubly to Nnomi; and the two widows, sadly reduced in circumstances, journey on foot to Bethlehem, which they reach at the commencement of the barley-harvest. Section 4 (eh. ii. 1-9). Ruth obtains permission from her mother-in-law to go out in quest of gleaning, and lighted on the fields of Boaz, a kinsman of her late husband. Boaz met her in the rear of his reapers, and took an instant interest in her. Section 5 ( eh. ii. 10-17). Ruth, profoundly affected by the ltindness of Boaz, received from him still greater attention and kindness, and gathered during the day about an epbah of barley. Section 6 ( eh. ii. 18-23). In the evening she returned with her precious load to her mother-in-law, who informed her of the kinship of Boaz, and poured out her heart in thanksgivings to God. Section 7 ( eh. iii. 1-18). At the close of the harvest, Naomi, having watched the growth of an attachment between Boaz and Ruth, adopted the principle of the Levirate law to effect their complete union in heart and band, and thus to secure a "rest" for her devoted daughter-in-law. The scheme was in all respects successful, and most agreeable to Boaz. Section 8 ( eh. iv. 1-12). As there were, however, some technical obstacles in the way of the union, Boaz took steps to have these honourably surmounted in the presence of the elders of the city, and he succeeded. Section 9 (eh. iv. 13-22). The bridal of Boaz and Ruth was consummated, and Obed was bom, the lineal descendant of Judah, and the grandfather of King David.  THE BOOK OF RUTH. EXPOSITION. and the discharge of their high duties was CH.APTER I. 1-5. denominated jwlging, even when it was Ver. 1.-Now it ea.me to pass. Or, more entirely inconspicuous as regards judicial literally, ".And it came to pass." The ability or judicious determinations. The ".And" is somewhat remarkable, standing Hebrew word for judge is t:l,;l~ shofet; and at the commencement of the Book. But . it is an interesting evidence of the very as it is also found at the commencement close kinship of Hebrew and Phrenician, of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Joshua, that in Carthage the chief magistrate, as Judges, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, we learn from Livy and other Roman writers, 2 Chronicles, Ezekiel, Esther, and Ezra, its • was called sufes (originally, as we see from use, though inartistic, must be amenable to the inflection, sufet). That there was e. some literary law. The Books specified, fa.mine. .An admirable though free render- even including Ezekiel, are historical They ing. In the original the structure of the are parcels of history, each narrating events whole statement is exceedingly primitive and that had their genesis in more or less sig- "agglutinative "-And (it) was in the days nificant antecedent occurrences. This his- of the judging of the judges, and (there) torical genesis, so very different from an was a famine. In the land. Namely, of "absolute commencement" of things, is Israel Tho non-specification of the parti- indicated, though probably in unreflective cular country referred to is evidence that spontaneity, by the copulative ".And." In the writer was living in it, as one at home. the de.ye when the judges ruled. Or, more Josephus says that it was under the judge- literally, "when the judges judged." In ship of Eli, the hi~h priest, that the fa.mine primitive times there was no function that spoken of occurreC1 (' .Antiquities,' v. 9, 1). was more important for society than that of But here the historian speaks " without judiciously settling disputes between man book," and without any particulo.r plausi- and mn.n. Every such settlement, besides bility. Several expositors, such as Bishop conferring e. benefit on society, and in par- Patrick, have antedated, by a very long ticular on the individuals at variance, would way, the calculation of Josephus. They increase the moral influence and social ele- would assign the famine to the period when vation of the judge. By and by his moral the Midianites and Amalekites came up, and social superiority would, in favourable "as grasshoppers for multitude, to destroy circumstances, grow into authority, speci- the land," so that Israel was greatly im- fically judicial on the one hand, and generi- poverished (see Judges vi.). But it is in vain cally political, or semi-political, on the other. to multiply guesses. The date of the famine When military proweijS and sk.ill in strategy is not given, and it is futile to make inqui- were added, a ruler, champion, or leader sition for it. And a certain man. The would be the result. Many such leaders interpolation of the individualising word rose up among the Hebrews ere yet society "certain" is quite uncalled for, ll.Ild now was compactly organised. They were vari- quite archaic, The simplicity of the original ously endowed ; but most of them were only is sufficient, ".And a man." Of Bethlehe,:n- very po.rtially equipped for the judicious judah. Or, as it might be still more literally administration of the affairs of the common- represented, "of Bethlehem, Judah." There ,realth. All, however, were called judges; is no such single name as Bethlehem-judab. RUTH. B  2 THE DOOK OF RUTH. [ell. I, 1-5,