A visual Journey into the Bible - Theartofpainting.be

The Deuteronomy Page: 46 / 334Part III. The Book of RuthA man from Bethlehem called Elimelech took his wife Naomi and his two sons to livein the plains of Moab because there was a famine in the country of Israel. The familylived there for ten years and Elimelech’s sons married to Moabite women, one ofwhom was called Ruth. Elimelech and his sons died but Naomi decided to returnwhen the famine was over. Ruth though a Moabitess did not want to leave Naomi sothe two women arrived in Bethlehem.Naomi had a kinsman on her husband’s side that was very well off. His name wasBoaz. Ruth asked to Naomi to be allowed to glean in the fields of Boaz. Boaz saw herin the field but he was nice to her. He ordered his workmen to leave her alone. Hegave her bread and told his men even to pull a few ears corn and to drop them forRuth to glean. So Ruth could stay among Boaz’ working women and she gleaned forNaomi and herself.Naomi remarked Boaz’ kindness. She told Ruth to wash and to perfume herself, to puton her cloak and to go to the threshing floor. She told Ruth not to let Boaz recogniseher but to find out where he laid himself to sleep, then to go and turn back. Naomitold Ruth to take the covering away from Boaz’ feet and to lie down there herself too.Ruth did that. Boaz woke up in the middle of the night and he remarked Ruth at hisfeet. She told Boaz he had a right of redemption over her and could spread the skirt ofhis cloak over her. But Boaz let her sleep then and in the morning gave her sixmeasures of barley. With these Ruth returned to Naomi and waited to see what Boazwould do next.Boaz had not really a right of redemption over Ruth. Naomi had a closer kinsman thanBoaz. Boaz went to speak to this man and told him of his right of redemption sinceNaomi wanted to sell Elimelech’s land. If the man redeemed his right, the man wouldbe able to acquire the field from Naomi but then he also had to acquire Ruth. On thatthe man answered he did not want Ruth because he did not want to jeopardise his owninheritance. Therefore the man gave the right of redemption to Boaz. As a sign theman took off his sandal and gave that to Boaz, as was the custom on suchtransactions.In that way Boaz inherited everything that used to belong to Elimelech. So Boaz tookRuth and she became his wife. They came together and thus Ruth conceived of a son.That son was called Obed and he was the father of Jesse, the father of David whowould be the greatest king of Israel.Copyright: René Dewil Date: October 2001