Bethlehem "the house of bread;" and Elimelech, unable, on account of the troubles in the west, to go for

relief either into Philistia or into Egypt, migrated beyond Jordan, and the reach of Israel's then enemies, to

"sojourn" in Moab.

There is no need to attempt excuses for this separation from his brethren and their fate on the part of

Elimelech, nor for his seeking rest among those hereditary enemies of Israel, outside Palestine, on whom a

special curse seems laid (Deuteronomy 23:6). We have only to mark the progress of this story to read in it

the judgment of God on this step. Of what befell the family in Moab, we know next to nothing. But this we

are emphatically told, that Elimelech died a stranger in the strange land. Presently Machlon and Chilion

married Moabite wives -Machlon, Ruth (Ruth 4:10); Chilion, Orpah.326

So other ten years passed. Then the two young men died, each childless, and Naomi was left desolate

indeed. Thus, as one has remarked: "The father had feared not to be able to live at home. But scarcely had

he arrived in the strange land when he died. Next, the sons sought to found a house in Moab; but their

house became their grave. Probably, they had wished not to return to Judah, at least till the famine had

ceased - and when it had ceased, they were no more. The father had gone away to have more, and to

provide for his family - and his widow was now left without either children or possession!" Similarly, we do

not feel it needful to attempt vindicating the marriage of these two Hebrew youths with Moabite wives. For

there really was no express command against such unions. The instances in Scripture (Judges 3:6; 1 Kings

11:1; Nehemiah 13:23), which are sometimes quoted as proof to the contrary, are not in point, since they refer

to the marriage of Hebrews in the land of Israel, not to that of those resident outside its boundaries (comp.

Deuteronomy 7:3), and in the case of such marriages this is evidently an important element.

And now tidings reached Moab, that "Jehovah had visited his people to give them bread." Naomi heard in it

a call to return to her own land and home. According to eastern fashion, her daughters -in-law accompanied

her on the way. When Naomi deemed that duty of proper respect sufficiently discharged, she stopped to

dismiss them - as she delicately put it - to their "mother's" houses, with tenderly spoken prayer, that after all

their sorrow the God of Israel would give them rest in a new relationship, as they had dealt lovingly both

with the dead and with her. Closely examined, her words are found to convey, although with most exquisite

delicacy, that, if her daughters -in-law went with her, they must expect to remain for ever homeless and

strangers. She could offer them no prospect of wedded happiness in her own family, and she wished to

convey to them, that no Israelite in his own land would ever wed a daughter of Moab. It was a noble act of

self-denial on the part of the aged Hebrew widow by this plain speaking to strip herself of all remaining

comfort, and to face the dark future, utterly childles s, alone, and helpless. And when one of them, Orpah,

turned back, though with bitter sorrow at the parting, Naomi had a yet more trying task before her. Ruth had,

indeed, fully understood her mother-in-law's meaning; but there was another sacrifice which she must be

prepared to make, if she followed Naomi. She must not only be parted from her people, and give up for ever

all worldly prospects, but she must also be prepared to turn her back upon her ancestral religion. But Ruth

had long made her choice, and the words in which she intimated it have deservedly become almost

proverbial in the church. There is such ardor and earnestness about them, such resolution and calmness, as

to lift them far above the sphere of mere natural affection or sense of duty. They intimate the deliberate

choice of a heart which belongs in the first place to Jehovah, the God of Israel (1:17), and which has learned

to count all things but loss for the excellency of this knowledge. Although the story of Ruth has been

invested with roma nce from its sequel, there is nothing romantic about her present resolve. Only the

sternest prose of poverty is before her. Not to speak of the exceedingly depressing influence of her

language (1:13, 20, 21), Naomi had been careful to take from her any hope of a future, such as she had

enjoyed in the past. In truth, the choice of Ruth is wholly unaccountable, except on the ground that she felt

herself in heart and by conviction one of a Hebrew household - an Israelitish woman in soul and life, and

that although she should in a sense be disowned by those with whom she had resolved to cast in her lot.

There was stir in the quiet little village of Bethlehem -especially among the women  327 - when Naomi

unexpectedly returned after her long absence, and that in so altered circumstances. The lamentations of the

widow herself made her even repudiate the old name of Naomi for Mara ("bitter"), for that "Jehovah" had