Ruth 3:1-5, 4:13-17
Ruth 3:1-5, 4:13-17
Background to the Book of Ruth
A painting was a piece of work done for an assessment in an OT topic. The painter was Mark Thomas and it now hangs in the Blackwood Uniting Church.
The blues cloak outlines the coast, which forms the east end of the Mediterranean and symbolises Israel and Egypt at the bottom end. The Cloak of Ruth protects Naomi since it is through the efforts of Ruth they find security and new life. The barley is the reminder of famine and their reason for going into Moab. Ruth gleans in the fields of Boaz and they are full with food, again after the night on the threshing floor Ruth's cloak is full and finally her womb is full with a son.
It is very powerful painting with a lot more symbolism, which depicts the story of Ruth, Naomi and Boaz in visual form.
The book is one complete story and all four chapters need to be read for it to be fully appreciated. Although, is literary form is narrative it does have poetic feel to it, but very doubtful it was poetry originally. It is a very cleverly crafted story and there are many literary forms, which are used to emphasise the message. We will explore these under the section on insights. Unlike many Hebrew texts, this one is in reasonable condition and thus, a straightforward process for translation.
In the Christian canon Ruth comes after Judges because it is set in this period, however, it is extremely unlikely it was written in this period. In the Hebrew canon, it comes in the writings section at the end of the bible as one of the five scrolls between Proverbs and Ezra.
A number of historical periods are suggested for the time of its creation:
- Early in period of monarchy.
The opening suggests it could not be any earlier than, "In the days when the judges rules (judged)", so this time was in the past.
More precisely, it could be at a time when the Davidic dynasty under threat e.g., at the division of the kingdom under Rehoboam and there is a need to defend Davidic dynasty against Jeroboam (4:11-12, 18-22). The genealogy and references to Rachel, Leah, and Tamar, who had Perez by Judah, link David's ancestry to honoured people of the time of the Patriarchs.
- Later in the period of monarchy.
Either in the time of Hezekiah or Josiah who in their reforms tried to incorporate the northern tribes: it is seen as evidence of favour to foreigners.
- Post-exilic period in the time of Ezra/Nehemiah.
It was written to combat the exclusive policies of these two people based on evidence that the story has within it, "language gauged as late".
I think it could easily have an early oral form, which later has been crafted into a literary story with its important theological message. Like many books in the Old Testament, we cannot be certain about their origin and at what time they became a written form.
Purpose for the Book
Appears to have been used for two major purposes:
- to support the claim of David to the throne with the addition of the genealogy of David (vv18-22). Ruth is accepted because she is worthy and her loyalty is acclaimed.
- to show the inclusive nature of Israel's God, Yahweh - it rests on God's grace and simple faith of people.
Both these things are important at a number of places in Israel's history. 4:18-22 only major addition, which is supported by number of scholars.
Laws/ Social/ Traditions
Although the Book of Ruth fails to give us precise historical dates and doesn't name any leader of the period, it does give us some clues about social conditions. In spite of the prohibition against the people of Moab (Deuteronomy 23:3-6), there was obviously free movement between the countries otherwise Elimelech could not’t have taken his wife and sons to live there.
The law about the right to glean (Deuteronomy 24:19-22) is seen to be in operation (Ruth 2:2). There is a suggestion that permission of the landowner had to be sought "behind anyone in whose eyes I find favour". Knowledge of Leverite marriage by which a brother had to fulfil the marriage obligations of his dead brother if the widow was left without children (R