Judges 1
Ruth is a story set in ancient Israel during a chaotic time when the judges ruled. Chapter 1 begins with Naomi and her family leaving Bethlehem because of a famine and relocating to the land of Moab. It then describes how Naomi, whose husband and two sons have died, returns with one of her two daughters-in-law, Ruth, back to their hometown, Bethlehem. This chapter serves as the introduction that opens the entire story of Ruth, and it is also the starting point for changes in the characters and the decisions they make.
1verseAfter the death of Joshua, the children of Israel asked of the LORD, saying, “Who should go up for us first against the Canaanites, to fight against them?”
2verseThe LORD said, “Judah shall go up. Behold, I have delivered the land into his hand.”
3verseJudah said to Simeon his brother, “Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with you into your lot.” So Simeon went with him.
4verseJudah went up, and the LORD delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand. They struck ten thousand men in Bezek.
5verseThey found Adoni-Bezek in Bezek, and they fought against him. They struck the Canaanites and the Perizzites.
6verseBut Adoni-Bezek fled. They pursued him, caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his big toes.
7verseAdoni-Bezek said, “Seventy kings, having their thumbs and their big toes cut off, scavenged under my table. As I have done, so God has done to me.” They brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.
8verseThe children of Judah fought against Jerusalem, took it, struck it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire.
9verseAfter that, the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites who lived in the hill country, and in the South, and in the lowland.
10verseJudah went against the Canaanites who lived in Hebron. (The name of Hebron before that was Kiriath Arba.) They struck Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.
11verseFrom there he went against the inhabitants of Debir. (The name of Debir before that was Kiriath Sepher.)
12verseCaleb said, “I will give Achsah my daughter as wife to the man who strikes Kiriath Sepher, and takes it.”
13verseOthniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, took it, so he gave him Achsah his daughter as his wife.
14verseWhen she came, she got him to ask her father for a field. She got off her donkey; and Caleb said to her, “What would you like?”
15verseShe said to him, “Give me a blessing; because you have set me in the land of the South, give me also springs of water.” Then Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.
16verseThe children of the Kenite, Moses’ brother-in-law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which is in the south of Arad; and they went and lived with the people.
17verseJudah went with Simeon his brother, and they struck the Canaanites who inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. The name of the city was called Hormah.
18verseAlso Judah took Gaza with its border, and Ashkelon with its border, and Ekron with its border.
19verseThe LORD was with Judah, and drove out the inhabitants of the hill country; for he could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron.
20verseThey gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had said, and he drove the three sons of Anak out of there.
21verseThe children of Benjamin didn’t drive out the Jebusites who inhabited Jerusalem, but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.
22verseThe house of Joseph also went up against Bethel, and the LORD was with them.
23verseThe house of Joseph sent to spy out Bethel. (The name of the city before that was Luz.)
24verseThe watchers saw a man come out of the city, and they said to him, “Please show us the entrance into the city, and we will deal kindly with you.”
25verseHe showed them the entrance into the city, and they struck the city with the edge of the sword; but they let the man and all his family go.
26verseThe man went into the land of the Hittites, built a city, and called its name Luz, which is its name to this day.
27verseManasseh didn’t drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shean and its towns, nor Taanach and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.
28verseWhen Israel had grown strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, and didn’t utterly drive them out.
29verseEphraim didn’t drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, but the Canaanites lived in Gezer among them.
30verseZebulun didn’t drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites lived among them, and became subject to forced labor.
31verseAsher didn’t drive out the inhabitants of Acco, nor the inhabitants of Sidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob;
32versebut the Asherites lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land, for they didn’t drive them out.
33verseNaphtali didn’t drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh, nor the inhabitants of Beth Anath; but he lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land. Nevertheless the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh and of Beth Anath became subject to forced labor.
34verseThe Amorites forced the children of Dan into the hill country, for they would not allow them to come down to the valley;
35versebut the Amorites would dwell in Mount Heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim. Yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became subject to forced labor.
36verseThe border of the Amorites was from the ascent of Akrabbim, from the rock, and upward.
Structure and Flow
- Leaving Bethlehem: When a famine arrives, Naomi, her husband Elimelech, and their two sons leave for Moab to make a living.
- Loss within the family: In Moab, Naomi’s husband and two sons die one after another, leaving Naomi with her two daughters-in-law (Orpah, Ruth).
- A decision to return: After hearing that the famine has ended, Naomi decides to return to her hometown.
- The daughters-in-law’s choices: Orpah goes back to her family, but Ruth goes to Bethlehem together with a confession: “My mother’s God will be my God.”
- Naomi and Ruth returning: The two women arrive in their hometown with nothing but empty hands, and the chapter ends with a poetic conclusion that the story begins at the barley harvest.
Overall Meaning
Chapter 1 of Ruth shows how pain and hardship experienced by a family are followed by decisions and devotion, even amid those circumstances. Ruth’s decision symbolically represents her faith and her relationship, as well as trust in the future. Ruth, a Gentile woman, shows devotion that becomes an important link to later events in Israel’s history and God’s great story of salvation.
Points for Reflection
- In the time of hardship, we can consider what our choices are based on.
- Ruth’s devotion and loyalty make us think about the meaning of true relationships and our belief in God’s guidance.
- Let’s remember that even a small decision can become a turning point in the history of God’s plan.
Apply It to My Life
- I look back on what I am choosing during the difficult and challenging times in my life.
- I can also think about whether there are opportunities in my relationships to practice devotion and faith.
- By trusting God’s providence, I can build a perspective that looks beyond the immediate situation toward the future.
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