The story of Ruth and Na-o'mi and Bo'az which follows the book of Judges in our Bible is one of the gems of sacred literature,-so beautiful that it is unequaled in any writings of fiction or fact. The incidents related are among the most fascinating of the entire Bible. They took place sometime during the periods of Judges, and are in striking contrast to the irreverence, idolatry, tumults, and cruelties so common during that era.
With poetic beauty and simplicity, and moving to its happy ending with delightful directness and continuity, the story presents an entrancing picture of rural life in ancient Is'ra-el. It tells of the reverses and sorrows of a devout family, of the trials and hardships of poverty, of noble deeds by two heroic and beautiful women; and relates in a most charming manner stories of romance, marriage, and domestic happiness.
The first scene of this lovely story opens in the peaceful little town of Beth'le-hem in Ju'dah, later made famous as the home of David and the birthplace of Jesus. Living in the hill country near this town was a farmer whose name was E-lim'e-lech, with his wife named Na-o'mi, and two sons who were called Mah'lon and Chil'i-on. The town had been visited by a severe drought, the crops had failed, and there was a great famine in that part of the country. Pressed by poverty, E-lim'e-lech decided to take his family to the fertile plateaus of Mo'ab, across the Jor'dan and southeast of the lands of Reu'ben.
The scene changes, and we find the devout little family of four living among idolatrous people, surrounded by heathen altars, and with no neighbors who loved and served their God. Settled on a farm in their newly chosen home their material circumstances were greatly improved, but their religious loyalty and devotion were placed under great strain. These four noble Is'ra-el-ites, however, lived true to the faith of their fathers, withstood all temptations of idolatry, and, instead of being influenced by their neighbors to take part in the evils of Mo'ab, they led them to respect the True God and the religion of the Is'ra-el-ites. There soon grew between this He'brew family and the Mo'ab-ites a spirit of tolerance in religion, and of friendly regard in the common interests of life.
The happiness of the little family was soon disturbed by the coming of the Angel of death. E-lim'e-lech, the faithful husband and loving father, was called to his eternal home. Na-o'mi's heart was filled with unutterable grief, and the two boys were lonely and distressed. Because of the poverty to which they had been reduced by the famine in Ju'dah and the long journey which they had made, it was impossible for them to carry their dead back to their native land. Thus they were obliged to bury E-lim'e-lech's body in a strange land and among a strange people.
In the course of a few years Mah'lon and Chil'i-on married young women of Mo'ab; one was called Or'pah, and the others name was Ruth. Soon the family was visited with a double sorrow. Both of the young men died, and, instead of one lone widow cheered by two loyal sons and two devoted daughters-in-law, there were three heart-broken widows. What a tragic picture of grief and trial! A lonely widow, well advanced in years, far away from home, in a strange land and among strange people; two lonely widows, young and strong, their lives made more desolate because they had married outside their own race; and the loneliness of all three deepened because there were no children to comfort them.
Na-o'mi became strongly attached to her two daughters-in-law, and they both loved her very dearly. The three bereaved women lived together in perfect understanding and sympathy. No ill-feeling arose because of racial or religious differences. Na-o'mi's pious nature and upright conduct gradually turnt both Ruth and Or'pah toward the Jewish religion.
