Old Testament Scriptural
Summaries and Commentary
Ruth, 1 Samuel, chapters 1-2
Gospel Doctrine Class, Sunday
School Lesson 20 -
"All the City…Doth Know That
Thou Art a Virtuous Woman"
Book
reference, The Old Testament Made Easier,
Part 2, by David J. Ridges
Publisher,
Cedar Fort, Springville, Utah
The Book of Ruth
Finally, the scriptures lift the
gloom of the wicked and idolatrous apostasy cycle of the Israelites. The book of Ruth is an inspirational story of
two women who join together through love and loyalty to family and to God. The narrative takes place approximately 1250
– 1200 B. C. during the later period of the Judges (Ridges, pt. 2 p. 337).
Ruth 1 Naomi and her family leave Bethlehem and move
to Moab
Our story begins with a terrible
famine in Judah that lasted for several years.
A righteous man named Elimelech decides to take his wife Naomi and their
sons Mahlon and Chilion from their home in Bethlehem and go to Moab east of the
Dead Sea. (The Moabites
were descendants of Lot, Abraham’s brother’s son—distant relatives of the
Israelites.) Not too long after their arrival in Moab,
Elimelech dies and Naomi becomes a widow.
The family stays in Moab and her two sons marry two Moabite women, Orpah
and Ruth, “And they dwelled there about ten years” (v. 1:1-4).
Then, we are not told the
circumstances, but both Mahlon and Chilion die leaving only Naomi and her two
daughters-in-law. Naomi decides to
return to Judah where she hears that the famine has ended. And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law,
"Go, return each to her mother’s house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as
ye have dealt with the dead [their
husbands], and with me” (v. 1:8). Naomi
lamented to them, "…it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of
the LORD is gone out against me" (v. 1:13). [She blamed herself for their trials.] And Orpah left and returned to her people and
her gods but Ruth stayed with Naomi. Ruth
said to Naomi, “Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after
thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge:
thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God” (v. 1:16). So Naomi and Ruth return to Bethlehem at the
beginning of the barley harvest (v. 1:22).
Ruth 2 Ruth gleans grain in the fields of Boaz
With no means of support Ruth and
Naomi are allowed to glean in the fields for food. [When harvesting the grain, the stalks are cut and bound in bundles
called sheaves. The stalks that fall to
the ground are left there so the poor can glean or gather the leftovers on the
edges and in the fields for food.]
Naomi knows that Ruth needs to secure a husband and family in Bethlehem. “And Naomi had a kinsman [a relative] of her husband’s; a mighty
man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech [Naomi’s
husband] and his name was Boaz” (v. 2:1).
When Boaz came out to check on the harvest of his fields, he saw Ruth
and knew she was a stranger. When he
inquired of his servant about her, he was told "it is the Moabitish damsel
that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab." And the servant
told Boaz how she gleaned in the fields all day long for grain. When Boaz was kind to Ruth she said, “Why
have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me,
seeing I am a stranger?” (v. 2:10). And
Boaz said he knew of her kindness to Naomi and that she had left her own
country to come to a place where she was away from all her own people. And Boaz said, “The Lord recompense thy
work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose
wings thou are come to trust” (v. 2:12).
Boaz told the reapers to let some of the grain fall on purpose. And Ruth gleaned so much grain that Naomi was
very happy about her good fortune and that it was Boaz who had spoken to
her. Naomi told Ruth, “The man is near
of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen” (v. 2:20).
Ruth 3 Ruth and Boaz
Naomi knew that in Israel there
was a custom relating to the levirate law of marriage, which meant that a dead
man’s brother should marry the widow and raise a family to the dead man. [The
purpose was to insure the security of a widow who might be left without support.] And, if there was no brother, a more distant
male relative was required for this duty (see Deut. 25:5-10). So, Naomi instructed Ruth: “Wash thyself, and
anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee” (v. 3:3) and go to the threshing
floor where Boaz would be sleeping because the harvest was over and he stayed
there at night to guard his grain from thieves.
Naomi told Ruth to wait until after Boaz was asleep and then go in and
uncover his feet and lay down there by him.
And Ruth said, “All that thou sayest unto me I will do” (v. 3:5).
When Boaz awoke at midnight he
was startled to find a woman lying at his feet.
And he asked, “Who art thou?" And she answered, "I am Ruth
thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt [wing]
over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman” (v. 3:9). Boaz knew this meant that Ruth was asking him
to marry her and raise up children to her deceased husband as provided under
the Law of Moses. And he said, “…my
daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all thou requirest: for all the city
of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman” (v. 3:11). But the problem of a “nearer kinsman,”
unforeseen by Naomi, had to be solved before Boaz and Ruth could marry (v. 3:12).
Ruth 4 The “nearer kinsman” declines and Boaz
marries Ruth
As was the custom, the next day
Boaz went to the gate of the city and the other kinsman that Boaz spoke of came
and sat by him before the elders of the city (v. 4:2). Boaz said to the kinsman that since Naomi’s
husband and both sons were dead that the lands she owned should be purchased by
the next of kin. And, he pointed out,
that one of the dead sons left a widow who was a Moabite girl who would also
have to be taken as a wife by the person who was purchasing the land. The next kinsman declined the offer and said
to Boaz, “I cannot redeem it for myself: …redeem thou my right to thyself” (v. 4:6). “Buy it for thee." So he drew off his shoe (v. 4:8). [When
the nearer kinsman took off his shoe it meant that he agreed to the deal as
witnessed by the elders of the city.]
And so, Boaz had all the rights
as next kinsman to marry Ruth which he did.
Eventually Ruth and Boaz have a son whose name is Obed who was a joy to
Naomi (v. 4:16). In Obed the descendants of Lot (Abraham’s brother’s son, the
father of the Moabites) through Ruth, and the descendants of Abraham
through Boaz, an Israelite, came together.
And Obed’s son was Jesse, and Jesse’s son was David who was a direct
ancestor of Jesus Christ.
"In our
selection of heroes, let us nominate also heroines. First, that noble example
of fidelity—even Ruth. Sensing the grief-stricken heart of her mother-in-law,
who suffered the loss of each of her two fine sons, and feeling perhaps the
pangs of despair and loneliness which plagued the very soul of Naomi, Ruth
uttered what has become that classic statement of loyalty: “Intreat me not to
leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I
will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people,
and thy God my God.” (Ruth 1:16.) Ruth’s actions demonstrated the sincerity of
her words. There is place for her name in the Hall of Fame (Elder Thomas S. Monson, "My Personal Hall of Fame," Ensign, Nov. 1974, p. 108).
Samuel Books
1—2
The two
books of Samuel cover a period of approximately 130 years. Book one begins with the birth of Samuel and
book two ends with the death of David.
The writer/s of these books are unknown as is the exact time period that
they were written. “Most Bible scholars
agree that Samuel was born somewhere between 1100 B.C. and 1150 B.C.” (Ridges, pt. 2, p. 351).
The First
Book of Samuel also called The First Book of the Kings
1 Samuel Chapters
1 - 2 The Birth of Samuel/Eli's
Unrighteous Sons
At this time
of apostasy and wickedness in Israel Shiloh to make sacrifices and to worship the Lord. The scripture states, “And she [Hannah] was in bitterness of soul, and
prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore” (v. 1:10).
And she made a vow to the Lord saying, "O LORD of hosts, if thou
wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not
forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of
his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head” [he will be a Nazarite consecrated to the Lord] (v. 1:11).
Eli, the
high priest at the Tabernacle at this time, saw her moving her lips in silent
prayer and thought she was drunken. And
he said to her, "How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from
thee." She answered and said, “No my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful
spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my
soul before the LORD” (v. 1:15). Not
realizing the blessing he was giving, Eli said to her, “Go in peace; and the
God of Israel
When they
are back home in Ramah, "Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD
remembered her." Hannah conceives
and bears a son and calls him Samuel meaning “one asked of God” (v. 1:20). And she raises him until he is old enough to
be weaned; then she took young Samuel to Shiloh to “[lend him] to the Lord; as
long as he liveth;…And he worshipped the LORD there” [in the Tabernacle at Shiloh with Eli]
(v. 1:28).
Hannah is so
happy about the birth of Samuel she composes a song that praises the Lord
( 1 Samuel
2:1-10). "And the child did minister unto the LORD before Eli the
priest" (v. 2:11).
1 And
Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the Lord,
mine horn is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is enlarged over mine
enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.
2 There is none holy as the Lord:
for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like
our God.…
(1 Samuel 2:
1-2.)
6 The Lord killeth,
and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.
8 He raiseth up the poor out of the
dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to
set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of
glory: for the pillars of the earth are theLord’s,
and he hath set the world upon them.
9 He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall
be silentin darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.
10 The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to
pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them:
the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall
give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.
(1 Samuel
2:6-10.)
And Hannah has five more children—three sons
and two daughters "and the child Samuel grew before the LORD" (v. 2:21).
Now, Eli,
the high priest, has two immoral sons, called "sons of Belial" named Hophni
and Phinehas who stole from the sacrifices made by the Israelites and took
sexual advantage of women who came to door of the Tabernacle to worship (vv.
2:12-17, 22-26).
"The
term Belial means “worthless” or “wicked” (see Bible
Dictionary, “Belial,” 620). They were men of greed and lust. They used their
authority as priests to extort from the people the best of the meat brought
before them for sacrifice (see 1 Sam. 2:13–16). In essence they were
taking their portion before giving a portion to God! They were also committing
immoral acts with the women who gathered at the tabernacle (see 1 Sam.
2:22). Eli knew what they were doing, and when the people saw that the
priesthood at Shiloh was corrupt, they 'abhorred the offering of the Lord' (1
Sam. 2:17). What was a father to do?" (Ensign,
"Eli and His Sons," By Elder Paulo R. Grahl, Area Authority Seventy, June 2002.)
A man of God
comes to Eli and tells him that if his sons continue their corruption, he will
destroy both him and his sons in one day (vv. 2:27-34).
Ridges comments: "A man of God (we don't know who it was)
came to Eli and warned him to do something about his sons, telling him that he
was placing his wicked sons above the Lord in his priorities" (pt. 2 p.
353).
The man of God tells Eli, “I will raise me up a faithful priest that shall do according to that which is
in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall
walk before mine anointed for ever” (v. 2:35).
And that "faithful priest" is Samuel.
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