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"Yes, Grandma", he replied, "I'm fine, but I've been lying here awake
thinking about many things. Please stay and tell me a story!" ,
I sat on the edge of his bed and said, "I'll be happy to tell you a
story, David. What kind do you want to hear?"
David pondered the idea carefully for a few moments and then got up on
his elbow and said, "Tell me about the things you did when you were
five years old like I am."
I smiled at him and answered, "Those were certainly happy days, David,
and I'll try to make my story interesting for you. I did not always
live in Bethlehem as you have, but I grew up in the land of Moab. One
day my parents were very excited to learn that some new people had
just moved into our small town.. It was a family of four, consisting
of a father and mother and two boys who were just about my age. They
were Jews who had left their home because of a great food shortage in
the land of Israel. The boys and I became good friends, and after five
years their father died. Their mother was a wonderful woman by the
name of naomi. She took care of her two sons, and when they were
grown, they married women in our town. In fact, David, I was one of
the two, and my friend Orpah was the other. We were happily married
for ten years, and then something dreadful happened ... both of our
husbands died very suddenly!"
David sat up straight and interrupted, "Oh, Grandma, that's a very sad
story!"
I reached over to straighten his bedding again and then I said, "Don't
feel badly,
David. The Lord always has a very good reason for allowing things like
that to happen."
He snuggled back down under the covers and said quietly, "What
happened after that. Grandma?"
I continued, "My mother-in-law, Naomi, had no one left to care for
except Orpah and me, and when she heard that the famine had ended in
Israel, she made plans to return to her home again."
"Naomi embraced us both and said very kindly, 'Orpah and Ruth, you
have both been such a comfort to me through the years, but I can't ask
you to leave Moab and go to Israel with me. I still own some nice
property in Bethlehem that belonged to my husband, and I'm sure a few
of our relatives are still living there.'"
"When we heard that Naomi was planning to leave us, we were both very
sad, and we clung to her and said, 'We will go to Israel with you,
Naomi!'"
"Naomi answered us and said, 1 have no more sons for you to marry, and
you are both still young and attractive. There must be some fine,
eligible men here in Moab who would be happy to have you as their
wives! "'
"When Orpah heard that, she kissed Naomi and went back to her own
family again, but I stayed and pleaded with my mother-in-law to let me
go with her."
"She said, 'Ruth, follow your sister-in-law's example. She has gone
back to her own people and to her gods. You should go too!"'
"I replied, 1 rejected the gods of my people many years ago! The Lord
God of
Israel whom you worship is my God now, and where He leads you, I will
go also."'
"After she heard that, Naomi agreed to take me with her to Bethlehem."
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"...INTREAT
ME NOT TO LEAVE THEE OR TO RETURN FROM FOLLOWING AFTER THEE, FOR
WHITHER THOU GOEST I WILL GO; AND WHERE THOU LOGEST, I WILL
LODGE; THY PEOPLE SHALL BE MY PEOPLE, AND THY GOD MY GOD."
Ruth 1:16 |
CHAPTER 2
"The people in Bethlehem who had known Naomi years ago were very
surprised to see her, and they said, 'Can this really be you, Naomi?'"
"She answered, I'm not the same person you remember. Now I am full of
bitterness and sadness because my husband and both of my sons died in
the land of Moab. However, the one joy in my life is this very
beautiful daughter-in-law with whom I have been blessed by the Lord!
'"
David reached up and gave me a big hug as he declared, "You are still
very beautiful. Grandma!"
"I gently tucked his arms back under the blankets again and then
continued my story.
"Naomi was eager to find a husband for me, and she suddenly remembered
that her husband had a wealthy relative who had a son by the name of
Boaz. She began to plan how we might meet."
"When we arrived in Bethlehem, it was the time of barley harvest, and
it was customary in those days for the poor of the land to be allowed
to gather grain left for them in the comers of the fields. Picking up
the fallen grain was called 'gleaning'"
"Naomi sent me to the field which she knew belonged to Boaz, and when
he came from the city to see how his workmen were handling the
harvesting, he glanced my way. Our eyes met for a moment, and a young
woman working near me noticed our exchange of glances. She said to me,
"That's Boaz, the owner of this property."'
"I saw Boaz talking with one of his men, and shortly afterward, the
man approached me and said that Boaz wished to speak with me."
"Boaz was a tall, attractive man, and as he looked at me. I was a
little embarrassed. I dropped my head slightly to show my respect for
him and then I said shyly, 'Why do you show special favor to me? I am
a stranger in your land.'"
"He replied, I've been told how you left your home in Moab with Naomi
and that you came here with her to care for her. You knew nothing
about our people or our God, but you have put your faith in the Lord
God of Israel, and He will surely reward you for your faithfulness!"'
"Then I answered, 'Sir, I am very grateful for your generosity, and I
sincerely appreciate your kind consideration of me!'"
"Boaz went on to say, 'When it is mealtime, please come and eat with
my workmen here, and when you are thirsty, you have my permission to
drink of the water which they have drawn for themselves. I have also
instructed my men that they are not to trouble you in any way."'
"Again, I thanked him, and as I walked away I heard Boaz tell some of
the men to be sure to leave enough grain for me to fill my sack. I was
overjoyed!"
"I gathered much barley that day and took it back to the barn to
winnow it. (that is, I had to beat it with a large pitchfork and let
the wind blow the chaff away)"
"My bag was overflowing with grain, and I went back to Naomi to
present it to her and tell her about the events of the day."
CHAPTER 3
"When Naomi heard about my experience that day, she was very excited
and exclaimed, "Thanks be unto the Lord who has graciously provided
food for us! As for Boaz, he is a close relative of my late husband!'"
"That's wonderful, I replied. He told me I could return every day
until the end of the harvest and work with his servants in the field."
"Naomi said, 'Ruth, we have a custom which I'm sure is unfamiliar to
you regarding property in Israel. Many years ago, the Lord gave each
tribe of the Children of Israel a portion of land that was to be kept
in their own family. The father in the family was the rightful owner
of the land, and when he died, his eldest son inherited it. If the son
died and left no son of his own, the man's widow could own the land.
The closest male relative of the father could marry the widow if he
wished to do so, and then he could purchase the land from her. After
that, the property would be inherited by their son, etc."'
"Then I answered Naomi and said, "That is certainly an interesting
custom. Do you mean to tell me I am the possessor of my late husband's
inheritance?"'
"Naomi nodded affirmatively and said, 'Yes„ Ruth. Your husband was our
eldest son, and since you are his widow and had no children, the
inheritance is yours. Boaz may want to marry you and purchase your
inheritance so that it can be passed on to your son, but we must find
out if he wants to do that.'"
"I said, I'll do exactly what you tell me to do, Naomi!"'
"Then Naomi told me her plan. I was to return that night to the field
without being seen and go to the threshing floor where Boaz and his
men were winnowing grain. Then I was to change my garments and go
where Boaz and his men were winnowing grain. I followed Naomi's
instructions very carefully."
"After the day's work was completed, Boaz and his servants chose a
spot in the barn where they would sleep that night. I watched them as
they put their bedrolls down to mark a place for themselves while it
was still daylight, and I noticed that Boaz had chosen a place at the
end of a heap of grain."
"The men had a fine meal before bedding down for the night, and when
they were fast asleep, I went in quietly and lay down at Boaz' feet. I
uncovered his feet carefully, and then I put the cover over my
shoulders."
"At midnight, Boaz woke up and was startled to find someone lying at
his feet! He said quietly, 'Who are you?'"
"I replied in a soft whisper, 1 am Ruth, your servant. If it pleases
you, put the flap of your robe over me, because you are a close
relative of naomi.'"
David interrupted again and questioned me, "Why would you say a thing
like that to Boaz? I don't understand!"
I explained, "It was the custom in those days for a widow such as me
to ask a close relative to marry her, and that was how the request was
made."
Then David heaved a big sigh and said, "What did the man do when he
heard you ask him to marry you. Grandma?"
"He whispered to me and said, 'The Lord's blessing upon you, Ruth!
Everyone in Bethlehem knows that you are a very virtuous woman and
that you did not come to Israel to find a rich husband. It is true
that I am a near relative of your deceased husband, but there is one
other unmarried man in the city more closely related to you than I am.
I will go to him in the morning and ask him if he wants to do the duty
of a kinsman toward you. If he refuses, I will do it. Now, just stay
right here until dawn, and don't let any of my men see you lying at my
feet! When you are ready to leave in the morning, spread your apron,
and I will fill it with barley for Naomi. '"
"Naomi was very pleased when I told her all the wonderful things Boaz
had said to me, and she was also very grateful for the barley I
brought to her."
"Then Naomi said, 'Now we'll just wait to see what Boaz will do. I
know he won't rest until the matter of the kinsman is resolved!"
CHAPTER 4
"Early the next morning, Boaz went to the city gate and stood where he
knew the man of whom he spoke would appear. When Boaz saw the man, he
hailed him and said, Hello there, friend! Sit here awhile and talk:
with me ... I have something of importance to discuss with you."'
"The man greeted Boaz and sat down beside him outside the gate. Then
Boaz invited ten men from the city who stood nearby to join them. When
they were all seated comfortably, Boaz turned to his friend and said
'Have you heard that Naomi, our dead uncle's wife, is back in
Bethlehem again? She wants to sell the parcel of land that was her
husband's. Their eldest son married a Moabite woman and had no son by
her, so I wanted to give you, the nearest blood relative, the first
opportunity to purchase the land for yourself. If you don't want to
redeem the land, tell me, because I am the next eligible one to redeem
it.'"
"The man responded very quickly and said, 1 will redeem it!"
"Boaz went on to say, 'Wait ... there is one more thing I must tell
you. The day you redeem the inheritance from the widow, you are
obligated to marry Ruth, the Moabite woman. I'm sure you understand
that any son born from such a marriage would be given the inheritance
in order to keep the land in our uncle's family."'
"The man looked shocked and then said, 'What? I can't do that without
destroying my own inheritance! I will not redeem my uncle's land.'
Then he took off his shoe and handed it to Boaz and said, 'Buy it for
yourself, Boaz."'
Once again David raised himself up on his elbow and exclaimed, "That's
sure a funny thing for him to do, isn't it. Grandma?"
I replied, "It does sound strange, David, but that's the way people
transferred their right of ownership of property in those days."
David fell back on his pillow and said, "Oh ... I see."
"After Boaz accepted the shoe, he looked about him and said to the
men, 'You men are witnessing today that I have bought all that
belonged to our uncle and also to his son as well. Furthermore, I am
declaring before of you that I will take Ruth to be my wife. Her
deceased husband's inheritance will be passed on to our son as the law
states.''
"The men replied, 'Boaz, we have witnessed all you have declared to us
this day. May you and Ruth have a wonderful life together! "'
By this time, I noticed that David's eyes were getting very heavy, so
I kissed his forehead gently and quietly slipped out of the room.
In our wildest dreams, neither David nor I had any idea that
twenty-five years later, this wonderful, curly-haired, great-grandson
of mine would become Israel's greatest king! DAVID ... "A MAN AFTER
GOD'S OWN HEART". (I Samuel 13:14b)
THE END
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