The Partial Future
But Naomi replied, “Turn back, my daughters! Why should you go with me? Have I more sons in my body who might be husbands for you?” Ruth 1:11
Turn back – Once again we encounter the verb shuv in this story. One commentator points out that shuv in Jeremiah has seventeen different nuances. We should not be surprised to discover several in this story. Naomi has implored her daughters-in-law to return to their mothers’ homes. Now she uses a stronger metaphor. Since she is unable to have more sons, if the women accompany her they will be relegated to the life of a childless widow. It seems like a very good reason not to go to Bethlehem.
But Naomi isn’t telling the whole truth. In fact, one of the undercurrents in this story is how much information Naomi does not reveal to Ruth. The question is why she leaves out certain crucial pieces. For example, at this very point Naomi leaves out the fact that there is a kinsman-redeemer in Bethlehem. She leaves out the fact that her late husband has property in Bethlehem. She conveniently forgets to mention the levirate obligation. Later she “forgets” to mention who Boaz is or the fact that Ruth may be in danger in the fields. As we shall see, at crucial junctures Naomi reveals only part of the future. There are invisible forces working in Ruth’s life, at least they are invisible to Ruth. This makes Ruth’s demonstration of hesed all the more powerful. She acts with compassionate benevolence even when she doesn’t know all the facts.
Now we need to try to answer the question, “Why would Naomi leave this out?” The answer, although only speculation, implies something about human behavior even among the most spiritual of us. Is it possible that Naomi, who truly loves her daughters-in-law, is really trying to protect her reputation and status in the community of Bethlehem? At this point, no one from her Israelite village knows that her sons married Moabite women. No one knows that the commandment of Deuteronomy 23:4-9 has been violated. If Naomi returns alone, she can simply report that her husband and sons died in Moab. No scandal needs to come to the surface. But if she comes back with Moabites who claim to be relatives, even by marriage, Naomi’s status in the community will diminish. Her husband’s name will suffer. She will have to explain things.
How many times have we “returned” without providing the full explanation of our “away from home” events? How many times have we conveniently left out a bit of crucial information that might encourage someone else to make a different decision, one not necessarily favorable to us? How many times have we “blessed” someone else but really hoped that he or she would just go away? Maybe we know Naomi far better than we thought.
When God asks us to return to Him, do you suppose He leaves out a bit of information crucial for the decision? Do you suppose He welcomes us back but really doesn’t want to hear the whole story? Oh, but God isn’t like a man, is He?
Topical Index: shuv, return, Naomi, Ruth 1:11
Possibliby Naomi starts towards Bethlehem and realizes the censure she will likely receive by turning up with Moabite daughters-in-law. She shoulders the entire responsibility of any hope of remarriage when she points out that she is too old to bear them new husbands, and then fails to mention the possibility of help from a kinsman redeemer. Another possibility is that she has come to believe that she is beyond God’s care…she is hopeless. In verse 13 she tells the girls that the Lord’s hand is against her. In verse 20 she changes her name to reflect that God is behind all the pain she has experienced. Possibly the idea of anyone stepping up to act as redeemer is a far fetched notion. It was only after Ruth, without coaching from Naomi, , finds grace in the eyes of Boaz that she allows hope to put two and two together and acknowledges God does still care about her.
Yes, I think we are so much more like Naomi than we care to admit.
hmmm
Very Interesting Speculation.
I’ve always assumed that Ruth would know these things because these were apparently common practices among the families of Terrah and even though Naomi’s family was no longer in Israel they passed on the torah in some form to the wives. Ruth swears an oath to YHVH. That’s no trite thing. She had no husband to release her from it and as you’ve pointed out the father is missing as well. It would appear that she understood the gravity of the commitment considering her sterling conduct when she gets to Israel. Many common practices in the OT and NT are assumed and not reiterated.
I’ll have to think about this one for awhile.
But notice the Naomi tells Orpah to go back to her mother’s house and her gods
And Orpah goes but Ruth swears allegiance to Naomi, her people and her Elohim and even invokes His Holy Name. I’m speculating that she new what she was doing. Why else would Ruth the Moabite from Moab swear an oath by the Name YHVH?
Is it possible that Naomi simply had not received he Revelation of GOD”S PLAN for Ruth??
What makes you think that she SHOULD have received it? Does God reveal His plans about other people on a regular basis?
Oh, but maybe Ruth did know. Maybe her husband told her or it had been part of the family conversation while her husband was alive. Maybe, Naomi stayed away from home because her sons had disgraced her by marrying Moabites.
Naomi here looks like a regular old human being, the flesh kind. Depressed, cast down with feet sticking up in the air, hopeless, ignoring all the benefits on the good side of her list, dwelling on the sad side of her list, not considering God can feed 5,000 with a sack lunch. Doesn’t know that yet, but there were others things she did know. She didn’t want to get off her pity pot long enough to be encourged and even excited about how God just might open her Red Sea and drown her troubles rather than drown her. She slightly still prefers it be her. She aches, can’t drink enough water to keep the tears wet, was grumbling and grieved inside. If anyone travels with her down the road she may have to speak to them and she doesn’t want to. She isn’t planning on talking to anyone ever again.
She forgot “In the begining God…” applies to each new beginning, He’s still God.
Know how I know that???????????????? “Been there, done that” as the T-shirts say.
“How many times have we “blessed” someone else but really hoped that he or she would just go away? ” Ouch!
I felt that one too Luis.
We are far removed culturally from this story, but our shared humanity closes that distance and impacts and probes us personally and intimately in our own stories.
Ruth is the vessel of devotion. She has tasted Torah and now is smitten by a vision of Adonai like the bride in (שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים ) Šîr haŠîrîm. Her desire burns in her heart like the brilliant light of the Menorah – she forsakes everything to be a beggar in its shadow. It is this fierce desire that eventually lights the heart of Boaz, showing him the part of Ruth that must also have been seen by Naomi’s son who married her. Boaz too must have such desire with in his heart for two such kindred spirits to join before Adonai – the author of all flesh and font of its spirit. Out of this union of faithfulness is to come a meager shepherd with a voice like Adonai who will become the second king of Israel and establish a dynasty that will last a thousand years until Mashiach himself seals it forever.