We’ve reached the end of week 2 of our study of Ruth. I pray that the Lord shows kindness to you as you study His word and go about your daily life.
ASSIGNMENT:
Read Ruth 1:6-9. As Naomi prepared to return to Bethlehem, Ruth and Orpah chose to go with her. How did Naomi respond to this according to vs. 8-9?
**There is a key Hebrew word in 1:8 that has been translated as kindness in our NIV translations. The Hebrew word is hesed, for which there is no satisfactory English translation. Usually it is translated into such words as “loving-kindness, mercy, steadfast love, loyalty.” Essentially hesed is used to describe God’s divine nature. In the book of Ruth, the word is used 3 times: 1:8, 2:20, and 3:10. It sometimes expresses kindness at the human level as a result of prior commitment, however it is never used in referring to situations when one person simply does something nice for another. It always implies a response not only to God’s commands but also a response to God’s faithfulness.
Below is a list of names and their meanings of characters introduced in the first chapter.
· Elimelech: “my God is king”
· Naomi: “pleasant/sweet one”; Mara: “bitterness”
· Ruth: “friend”
· Orpah: “back of the neck”
· Mahlon: “weak/sick”
· Kilion: “failing”
Based on our reading of chapter 1, write in your notebook whether or not you feel each character’s name is significant to the narrative, and if so, what makes the name significant? Can you think of other examples in the Bible of significant names?
