서론
无标题
简体中文
英文原文
In this chapter we have Naomi's afflictions. I. As a distressed housekeeper, forced by famine to remove into the land of Moab, Ru 1:1,2. II. As a mournful widow and mother, bewailing the death of her husband and her two sons, Ru 1:3-5. III. As a careful mother-in-law, desirous to be kind to her two daughters, but at a loss how to be so when she returns to her own country, Ru 1:6-13. Orpah she parts with in sorrow, Ru 1:14. Ruth she takes with her in fear, Ru 1:15-18. IV. As a poor woman sent back to the place of her first settlement, to be supported by the kindness of her friends, Ru 1:19-22. All these things were melancholy and seemed against her, and yet all were working for good.
1-5
Elimelech and Naomi; Death of Elimelech and His Sons (1312 BC)
简体中文
以利米勒与拿俄米；以利米勒及其众子之死（主前1312年）
¹ 当士师秉政的时候，国中遭遇饥荒。在犹大伯利恒有一个人带着妻子和两个儿子，往摩押地去寄居。 ² 这人名叫以利米勒，他的妻名叫拿俄米。他两个儿子，一个名叫玛伦，一个名叫基连，都是犹大伯利恒的以法他人。他们到了摩押地，就住在那里。 ³ 后来拿俄米的丈夫以利米勒死了，剩下她和她的两个儿子。 ⁴ 这两个儿子娶了摩押女子为妻，一个名叫俄珥巴，一个名叫路得，在那里住了约有十年。 ⁵ 玛伦和基连二人也死了，剩下拿俄米，既没有了丈夫，也没有了儿子。
开篇几字便提供了这段故事全部的年代线索。事情发生在士师秉政的时候（得1:1），并非在那种"那时以色列中没有王"的混乱时期；但究竟在哪一位士师手下发生，则未予说明，学者的推测也很不确定。这事必定发生在士师时代初期，因为娶路得为妻的波阿斯，是喇合所生之子，而喇合是在约书亚时代接待探子的。有人认为是在以笏的日子，有人认为是在底波拉的日子；博学的帕特里克主教倾向于认为是在基甸的日子，因为唯有在他的日子，我们才读到因米甸人入侵而导致的饥荒（士6:3,4）。当士师们在这城那城轮流治理之际，神的护理特别留意伯利恒，并注目于一位君王——弥赛亚自己——祂将从两位外邦母亲，即喇合与路得，降生为人。本章所记如下：
I. 迦南地遭遇饥荒——就是那流奶与蜜之地。这是神因百姓的罪而警告要降在他们身上的灾祸之一（利26:19,20）。祂箭袋中有许多箭矢。在士师时代，他们被仇敌欺压；当这一审判未能使他们悔改时，神便试用此法，因为祂审判之时必能得胜。当全地得享安息时，却仍无丰足；即便在伯利恒——其名意为"面包之家"——也有缺乏。肥美之地变为荒凉，为要纠正并约束其中居民的奢靡与放荡。
II. 一个家庭在饥荒中受苦的记述，即以利米勒的家。他的名字意为"我的神是王"，与士师秉政时以色列的处境相符，因为耶和华是他们的王；在他和家人受苦之时，这名也是他们的安慰——神是他们的神，祂永远掌权。他的妻子名叫拿俄米，意为"我的可爱者"或"我的喜悦者"。但他两个儿子的名字却叫玛伦和基连——即"疾病"与"消亡"——也许因为他们体弱多病，不似长寿之人。我们一切美好之物所生的，正是如此软弱衰残、凋零消逝。
III. 这个家庭因饥荒之故，从伯利恒迁往约但河对岸的摩押地以求存活（得1:1,2）。看来当以色列地粮食匮乏之时，摩押地却有丰裕。神护理的普遍恩赐，常常更多地赐给那些不认识神的人，过于那些认识并敬拜祂的人。摩押自幼安逸，而以色列却从这器皿倒在那器皿里（耶48:11），并非因为神更爱摩押人，而是因为他们的分就在今生。以利米勒往那里去，不是要永远定居，而是要在荒年期间暂时寄居，正如亚伯拉罕在类似情形下下到埃及，以撒迁往非利士人之地。此处可见：1. 以利米勒顾念家人、携妻带子同行的举动，无疑是值得称赞的。人若不看顾亲属，就是背了真道（提前5:8）。他在困窘之中并未抛弃家人、独自外出谋生、将妻儿抛下任其自生自灭；而是如同慈爱的丈夫和慈父所当行的，他到哪里便带他们到哪里，不像鸵鸟那般（伯39:16）。但是，2. 我看不出他因此迁往摩押地有何可辩之处。亚伯拉罕和以撒在迦南不过是寄居的，迁居与他们所处的地位相称；但以色列的子民此时已经定居，本不该迁往外邦之地。以利米勒有何理由比他的邻舍更非走不可呢？若因经营不善而耗尽家产、变卖或抵押了田地（如得4:3,4所暗示的），使他比别人更为困乏，神的律法本可要求邻舍来救济他（利25:35）；但那并非他的处境，因为他是满满地出去的（得1:21）。从留在家乡的人身上可以看出，饥荒并非极端到无法维持生命，而他的负担也不大，只有两个儿子。但他若不能满足于邻舍所忍受的有限供给，在饥荒之日非得像从前那样摆设丰盛宴席才能满足；若他不能存着盼望等待丰年如期再来，或不能耐心等候那些年日，那就是他的过错，他因此羞辱了神和祂所赐的美地，削弱了弟兄的手——他本应乐意与他们同甘共苦——也为他人树立了恶劣的榜样。若人人都像他那样行，迦南就要变成荒无人烟之地了。须知，当神将我们安置在某处，我们却因其中遇到任何不便或困扰便急欲离开，这正是不知足、不信靠、不稳固之心的证据。想要逃避那横在路上的十字架——这本是我们应当背起的——实在是愚妄。我们的智慧在于善处现状，因为改换居所很少能使境况改善。或者，他若一定要迁居，为何偏去摩押地？他若细细查访，很可能在以色列的某个支派中找到丰足，例如约但河对岸、与摩押地接壤的那些支派；他若对神和神的敬拜有那份热心，对弟兄有那份身为以色列人当有的爱心，便不会如此轻易地说服自己去摩押人中间寄居。
IV. 他两个儿子在他死后，娶了两个摩押女子为妻（得1:4）。众口一词认为此举不妥。《他尔根》说：他们违背了耶和华话语的命令，娶了外邦女子为妻。 他们若不愿等到归回以色列地才成婚，那里也并非遥远到无法从本族聘娶妻子。以利米勒往摩押寄居之时，万万没有想到他的儿子们竟会与摩押人结亲。但那些将年轻人引入不良交往、使他们脱离公共圣礼之途的人，虽然可能以为自己家的孩子根基牢固、足以抵挡试探，却不知道自己所作的是什么，也不知其结局如何。看不出他们所娶的女子已归信犹太教，因为俄珥巴据说回到了她的神那里（得1:15）；摩押的神仍是她的神。犹太人有一个毫无根据的传统，说路得是摩押王伊矶伦的女儿，《他尔根》的意译本也将此说插入其中；但这一传统与该书所插入的另一个传统无法吻合，即娶路得的波阿斯就是伊比赞，而伊比赞在伊矶伦死后二百年才治理以色列（士12:8-10）。
V. 以利米勒和他两个儿子的死亡，以及拿俄米因此陷入的凄凉处境。她的丈夫死了（得1:3），两个儿子也在婚后不久去世（得1:5），《他尔根》说：他们的年日被缩短了，因为他们违背律法娶了外邦女子为妻。请看：1. 无论我们走到哪里，都无法逃脱死亡，它那致命的箭矢无处不在。2. 当我们偏离本分之路时，便不能指望亨通。凡要用任何不正当的手段保全自己生命的，必丧掉生命。 3. 死亡进入一个家庭时，往往祸不单行。一个被接去，是为另一个紧随其后作准备；一个被接去，那苦难未被善用，因此神又差来同样的苦楚。当拿俄米失去丈夫后，她便将更多的安慰和信赖寄托在儿子身上。在这幸存的安慰之荫下，她以为可以在外邦人中安居，也曾为这些"蓖麻"而欣喜异常；不料它们转眼枯萎，早晨发芽生长，晚上便被割下枯干，婚后不久便都去世了，因为二人都没有留下儿女。我们在世的一切享受正是如此无常而易逝。因此，我们的智慧在于确保那些必能确定的安慰——就是死亡也无法夺去的安慰。然而可怜的拿俄米，当她失去了两个儿子和丈夫之时，是何等孤寂，何等凄凉！当丧子和寡居这两样事，忽然临到她身上，在完全的程度上临到她，谁能安慰她呢？（赛47:9，51:19）。唯有神能安慰这样被重重击倒的人。
英文原文
Elimelech and Naomi; Death of Elimelech and His Sons (1312 BC)
¹ Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Beth-lehem-judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
² And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Beth-lehem-judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.
³ And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.
⁴ And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years.
⁵ And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.
The first words give all the date we have of this story. It was in the days when the judges ruled (Ru 1:1), not in those disorderly times when there was no king in Israel; but under which of the judges these things happened we are not told, and the conjectures of the learned are very uncertain. It must have been towards the beginning of the judges' time, for Boaz, who married Ruth, was born of Rahab, who received the spies in Joshua's time. Some think it was in the days of Ehud, others of Deborah; the learned bishop Patrick inclines to think it was in the days of Gideon, because in his days only we read of a famine by the Midianites' invasion, Jdg 6:3,4. While the judges were ruling, some one city and some another, Providence takes particular cognizance of Bethlehem, and has an eye to a King, to Messiah himself, who should descend from two Gentile mothers, Rahab and Ruth. Here is,
I. A famine in the land, in the land of Canaan, that land flowing with milk and honey. This was one of the judgments which God had threatened to bring upon them for their sins, Le 26:19,20. He has many arrows in his quiver. In the days of the judges they were oppressed by their enemies; and, when by that judgment they were not reformed, God tried this, for when he judges he will overcome. When the land had rest, yet it had not plenty; even in Bethlehem, which signifies the house of bread, there was scarcity. A fruitful land is turned into barrenness, to correct and restrain the luxury and wantonness of those that dwell therein.
II. An account of one particular family distressed in the famine; it is that of Elimelech. His name signifies my God a king, agreeable to the state of Israel when the judges ruled, for the Lord was their King, and comfortable to him and his family in their affliction, that God was theirs and that he reigns for ever. His wife was Naomi, which signifies my amiable or pleasant one. But his sons' names were Mahlon and Chilion, sickness and consumption, perhaps because weakly children, and not likely to be long-lived. Such are the productions of our pleasant things, weak and infirm, fading and dying.
III. The removal of this family from Bethlehem into the country of Moab on the other side Jordan, for subsistence, because of the famine, Ru 1:1,2. It seems there was plenty in the country of Moab when there was scarcity of bread in the land of Israel. Common gifts of providence are often bestowed in greater plenty upon those that are strangers to God than upon those that know and worship him. Moab is at ease from his youth, while Israel is emptied from vessel to vessel (Jer 48:11), not because God loves Moabites better, but because they have their portion in this life. Thither Elimelech goes, not to settle for ever, but to sojourn for a time, during the dearth, as Abraham, on a similar occasion, went into Egypt, and Isaac into the land of the Philistines. Now here, 1. Elimelech's care to provide for his family, and his taking his wife and children with him, were without doubt commendable. If any provide not for his own, he hath denied the faith, 1Ti 5:8. When he was in his straits he did not forsake his house, go seek his fortune himself, and leave his wife and children to shift for their own maintenance; but, as became a tender husband and a loving father, where he went he took them with him, not as the ostrich, Job 39:16. But, 2. I see not how his removal into the country of Moab, upon this occasion, could be justified. Abraham and Isaac were only sojourners in Canaan, and it was agreeable to their condition to remove; but the seed of Israel were now fixed, and ought not to remove into the territories of the heathen. What reason had Elimelech to go more than any of his neighbours? If by any ill husbandry he had wasted his patrimony, and sold his land or mortgaged it (as it should seem, Ru 4:3,4), which brought him in to a more necessitous condition than others, the law of God would have obliged his neighbours to relieve him (Le 25:35); but that was not his case, for he went out full, Ru 1:21. By those who tarried at home it appears that the famine was not so extreme but that there was sufficient to keep life and soul together; and his charge was but small, only two sons. But if he could not be content with the short allowance that his neighbours took up with, and in the day of famine could not be satisfied unless he kept as plentiful a table as he had done formerly, if he could not live in hope that there would come years of plenty again in due time, or could not with patience wait for those years, it was his fault, and he did by it dishonour God and the good land he had given them, weaken the hands of his brethren, with whom he should have been willing to take his lot, and set an ill example to others. If all should do as he did Canaan would be dispeopled. Note, It is an evidence of a discontented, distrustful, unstable spirit, to be weary of the place in which God hath set us, and to be for leaving it immediately whenever we meet with any uneasiness or inconvenience in it. It is folly to think of escaping that cross which, being laid in our way, we ought to take up. It is our wisdom to make the best of that which is, for it is seldom that changing our place is mending it. Or, if he would remove, why to the country of Moab? If he had made enquiry, it is probable he would have found plenty in some of the tribes of Israel, those, for instance, on the other side Jordan, that bordered on the land of Moab; if he had had that zeal for God and his worship, and that affection for his brethren which became an Israelite, he would not have persuaded himself so easily to go and sojourn among Moabites.
IV. The marriage of his two sons to two of the daughters of Moab after his death, Ru 1:4. All agree that this was ill done. The Chaldee says, They transgressed the decree of the word of the Lord in taking strange wives. If they would not stay unmarried till their return to the land of Israel, they were not so far off but that they might have fetched themselves wives thence. Little did Elimelech think, when he went to sojourn in Moab, that ever his sons would thus join in affinity with Moabites. But those that bring young people into bad acquaintance, and take them out of the way of public ordinances, though they may think them well-principled and armed against temptation, know not what they do, nor what will be the end thereof. It does not appear that the women they married were proselyted to the Jewish religion, for Orpah is said to return to her gods (Ru 1:15); the gods of Moab were hers still. It is a groundless tradition of the Jews that Ruth was the daughter of Eglon king of Moab, yet the Chaldee paraphrast inserts it; but this and their other tradition, which he inserts likewise, cannot agree, that Boaz who married Ruth was the same with Ibzan, who judged Israel 200 years after Eglon's death, Jdg 12:8-10
V. The death of Elimelech and his two sons, and the disconsolate condition Naomi was thereby reduced to. Her husband died (Ru 1:3) and her two sons (Ru 1:5) soon after their marriage, and the Chaldee says, Their days were shortened, because they transgressed the law in marrying strange wives. See here, 1. That wherever we go we cannot out-run death, whose fatal arrows fly in all places. 2. That we cannot expect to prosper when we go out of the way of our duty. He that will save his life by any indirect course shall lose it. 3. That death, when it comes into a family, often makes breach upon breach. One is taken away to prepare another to follow soon after; one is taken away, and that affliction is not duly improved, and therefore God sends another of the same kind. When Naomi had lost her husband she took so much the more complacency and put so much the more confidence in her sons. Under the shadow of these surviving comforts she thinks she shall live among the heathen, and exceedingly glad she was of these gourds; but behold they wither presently, green and growing up in the morning, cut down and dried up before night, buried soon after they were married, for neither of them left any children. So uncertain and transient are all our enjoyments here. It is therefore our wisdom to make sure of those comforts that will be made sure and of which death cannot rob us. But how desolate was the condition, and how disconsolate the spirit, of poor Naomi, when the woman was left of her two sons and her husband! When these two things, loss of children and widowhood, come upon her in a moment, come upon her in their perfection, by whom shall she be comforted? Isa 47:9,51:19. It is God alone who has wherewithal to comfort those who are thus cast down.
6-18
Naomi Returns to Canaan; Naomi and Her Daughters-in-Law; Ruth's Constancy to Naomi (1312 BC)
简体中文
拿俄米归回迦南；拿俄米与二儿媳；路得对拿俄米的坚定追随（主前1312年）
⁶ 她就与两个儿媳起身，要从摩押地归回。因为她在摩押地听见耶和华眷顾自己的百姓，赐粮食与他们。 ⁷ 于是她和两个儿媳起行离开所住的地方，在路上要回犹大地去。 ⁸ 拿俄米对两个儿媳说："你们各人回娘家去吧。愿耶和华恩待你们，像你们恩待已死的人与我一样。 ⁹ 愿耶和华使你们各在新夫家中得平安。"于是与她们亲嘴，她们就放声而哭。 ¹⁰ 说："不然，我们必与你一同回你本国去。" ¹¹ 拿俄米说："我女儿们哪，回去吧。为何要跟我去呢？我还能生子作你们的丈夫吗？ ¹² 我女儿们哪，回去吧。我年纪老迈，不能再有丈夫。我若说我还有指望，今夜若有丈夫，也必生子。 ¹³ 你们岂能等着他们长大呢？你们岂能为他们守身不嫁别人呢？我女儿们哪，不要这样。我为你们的缘故甚是愁苦，因为耶和华的手攻击我。" ¹⁴ 两个儿媳又放声而哭。俄珥巴与婆婆亲嘴告别，只是路得舍不得她。 ¹⁵ 拿俄米说："看哪，你嫂子已经回她本国和她所拜的神那里去了，你也跟着你嫂子回去吧。" ¹⁶ 路得说："不要催我回去不跟随你。你往哪里去，我也往那里去；你在哪里住宿，我也在那里住宿；你的国就是我的国，你的神就是我的神。 ¹⁷ 你在哪里死，我也在那里死，也葬在那里。除非死能使你我相离，不然，愿耶和华重重地降罚与我。" ¹⁸ 拿俄米见路得定意要跟随自己去，就不再劝她了。
请看此处：I. 拿俄米对以色列地所怀的美好情意（得1:6）。虽然饥荒之时她无法留在其中，饥荒止息之后她便不愿再留在外面。虽然摩押地在她困乏之时给了她庇护和供给，她却不打算以之为永远的安息之所；唯有圣地——神的圣所所在之地，祂曾说这是我永远安息之所——才堪当此名。请注意：
1. 神终于以怜悯转回眷顾祂的百姓；因为祂虽长久争辩，却不会永远争辩。正如在士师时代他们常常叹息的欺压之苦，过了一些时候神为他们兴起拯救者之后便告终了，此处饥荒之灾也是如此：神终于恩慈地眷顾了祂的百姓，赐粮食给他们。丰足是神的恩赐，祂的眷顾借着饼——生命的杖——保全我们的性命。虽然这怜悯在饥荒之后来临更为醒目，但若我们一直享用而不曾经历饥荒，也不可因此轻看它的宝贵。
2. 拿俄米于是尽本分归回她的百姓。她常常探问他们的景况——收成如何，市价如何——消息总是令人沮丧；但如同先知的仆人，看了七次仍不见下雨的迹象，终于看见一小片如人手大小的云，转眼间便遮满了天空，拿俄米终于得到了伯利恒丰足的好消息，于是她再无别念，只想着回去。她在摩押地所结的新亲，不能使她忘记自己与以色列地的关系。须知，虽然我们有理由身处不良之地，但当理由消失之后，我们绝不可继续留在其中。被迫离开神的圣礼，被迫与恶人同处，是极大的苦难；但当被迫之势不再，而出于选择仍继续留在那种处境中时，便成了大罪。看来她是在两个儿子死后立即开始考虑回去的：(1.) 因为她将那苦难视为神对她家滞留摩押之地的审判；既听见这是杖的声音，也是那命杖者所发的声音，便顺服归回。她若在丈夫死后便归回，也许可以保全儿子的性命；然而神审判之时必能得胜，若一次苦难不足以唤醒我们认识罪恶与本分，另一次苦难必将来到。死亡进入一个家庭，当用来改进家庭中不当之处：当亲人被接去时，我们便当省察自己是否在某件事上偏离了本分之路，好叫我们归回。神使我们想起自己的罪，是在祂击杀儿子之时（王上17:18）。祂若用荆棘堵塞我们的道路，正是要迫使我们说：我们要归回我们最初的丈夫，如同拿俄米此处归回故土（何2:7）。(2.) 因为摩押地如今对她而言已成了忧郁之地。她丈夫和儿子曾在其中咽气的空气，她很难再带着愉悦去呼吸；他们葬在其中、从她眼前消失却未从她心中消失的土地，她很难再踏上去——如今她要回迦南了。照样，神将我们过于倚靠和沉迷的安慰挪去——这安慰原是我们寄居在此世时所得的——好叫我们更想念那另一个世界的家乡，凭着信心和盼望快快奔向它。今世被苦化了，为要使天堂被珍爱。
II. 她的儿媳们——尤其其中一位——对她所怀的美好情意，以及她对她们这份情意的慷慨回报。
1. 她二人都善待她，至少在她归回犹大地时陪她走了一段路。她的两个儿媳没有劝她继续留在摩押地，而是既然她决意要归，便在临别之时尽一切礼节和敬意；这便是其中一例：她们要送她一程，至少送到自己国境的尽头，并帮她搬运行李到她们所走的路程，因为看不出她有任何仆人随行（得1:7）。由此我们既看见拿俄米作为以色列人，向来善待她们、赢得她们的爱——这是所有婆婆当效法的榜样——也看见俄珥巴和路得对她的恩慈有正当的感念，愿意如此回报。这表明她们曾和睦同居，虽然联结她们关系的人已不在人世。虽然她们仍依恋摩押的神（得1:15），拿俄米也仍旧忠于以色列的神，但这并不妨碍双方彼此相爱行善、尽关系所要求的一切善事。婆媳之间常常失和（太10:35），因此她们若能彼此相爱，便更加可嘉；一切处于此关系之人都当以此为目标，追求这等美名。
2. 她们陪她走了一小段路之后，拿俄米满怀深情地劝她们回去（得1:8,9）：你们各人回娘家去吧。 当她们因悲愁的护理从丈夫家中被迁出时，她们的父母尚在人世，这是一种恩慈——她们有家可归，在那里会受到欢迎、感到安逸，不至于被抛到茫茫世间。拿俄米暗示，她们自己的母亲比婆婆更合心意，尤其当她们自己的母亲有房屋，而婆婆却不确定自己是否有一个可以称为自己的安身之处。她打发她们走：
(1.) 带着称赞。这是对在任何关系中行为端正之人所欠的债，他们理当因此受称赞：你们恩待了已死的人和我，即"你们对去世的丈夫是好妻子，对我是好女儿，在两种关系中都不曾亏负本分"。须知，当我们与亲人离别——无论是因死亡还是其他缘故——若既有他们的见证又有自己良心的见证为我们作保，证明在一起相处时曾认真尽力尽本分，那是何等安慰。这有助于减轻离别之苦；而当我们在一起时，也当努力如此行事为人，使得分别之际不至因自己在关系中的过失而懊悔。
(2.) 带着祷告。朋友离别之时，以祷告作别是极为合宜的。她以祝福送她们回家；婆婆的祝福不可轻看。在这祝福中她两次提到耶和华——以色列的神、唯一又真又活的神的名——以此引导儿媳仰望祂为一切美善的唯一泉源。她向祂祷告，大体上求祂报答她们对她和她一家所施的恩慈。对于那些善待自己亲属的人，我们可以凭信心期望并祈求神以恩慈待他们。好施舍的，也必得着施舍。 特别祈求她们能再得美满的婚姻：愿耶和华使你们各在新夫家中得平安。 须知，[1.] 按照使徒的教导（提前5:14），年轻的妇人——他那里指的是年轻的寡妇——当嫁人、生养儿女、治理家务，这是极为合宜的。那些已证明自己是好妻子的人若不能再得好丈夫，实在可惜，尤其像这些没有儿女的寡妇。[2.] 婚姻是一种安息的状态——这世界所能提供的安息——在丈夫家中的安息，胜过在母亲或婆婆家中所能期望的。[3.] 这安息是神的恩赐。若在我们的外在境遇中得着任何知足和满足，都必须在其中认定神。有些人负轭不相配，在丈夫家中也得不着多少安息。他们的苦楚当使那些关系美满的人更加感恩。然而，当让神作灵魂的安息，不可在天堂这一边思想完全的安息。
(3.) 她满怀深情地打发她们走：她与她们亲嘴，恨不得有更好的东西给她们，但金银她却没有。然而这离别之吻将成为真挚友谊的印记——虽然她此生也许再不能见她们，却要终生存留这甘甜的记忆。亲人若必须离别，就让他们如此在爱中离别，使得他们（若今生不再相见）能在永恒之爱的世界中重聚。
3. 两位年轻的寡妇不能想象与好婆婆分别——那位敬虔以色列人的美好品行如此深地赢得了她们的心。她们不仅放声而哭、依依不舍，更表明了要追随她的决心（得1:10）："我们必与你一同回你本国去，与你同甘共苦。"这是对婆婆罕见的深情之例，也表明她们因她的缘故对以色列民产生了好感。即便是后来回到她神那里的俄珥巴，此刻似乎也决心要与拿俄米一同前行。离别时的伤感场面和所洒的泪水，催促她发出这番誓言，却未能持久。强烈的情感若没有坚定的判断来支撑，通常只能产生脆弱的决心。
4. 拿俄米设法劝阻她们与她同行（得1:11-13）。
(1.) 拿俄米以自己受苦的处境为理由。她若在迦南有儿子，或有近亲可望娶这两位寡妇——为已故之人存留后裔，并赎回家族抵押的产业——那或许还能给她们一些盼望，盼望在伯利恒得着安顿。但她没有儿子，也想不出有什么近亲可能尽至亲的本分，因此她辩说自己不可能再有儿子作她们的丈夫，因为她已太老，不能再有丈夫；她的年纪所当思想的，是离世归天，而非嫁娶、重新开始人生。或者，她纵有丈夫，也不能指望再生儿女；纵有儿子，也不能设想这两位年轻的寡妇会守身不嫁，等她将生的儿子长大成人。但这还不是全部：她不仅不能为自己设想给她们匹配的婚事，也不知如何维持她们相称的生活。她所沦落的贫困境况中最大的苦楚，乃是无力照她所愿善待她们：耶和华的手攻击我，我为你们的缘故更甚于为自己的缘故而忧愁。 请注意，[1.] 她判断自己是这苦难的主要对象，神的争辩主要是针对她："耶和华的手攻击我。我是那罪人；与神争辩的是我；与我较量的正是祂；我归到自己身上。"这在受苦之时正合我们当有的态度；虽然许多人同受其苦，我们却当听杖的声音，仿佛它只针对我们、只对我们说话——不当将责备推到别人门上，而当自己领受。[2.] 她最叹息的，是因此波及她们的苦楚。她是罪人，她们却是受苦者：我为你们的缘故甚是忧愁。 恩典慷慨的心灵宁可自己背负重担，也不忍看见它成为他人的重担，或使他人因此被卷入困境。拿俄米自己缺乏尚可忍受，看见儿媳们缺乏便难以承受。"所以回去吧，我女儿们，因为 alas！我无力善待你们了。"但是，
(2.) 拿俄米如此劝阻儿媳与她同行，做得对吗？她若带她们同去，本可以救她们脱离摩押的偶像崇拜，领她们归向以色列神的信仰和敬拜。拿俄米无疑渴望如此行。但是，[1.] 她们若真来，她不愿她们是为她而来的。那些只为取悦亲属、迁就朋友或为作伴而表白信仰的人，不过是价值不大、不能持久的归信者。[2.] 她们若真来，她要她们经过深思熟虑做出选择，先坐下计算代价——这正是那些要表白信仰之人当做的。将最糟的情况告诉我们是有益的。我们的救主就是这样对待那位在热心头上说出豪言的人：夫子，你无论往哪里去，我要跟从你。 "来吧，"基督说，"你能和我过一样的日子吗？人子却没有枕头的地方；知道了这一点，再想想你是否能从心里情愿与他同命运"（太8:19,20）。拿俄米就是这样对待她的儿媳们。经过认真思考而成熟为决断的意念，才有望长存于心；而速速成熟的，也速速腐烂。
5. 俄珥巴轻易地被说服，顺从了自己败坏的倾向，在她正站在有效呼召的门槛上时，归回了自己的本国、本族和父家。她们二人又放声而哭（得1:14），被拿俄米所说温柔的话深感动。但这在她们身上产生了不同的效果：对俄珥巴而言，这成了"死的香气叫他死"；拿俄米所描述的、她们若前往迦南必须预期的种种不便，把她赶回了摩押地，并为她的背道提供了借口；相反，这却坚定了路得的决心，以及她对拿俄米的美好情意——她从未像在此时此刻那样被拿俄米的智慧和善良所吸引；如此，对她而言这成了"活的香气叫他活"。(1.) 俄珥巴与婆婆亲嘴，即深情地向她告别，永远地与她诀别，并无日后追随之意——如同那说要先埋葬父亲、辞别家人再来跟从基督的人。俄珥巴的吻表明她对拿俄米有情，舍不得离开她；但她爱她还不够深，不能为她离开自己的本国。照样，许多人看重基督、对祂有情，却因不能为祂舍弃其他事物而在救恩上 short。他们爱祂却又离开祂，因为他们爱祂还不够，而更爱别的事物。那少年人离开基督时，是忧忧愁愁地走的（太19:22）。但是，(2.) 路得舍不得她。 她离家之时是否已决心要跟她走，经上没有说明；也许她早已因对以色列的神和祂律法的真诚爱慕而定了心意——她从拿俄米美好的教导中对这些已有所认识。
6. 拿俄米劝路得回去，并以她姐姐的先例作为进一步的劝诱（得1:15）：你嫂子已经回她本国去了，自然也就回她所拜的神那里去了；因为无论她在婆婆家中时怎样，一旦回到基抹的敬拜者中间生活，她几乎不可能再对以色列的神表示任何敬意。那些离弃圣徒的团契、归回摩押之民的人，必然断绝与神的相交，拥抱摩押的偶像。如今，你也跟着你嫂子回去吧，即"你若要回去，就现在回去。这是对你坚定的最大试炼；经得起这试炼，你便永远属于我了。"像俄珥巴退后这样的绊脚石是必须有的，好使那些完全真诚之人显明出来——路得正是在此时显明了她自己。
7. 路得以一番最庄严的宣告——表明她绝不离开她、绝不归回本国和旧日关系的坚定决心——终结了这场辩论（得1:16,17）。
(1.) 再没有比这更精妙、更豪迈的言语了。自从姐姐走了之后，她似乎换了另一种心、另一种口吻；这是神的恩典使灵魂决然选择那上好的分之实例。如此吸引我，我们就快跑跟随你。婆婆的劝阻反而使她更加坚定；正如约书亚对百姓说你们不能事奉耶和华，他们反而更加恳切地说：不然，我们必定事奉。 [1.] 她恳求婆婆不要再劝阻她前行："不要催我回去不跟随你；因为你先前的教导所在我心中造成的决心，如今你的一切劝诱已不能动摇，所以不要再让我听这些了。" 须知，对那些已决心归向神和信仰的人来说，被试探和怂恿改变决心，是极大的烦恼和不安。那些不愿想这些事的人，也不愿听这些事。不要催我。 旁注读作不要与我作对。 须知，那些在天路历程上阻挡我们的人，我们当看为与我们作对的，实在也是我们的仇敌。他们也许是我们的亲人，却不能算是我们的朋友——因为他们劝阻我们在事奉神和信仰之工上的服事。[2.] 她极其具体地表明了要追随她、永不离开她的决心；她说的是一个已决心归向神和天堂之人的语言。她所爱的，不是婆婆的容貌、财富或排场（这一切都已凋零逝去），而是她的智慧、美德和恩典——这些在她如今贫穷忧郁的境况中仍与她同在——因此她决意追随她。第一， 她要与她同行：你往哪里去，我也往那里去，即使去一个我从未见过的国度——而且我从小所受的教导使我对那地印象不佳；虽然远离故土，但与你同在，每一条路都是愉快的。第二， 她要与她同住："你在哪里住宿，我也在那里住宿，即便是一间茅舍，即便不比雅各以石头为枕更好。你在哪里安顿，我也在哪里安顿，无论何处。" 第三， 她要与她利益相连：你的国就是我的国。 从拿俄米的品格，她断定这大国必是智慧聪明的百姓。她以她的好婆婆来判断他们全体——拿俄米无论走到哪里，都为自己的祖国增光（一切宣称与那更美的家乡——即属天的家乡——有关系的人，都当努力如此行）——因此她若能算为其中一员，便觉得自己有福了。"你的百姓要作我与之交往、效法、关心的百姓。" 第四， 她要与她同敬拜。她决定要如此属她usque ad aras——直到祭坛："你的神就是我的神，摩押一切的神别了——它们都是虚空和谎言。我要敬拜以色列的神——唯一又真又活的神——单单信靠祂、事奉祂，凡事受祂引导"；这就是以耶和华为我们的神。第五， 她甘愿与之同死：你在哪里死，我也在那里死。 她假定两人都必死，而且拿俄米既年长，多半会先死；她决心若可能便住在同一屋中，直到自己的日子也满足，同时暗示她渴望在死时也能有分于她的福乐；她愿在同一地方死去，作为她要以同样方式死去的标记。"让我像义人拿俄米那样死去，让我的结局如她一般。" 第六， 她愿与之同葬一穴，使自己的骸骨与她的并列：也葬在那里，不期望连自己的遗体也运回摩押地，以此表示对那地仍存任何眷恋；路得与拿俄米既已灵魂相连，她愿她们的尘土也交融一处，盼望一同复活，在另一个世界中永远同在。[3.] 她以庄严的誓言来支持自己追随拿俄米的决心：愿耶和华重重地降罚与我，并且更加加重（这是一种古老的咒誓格式），若非死能使你我相离，不然愿如此成就。 以起誓为确认，便结束了这场争执，也给她留下了持久的约束，使她永不偏离她如今所选择的善道。第一， 这暗示了死亡将暂时使她们分离。她能应许在同一地方死去并安葬，却不能应许在同一时刻；她有可能先死，那便是分离了。须知，死亡能使其他一切不能分开的人暂时分离。临终之时就是离别之时，我们当如此思想并为此预备。第二， 她决心除了死亡以外，别无他事能使她们分离；不是自己家人和本国百姓的任何善意，也不是在他们中间得高升的盼望；不是以色列人任何的恶意，也不是在其中受贫穷和羞辱的恐惧。"不，我永不离开你。" 如今，
(2.) 这是一个决然归向神和信仰之人的榜样。我们也当如此立场坚定。[1.] 我们必须以耶和华为我们的神。"这位神是我的神，直到永远；我已认祂为我的神。" [2.] 当我们以神为我们的神时，我们必须在各种境况中以祂的百姓为我们的百姓；虽然他们是贫穷被轻看的百姓，但他们若是祂的，就必是我们的。[3.] 我们既在他们中间定了份，就当乐意与他们同命运、同甘苦。我们必须负同一轭、忠心地在其中拉牵，背起同一十字架、甘心乐意地背负，神要我们去哪里就去哪里——即使是被放逐；祂要我们住在哪里就住在哪里——即使是监狱；祂要我们在哪里死就在哪里死，将我们的骸骨安放在义人的坟墓中——他们进入平安、安息在床榻上，虽然不过是普通人的坟墓。[4.] 我们必须决心恒久忍耐、坚持到底，而我们与基督的联合必须比路得与拿俄米的更为紧密。她决心除了死亡以外别无所能使之分离；但我们当决心连死亡本身也不能使我们偏离对基督的本分，那样我们便可以确信，连死亡本身也不能使我们失去在基督里的福气。[5.] 我们必须用永不断裂的纽带捆绑我们的灵魂，向耶和华起誓要忠于祂。绑得紧，找得着。诚实的人不因保证而惊惶。
8. 拿俄米因此沉默了（得1:18）：她见路得定意要跟随自己去（这正是她所说一切话所要达到的目的——使她坚定心意与她同行），她见自己达到了目的，便心满意足，不再劝她了。她所求的，不过是路得刚才那番庄严宣告而已。请看决心的力量，它如何使试探哑口无言。那些犹豫不决、在信仰路上没有坚定心意的人，是在试探那试探者，如同一扇半开的门引贼入门；但决心将门关紧上闩，抵挡魔鬼，迫使他逃遁。
《他尔根》意译本如此叙述拿俄米与路得之间的辩论：——路得说：不要催我离开你，因为我要作归信者。 拿俄米说：我们受命守安息日和节期，在这些日子不可行走超过二千肘——即安息日可走的路程。好， 路得说，你往哪里去，我也往那里去。 拿俄米说：我们受命不可在外邦人那里过夜。好， 路得说，你在哪里住宿，我也在那里住宿。 拿俄米说：我们受命遵守六百一十三条诫命。好， 路得说，你百姓所遵守的，我也要遵守，因为他们要作我的百姓。 拿俄米说：我们被禁止敬拜任何外邦的神。好， 路得说，你的神就是我的神。 拿俄米说：我们有四种处死刑罚——用石头打死、焚烧、勒死、用刀杀。好， 路得说，你在哪里死，我也在那里死。 拿俄米说：我们有坟墓。在那里， 路得说，我也必葬在那里。
英文原文
Naomi Returns to Canaan; Naomi and Her Daughters-in-Law; Ruth's Constancy to Naomi (1312 BC)
⁶ Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread.
⁷ Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.
⁸ And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother's house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.
⁹ The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.
¹⁰ And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.
¹¹ And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
¹² Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have a husband also to night, and should also bear sons;
¹³ Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me.
¹⁴ And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.
¹⁵ And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.
¹⁶ And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
¹⁷ Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.
¹⁸ When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.
See here, I. The good affection Naomi bore to the land of Israel, Ru 1:6. Though she could not stay in it while the famine lasted, she would not stay out of it when the famine ceased. Though the country of Moab had afforded her shelter and supply in a time of need, yet she did not intend it should be her rest for ever; no land should be that but the holy land, in which the sanctuary of God was, of which he had said, This is my rest for ever. Observe,
1. God, at last, returned in mercy to his people; for, though he contend long, he will not contend always. As the judgment of oppression, under which they often groaned in the time of the judges, still came to an end, after a while, when God had raised them up a deliverer, so here the judgment of famine: At length God graciously visited his people in giving them bread. Plenty is God's gift, and it is his visitation which by bread, the staff of life, holds our souls in life. Though this mercy be the more striking when it comes after famine, yet if we have constantly enjoyed it, and never knew what famine meant, we are not to think it the less valuable.
2. Naomi then returned, in duty to her people. She had often enquired of their state, what harvests they had and how the markets went, and still the tidings were discouraging; but like the prophet's servant, who, having looked seven times and seen no sign of rain, at length discerned a cloud no bigger than a man's hand, which soon overspread the heavens, so Naomi at last has good news brought her of plenty in Bethlehem, and then she can think of no other than returning thither again. Her new alliances in the country of Moab could not make her forget her relation to the land of Israel. Note, Though there be a reason for our being in bad places, yet, when the reason ceases, we must by no means continue in them. Forced absence from God's ordinances, and forced presence with wicked people, are great afflictions; but when the force ceases, and such a situation is continued of choice, then it becomes a great sin. It should seem she began to think of returning immediately upon the death of her two sons, (1.) Because she looked upon that affliction to be a judgment upon her family for lingering in the country of Moab; and hearing this to be the voice of the rod, and of him that appointed it, she obeys and returns. Had she returned upon the death of her husband, perhaps she might have saved the life of her sons; but, when God judgeth he will overcome, and, if one affliction prevail not to awaken us to a sight and sense of sin and duty, another shall. When death comes into a family it ought to be improved for the reforming of what is amiss in the family: when relations are taken away from us we are put upon enquiry whether, in some instance or other, we are not out of the way of our duty, that we may return to it. God calls our sins to remembrance, when he slays a son, 1Ki 17:18. And, if he thus hedge up our way with thorns, it is that he may oblige us to say, We will go and return to our first husband, as Naomi here to her country, Ho 2:7. (2.) Because the land of Moab had now become a melancholy place to her. It is with little pleasure that she can breathe in that air in which her husband and sons had expired, or go on that ground in which they lay buried out of her sight, but not out of her thoughts; now she will go to Canaan again. Thus God takes away from us the comforts we stay ourselves too much upon and solace ourselves too much in, here in the land of our sojourning, that we may think more of our home in the other world, and by faith and hope may hasten towards it. Earth is embittered to us, that heaven may be endeared.
II. The good affection which her daughters-in-law, and one of them especially, bore to her, and her generous return of their good affection.
1. They were both so kind as to accompany her, some part of the way at least, when she returned towards the land of Judah. Her two daughters-in-law did not go about to persuade her to continue in the land of Moab, but, if she was resolved to go home, would pay her all possible civility and respect at parting; and this was one instance of it: they would bring her on her way, at least to the utmost limits of their country, and help her to carry her luggage as far as they went, for it does not appear that she had any servant to attend her, Ru 1:7. By this we see both that Naomi, as became an Israelite, had been very kind and obliging to them and had won their love, in which she is an example to all mothers-in-law, and that Orpah and Ruth had a just sense of her kindness, for they were willing to return it thus far. It was a sign they had dwelt together in unity, though those were dead by whom the relation between them came. Though they retained an affection for the gods of Moab (Ru 1:15), and Naomi was still faithful to the God of Israel, yet that was no hindrance to either side from love and kindness, and all the good offices that the relation required. Mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law are too often at variance (Mt 10:35), and therefore it is the more commendable if they live in love; let all who sustain this relation aim at the praise of doing so.
2. When they had gone a little way with her Naomi, with a great deal of affection, urged them to go back (Ru 1:8,9): Return each to her mother's house. When they were dislodged by a sad providence from the house of their husbands it was a mercy to them that they had their parents yet living, that they had their houses to go to, where they might be welcome and easy, and were not turned out to the wide world. Naomi suggests that their own mothers would be more agreeable to them than a mother-in-law, especially when their own mothers had houses and their mother-in-law was not sure she had a place to lay her head in which she could call her own. She dismisses them,
(1.) With commendation. This is a debt owing to those who have conducted themselves well in any relation, they ought to have the praise of it: You have dealt kindly with the dead and with me, that is, "You were good wives to your husbands that are gone, and have been good daughters to me, and not wanting to your duty in either relation." Note, When we and our relations are parting, by death or otherwise, it is very comfortable if we have both their testimony and the testimony of our own consciences for us that while we were together we carefully endeavoured to do our duty in the relation. This will help to allay the bitterness of parting; and, while we are together, we should labour so to conduct ourselves as that when we part we may not have cause to reflect with regret upon our miscarriages in the relation.
(2.) With prayer. It is very proper for friends, when they part, to part with prayer. She sends them home with her blessing; and the blessing of a mother-in-law is not to be slighted. In this blessing she twice mentions the name Jehovah, Israel's God, and the only true God, that she might direct her daughters to look up to him as the only fountain of all good. To him she prays in general that he would recompense to them the kindness they had shown to her and hers. It may be expected and prayed for in faith that God will deal kindly with those that have dealt kindly with their relations. He that watereth shall be watered also himself. And, in particular, that they might be happy in marrying again: The Lord grant that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Note, [1.] It is very fit that, according to the apostle's direction (1Ti 5:14), the younger women, and he speaks there of young widows, should marry, bear children, and guide the house. And it is a pity that those who have approved themselves good wives should not again be blessed with good husbands, especially those that, like these widows, have no children. [2.] The married state is a state of rest, such rest as this world affords, rest in the house of a husband, more than can be expected in the house of a mother or a mother-in-law. [3.] This rest is God's gift. If any content and satisfaction be found in our outward condition, God must be acknowledged in it. There are those that are unequally yoked, that find little rest even in the house of a husband. Their affliction ought to make those the more thankful to whom the relation is comfortable. Yet let God be the rest of the soul, and no perfect rest thought of on this side heaven.
(3.) She dismissed them with great affection: She kissed them, wished she had somewhat better to give them, but silver and gold she had none. However, this parting kiss shall be the seal of such a true friendship as (though she never see them more) she will, while she lives, retain the pleasing remembrance of. If relations must part, let them thus part in love, that they may (if they never meet again in this world) meet in the world of everlasting love.
3. The two young widows could not think of parting with their good mother-in-law, so much had the good conversation of that pious Israelite won upon them. They not only lifted up their voice and wept, as loth to part, but they professed a resolution to adhere to her (Ru 1:10): "Surely we will return with thee unto thy people, and take our lot with thee." It is a rare instance of affection to a mother-in-law and an evidence that they had, for her sake, conceived a good opinion of the people of Israel. Even Orpah, who afterwards went back to her gods, now seemed resolved to go forward with Naomi. The sad ceremony of parting, and the tears shed on that occasion, drew from her this protestation, but it did not hold. Strong passions, without a settled judgment, commonly produce weak resolutions.
4. Naomi sets herself to dissuade them from going along with her, Ru 1:11-13.
(1.) Naomi urges her afflicted condition. If she had had any sons in Canaan, or any near kinsmen, whom she could have expected to marry the widows, to raise up seed to those that were gone, and to redeem the mortgaged estate of the family, it might have been some encouragement to them to hope for a comfortable settlement at Bethlehem. But she had no sons, nor could she think of any near kinsman likely to do the kinsman's part, and therefore argues that she was never likely to have any sons to be husbands for them, for she was too old to have a husband; it became her age to think of dying and going out of the world, not of marrying and beginning the world again. Or, if she had a husband, she could not expect to have children, nor, if she had sons, could she think that these young widows would stay unmarried till her sons that should yet be born would grow up to be marriageable. Yet this was not all: she could not only not propose to herself to marry them like themselves, but she knew not how to maintain them like themselves. The greatest grievance of that poor condition to which she was reduced was that she was not in a capacity to do for them as she would: It grieveth me more for your sakes than for my own that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me. Observe, [1.] She judges herself chiefly aimed at in the affliction, that God's quarrel was principally with her: "The hand of the Lord has gone out against me. I am the sinner; it is with me that God has a controversy; it is with me that he is contending; I take it to myself." This well becomes us when we are under affliction; though many others share in the trouble, yet we must hear the voice of the rod as if it spoke only against us and to us, not billeting the rebukes of it at other people's houses, but taking them to ourselves. [2.] She laments most the trouble that redounded to them from it. She was the sinner, but they were the sufferers: It grieveth me much for your sakes. A gracious generous spirit can better bear its own burden than it can bear to see it a grievance to others, or others in any way drawn into trouble by it. Naomi could more easily want herself than see her daughters want. "Therefore turn again, my daughters, for, alas! I am in no capacity to do you any kindness." But,
(2.) Did Naomi do well thus to discourage her daughters from going with her, when, by taking them with her, she might save them from the idolatry of Moab and bring them to the faith and worship of the God of Israel? Naomi, no doubt, desired to do so. But, [1.] If they did come with her, she would not have them to come upon her account. Those that take upon them a profession of religion only in complaisance to their relations, to oblige their friends, or for the sake of company, will be converts of small value and of short continuance. [2.] If they did come with her, she would have them to make it their deliberate choice, and to sit down first and count the cost, as it concerns those to do that may take up a profession of religion. It is good for us to be told the worst. Our Saviour took this course with him who, in the heat of zeal, spoke that bold word, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. "Come, come," says Christ, "canst thou fare as I fare? The Son of man has not where to lay his head; know this, and then consider whether thou canst find in thy heart to take thy lot with him," Mt 8:19,20. Thus Naomi deals with her daughters-in-law. Thoughts ripened into resolves by serious consideration are likely to be kept always in the imagination of the heart, whereas what is soon ripe is soon rotten.
5. Orpah was easily persuaded to yield to her own corrupt inclination, and to go back to her country, her kindred, and her father's house, now when she stood fair for an effectual call from it. They both lifted up their voice and wept again (Ru 1:14), being much affected with the tender things that Naomi had said. But it had a different effect upon them: to Orpah it was a savour of death unto death; the representation Naomi had made of the inconveniences they must count upon if they went forward to Canaan sent her back to the country of Moab, and served her as an excuse for her apostasy; but, on the contrary, it strengthened Ruth's resolution, and her good affection to Naomi, with whose wisdom and goodness she was never so charmed as she was upon this occasion; thus to her it was a savour of life unto life. (1.) Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, that is, took an affectionate leave of her, bade her farewell for ever, without any purpose to follow her hereafter, as he that said he would follow Christ when he had buried his father or bidden those farewell that were at home. Orpah's kiss showed she had an affection for Naomi and was loth to part from her; yet she did not love her well enough to leave her country for her sake. Thus many have a value and affection for Christ, and yet come short of salvation by him, because they cannot find in their hearts to forsake other things for him. They love him and yet leave him, because they do not love him enough, but love other things better. Thus the young man that went away from Christ went away sorrowful, Mt 19:22. But, (2.) Ruth clave unto her. Whether, when she came from home, she was resolved to go forward with her or no does not appear; perhaps she was before determined what to do, out of a sincere affection for the God of Israel and to his law, of which, by the good instructions of Naomi, she had some knowledge.
6. Naomi persuades Ruth to go back, urging, as a further inducement, her sister's example (Ru 1:15): Thy sister-in-law has gone back to her people, and therefore of course gone back to her gods; for, whatever she might do while she lived with her mother-in-law, it would be next to impossible for her to show any respect to the God of Israel when she went to live among the worshippers of Chemosh. Those that forsake the communion of saints, and return to the people of Moab, will certainly break off their communion with God, and embrace the idols of Moab. Now, return thou after thy sister, that is, "If ever thou wilt return, return now. This is the greatest trial of thy constancy; stand this trial, and thou art mine for ever." Such offences as that of Orpah's revolt must needs come, that those who are perfect and sincere may be made manifest, as Ruth was upon this occasion.
7. Ruth puts an end to the debate by a most solemn profession of her immovable resolution never to forsake her, nor to return to her own country and her old relations again, Ru 1:16,17.
(1.) Nothing could be said more fine, more brave, than this. She seems to have had another spirit, and another speech, now that her sister had gone, and it is an instance of the grace of God inclining the soul to the resolute choice of the better part. Draw me thus, and we will run after thee. Her mother's dissuasions made her the more resolute; as when Joshua said to the people, You cannot serve the Lord, they said it with the more vehemence, Nay, but we will. [1.] She begs of her mother-in-law to say no more against her going: "Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee; for all thy entreaties now cannot shake that resolution which thy instructions formerly have wrought in me, and therefore let me hear no more of them." Note, It is a great vexation and uneasiness to those that are resolved for God and religion to be tempted and solicited to alter their resolution. Those that would not think of it would not hear of it. Entreat me not. The margin reads it, Be not against me. Note, We are to reckon those against us, and really our enemies, that would hinder us in our way to the heavenly Canaan. Our relations they may be, but they cannot be our friends, that would dissuade us from and discourage us in the service of God and the work of religion. [2.] She is very particular in her resolution to cleave to her and never to forsake her; and she speaks the language of one resolved for God and heaven. She is so in love, not with her mother's beauty, or riches, or gaiety (all these were withered and gone), but with her wisdom, and virtue, and grace, which remained with her, even in her present poor and melancholy condition, that she resolves to cleave to her. First, She will travel with her: Whither thou goest I will go, though to a country I never saw and in a low and ill opinion of which I have been trained up; though far from my own country, yet with thee every road shall be pleasant. Secondly, She will dwell with her: "Where thou lodgest I will lodge, though it be in a cottage, nay, though it be no better a lodging than Jacob had when he had the stones for his pillow. Where thou settest up thy staff I will set up mine, be it where it may." Thirdly, She will twist interest with her: Thy people shall be my people. From Naomi's character she concludes certainly that the great nation was a wise and an understanding people. She judges of them all by her good mother, who, wherever she went, was a credit to her country (as all those should study to be who profess relation to the better country, that is, the heavenly), and therefore she will think herself happy if she may be reckoned one of them. "Thy people shall be mine to associate with, to be conformable to, and to be concerned for." Fourthly, She will join in religion with her. Thus she determined to be hers usque ad aras—to the very altars: "Thy God shall be my God, and farewell to all the gods of Moab, which are vanity and a lie. I will adore the God of Israel, the only living and true God, trust in him alone, serve him, and in every thing be ruled by him;" this is to take the Lord for our God. Fifthly, She will gladly die in the same bed: Where thou diest will I die. She takes it for granted they must both die, and that in all probability Naomi, as the elder, would die first, and resolves to continue in the same house, if it might be, till her days also were fulfilled, intimating likewise a desire to partake of her happiness in death; she wishes to die in the same place, in token of her dying after the same manner. "Let me die the death of righteous Naomi, and let my last end be like hers." Sixthly, She will desire to be buried in the same grave, and to lay her bones by hers: There will I be buried, not desiring to have so much as her dead body carried back to the country of Moab, in token of any remaining kindness for it; but, Naomi and she having joined souls, she desires they may mingle dust, in hopes of rising together, and being together for ever in the other world. [3.] She backs her resolution to adhere to Naomi with a solemn oath: The Lord do so to me, and more also (which was an ancient form of imprecation), if aught but death part thee and me. An oath for confirmation was an end of this strife, and would leave a lasting obligation upon her never to forsake that good way she was now making choice of. First, It is implied that death would separate between them for a time. She could promise to die and be buried in the same place, but not at the same time; it might so happen that she might die first, and this would part them. Note, Death parts those whom nothing else will part. A dying hour is a parting hour, and should be so thought of by us and prepared for. Secondly, It is resolved that nothing else should part them; not any kindness from her own family and people, nor any hope of preferment among them, not any unkindness from Israel, nor the fear of poverty and disgrace among them. "No, I will never leave thee." Now,
(2.) This is a pattern of a resolute convert to God and religion. Thus must we be at a point. [1.] We must take the Lord for our God. "This God is my God for ever and ever; I have avouched him for mine." [2.] When we take God for our God we must take his people for our people in all conditions; though they be a poor despised people, yet, if they be his, they must be ours. [3.] Having cast in our lot among them, we must be willing to take our lot with them and to fare as they fare. We must submit to the same yoke and draw in it faithfully, take up the same cross and carry it cheerfully, go where God will have us to go, though it should be into banishment, and lodge where he will have us to lodge, though it be in a prison, die where he will have us die, and lay our bones in the graves of the upright, who enter into peace and rest in their beds, though they be but the graves of the common people. [4.] We must resolve to continue and persevere, and herein our adherence to Christ must be closer than that of Ruth to Naomi. She resolved that nothing but death should separate them; but we must resolve that death itself shall not separate us from our duty to Christ, and then we may be sure that death itself shall not separate us from our happiness in Christ. [5.] We must bind our souls with a bond never to break these pious resolutions, and swear unto the Lord that we will cleave to him. Fast bind, fast find. He that means honestly does not startle at assurances.
8. Naomi is hereby silenced (Ru 1:18): When she saw that Ruth was stedfastly minded to go with her (which was the very thing she aimed at in all that she had said, to make her of a stedfast mind in going with her), when she saw that she had gained her point, she was well satisfied, and left off speaking to her. She could desire no more than that solemn protestation which Ruth had just now made. See the power of resolution, how it puts temptation to silence. Those that are unresolved, and go in religious ways without a stedfast mind, tempt the tempter, and stand like a door half open, which invites a thief; but resolution shuts and bolts the door, resists the devil, and forces him to flee.
The Chaldee paraphrase thus relates the debate between Naomi and Ruth:—Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, for I will be a proselyte. Naomi said, We are commanded to keep sabbaths and good days, on which we may not travel above 2000 cubits—a sabbath-day's journey. Well, said Ruth, whither thou goest I will go. Naomi said, We are commanded not to tarry all night with Gentiles. Well, said Ruth, where thou lodgest I will lodge. Naomi said, We are commanded to keep 613 precepts. Well, said Ruth, whatever thy people keep I will keep, for they shall be my people. Naomi said, We are forbidden to worship any strange god. Well, said Ruth, thy God shall be my God. Naomi said, We have four sorts of deaths for malefactors, stoning, burning, strangling, and slaying with the sword. Well, said Ruth, where thou diest I will die. We have, said Naomi, houses of sepulchre. And there, said Ruth, will I be buried.
19-22
Naomi's Reception at Bethlehem (1312 BC)
简体中文
拿俄米在伯利恒的遭遇（主前1312年）
¹⁹ 于是二人同行，来到伯利恒。她们到了伯利恒，合城的人就都惊讶。妇女们说："这是拿俄米吗？" ²⁰ 拿俄米对她们说："不要叫我拿俄米，要叫我玛拉，因为全能者使我受了大苦。" ²¹ 我满满地出去，耶和华使我空空地回来。耶和华降罚与我，全能者使我受苦。既是这样，你们为何还叫我拿俄米呢？" ²² 拿俄米和她儿媳摩押女子路得，从摩押地回来，到伯利恒。正是动手割大麦的时候。
拿俄米和路得经过了许多疲惫的脚步之后——我们可以想象，旅途中因拿俄米对这位归信者所给予的美好教导，以及她们之间美好的交谈，多少减轻了旅程的劳顿——终于来到了伯利恒。她们来得正是时候——在动手割大麦的时候，那是他们收割季的开始，小麦的收割在其后。如今拿俄米亲眼所见，可以证实她在摩押地所听见的——耶和华眷顾了祂的百姓，赐粮食给他们；路得也得以看见这美地最美好的景象；如今她们也有机会为过冬做预备了。我们的时代在神手中，无论是事件本身还是其发生的时间。此处经上注意到：
I. 邻舍们在此场合下的不安（得1:19）：合城的人就都惊讶。她旧日的熟人聚拢过来，询问她的景况，并欢迎她再回伯利恒。又或者他们为她而惊讶，恐怕她成为城中的负担，因为她看起来如此寒酸。由此可见她从前生活体面，否则不会引起如此多的注意。那些曾处于高位顺境之人若一旦破产，或陷入贫穷羞辱，他们的衰落便更加引人注目。他们说：这是拿俄米吗？说这话的是城中的妇女们，因为原文是阴性词。那些从前与她亲密的人看见她这副模样，大为惊讶；她因受苦而被折磨改变得如此之大，以至于她们几乎不敢相信自己的眼睛，也想不到这就是她们从前所见的那个容光焕发、美丽鲜润的人：*这是拿俄米吗？*玫瑰花枯萎时与盛开时是何等不同。拿俄米如今与她在兴盛之时相比，是何等寒酸的模样！若有人以轻蔑的口吻问这话，以她的苦难来嘲笑她（"这就是那个不能与邻舍同甘共苦、非要跑到异国他乡去的人吗？看看她得到了什么！"），他们的品格就极为卑鄙。再没有比幸灾乐祸于落难之人更野蛮的了。但我们可以设想大多数人是出于怜悯和同情而问的："这就是那个生活丰盛、持家大方、乐善好施的人吗？黄金何竟失了光泽！"那些见过第一圣殿之辉煌的人，看见第二圣殿的简陋时便哭泣；此处这些人也是如此。须知，苦难能在短时间内造成巨大而惊人的变化。当我们看见疾病和衰老如何改变人——改变他们的容貌和性情——我们便可想到伯利恒人所说的："*这是拿俄米吗？*人们简直不会认出这是同一个人。"愿神以祂的恩典使我们预备好面对这一切变迁，尤其是那最大的变迁！
II. 拿俄米心灵的安宁。若有人以她的贫穷嘲笑她，她并没有像贫穷而骄傲之人那样对他们动怒；而是以极大的敬虔忍耐，承受了这一苦楚以及一切其他因苦难而来的忧郁后果（得1:20,21）：不要叫我拿俄米，要叫我玛拉，等等。"拿俄米意为可爱或喜悦；但我一切美好的事物都已荒废；叫我玛拉——即苦或苦楚——因为我如今是一个心灵忧愁的女子了。"她如此使自己的心思与处境相合——当我们处境不能完全如愿时，我们都当如此行。请注意：
1. 她处境的改变，以及她如何描述这一改变——带着对神护理的敬虔之心，没有任何激愤的怨言和抱怨。(1.) 这是一个非常悲伤而忧郁的改变。她满满地出去；当她有丈夫和两个儿子时，她觉得自己是满足的。我们在今世安慰的丰满，很大程度上来自融洽的亲情关系。而她如今空空地回来——成了寡妇，又没有儿女，大概还变卖了财物，从她带出去的一切家当中，回来时身上除了穿的衣裳别无他物。我们在受造之物中所称为"丰满"的一切，是如此不确定（撒上2:5）。即便在那丰足的满足中，我们仍可能陷入困境。但有一种丰满——属灵的、属神的丰满——是我们永不会被倒空的，一份不能从拥有者手中夺去的上好的分。(2.) 她在苦难中承认神的手——祂大能的手。"是耶和华使我空空地回来；是全能者使我受苦。"须知，在受苦之时使恩典之灵得着满足的，莫过于想到其中神的手。这是耶和华（撒上3:18，伯1:21）。尤其要想到那击打我们的是Shaddai——全能者——与祂较力是愚妄，顺服祂是我们的本分和利益所在。这正是神与人立约时所用的名字：我是全能的神——全足的神（创17:1）。祂以立约之神的身份施行击打，而祂的全足可以在我们一切苦难中成为我们的扶持和供应。那倒空我们受造之物的一位，知道如何以祂自己来充满我们。(3.) 她极其深切地说到这苦难在她身上留下的印象：祂使我受了大苦。苦难的杯是苦杯，即便那后来结出平安的义果的，在当下也不是喜乐的，而是忧愁的（来12:11）。约伯抱怨说：你向我写苦辞（伯13:26）。(4.) 她承认这苦难是出于神的争辩：耶和华降罚与我（testified against me）。须知，当神管教我们时，祂就是testifies against us——与我们争辩（伯10:17），表明祂对我们不悦。每一根杖都有一个声音——见证人的声音。
2. 她的心灵与此改变的顺应："不要叫我拿俄米，因为我对自己或朋友都不再是喜悦的了；要叫我玛拉——一个更与我目前处境相称的名字。"许多人在沦落贫穷之时，仍然喜欢别人用他们从前所享受的空洞的尊称和头衔来称呼自己。拿俄米却不如此。她的谦卑使她在落魄之境不追求荣耀的名号。若神以苦待她，她便迁就于这一安排，甘愿被称为玛拉——苦。须知，我们在使人谦卑的护理之下当存谦卑的心。当我们的处境被降低时，我们的心也当随之降低。那时我们的苦难便被圣化了——因为不是苦难本身，而是正确地承受苦难，才使我们得益处。Perdidisti tot mala, si nondum misera esse didicisti——若你至今尚未学会如何受苦，那么这许多灾祸便都白白浪费了。（Sen. ad Helv.）患难生忍耐。
英文原文
Naomi's Reception at Bethlehem (1312 BC)
¹⁹ So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?
²⁰ And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.
²¹ I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?
²² So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.
Naomi and Ruth, after many a weary step (the fatigue of the journey, we may suppose, being somewhat relieved by the good instructions Naomi gave to her proselyte and the good discourse they had together), came at last to Bethlehem. And they came very seasonably, in the beginning of the barley-harvest, which was the first of their harvests, that of wheat following after. Now Naomi's own eyes might convince her of the truth of what she had heard in the country of Moab, that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread, and Ruth might see this good land in its best state; and now they had opportunity to provide for winter. Our times are in God's hand, both the events and the time of them. Notice is here taken,
I. Of the discomposure of the neighbours upon this occasion (Ru 1:19): All the city was moved about them. Her old acquaintance gathered about her, to enquire concerning her state, and to bid her welcome to Bethlehem again. Or perhaps they were moved about her, lest she should be a charge to the town, she looked so bare. By this it appears that she had formerly lived respectably, else there would not have been so much notice taken of her. If those that have been in a high and prosperous condition break, or fall into poverty or disgrace, their fall is the more remarkable. And they said, Is this Naomi? The women of the city said it, for the word is feminine. Those with whom she had formerly been intimate were surprised to see her in this condition; she was so much broken and altered with her afflictions that they could scarcely believe their own eyes, nor think that this was the same person whom they had formerly seen, so fresh, and fair, and gay: Is this Naomi? So unlike is the rose when it is withered to what it was when it was blooming. What a poor figure does Naomi make now, compared with what she made in her prosperity! If any asked this question in contempt, upbraiding her with her miseries ("is this she that could not be content to fare as her neighbours did, but must ramble to a strange country? see what she has got by it!"), their temper was very base and sordid. Nothing more barbarous than to triumph over those that are fallen. But we may suppose that the generality asked it in compassion and commiseration: "Is this she that lived so plentifully, and kept so good a house, and was so charitable to the poor? How has the gold become dim!" Those that had seen the magnificence of the first temple wept when they saw the meanness of the second; so these here. Note, Afflictions will make great and surprising changes in a little time. When we see how sickness and old age alter people, change their countenance and temper, we may think of what the Bethlehemites said: "Is this Naomi? One would not take it to be the same person." God, by his grace, fit us for all such changes, especially the great change!
II. Of the composure of Naomi's spirit. If some upbraided her with her poverty, she was not moved against them, as she would have been if she had been poor and proud; but, with a great deal of pious patience, bore that and all the other melancholy effects of her affliction (Ru 1:20,21): Call me not Naomi, call me Mara, etc. "Naomi signifies pleasant or amiable; but all my pleasant things are laid waste; call me Mara, bitter or bitterness, for I am now a woman of a sorrowful spirit." Thus does she bring her mind to her condition, which we all ought to do when our condition is not in every thing to our mind. Observe,
1. The change of her state, and how it is described, with a pious regard to the divine providence, and without any passionate murmurings or complaints. (1.) It was a very sad and melancholy change. She went out full; so she thought herself when she had her husband with her and two sons. Much of the fulness of our comfort in this world arises from agreeable relations. But she now came home again empty, a widow and childless, and probably had sold her goods, and of all the effects she took with her brought home no more than the clothes on her back. So uncertain is all that which we call fulness in the creature, 1Sa 2:5. Even in the fulness of that sufficiency we may be in straits. But there is a fulness, a spiritual and divine fulness, which we can never be emptied of, a good part which shall not be taken from those that have it. (2.) She acknowledges the hand of God, his mighty hand, in the affliction. "It is the Lord that has brought me home again empty; it is the Almighty that has afflicted me." Note, Nothing conduces more to satisfy a gracious soul under an affliction than the consideration of the hand of God in it. It is the Lord, 1Sa 3:18, Job 1:21. Especially to consider that he who afflicts us is Shaddai, the Almighty, with whom it is folly to contend and to whom it is our duty and interest to submit. It is that name of God by which he enters into covenant with his people: I am God Almighty, God All-sufficient, Ge 17:1. He afflicts as a God in covenant, and his all-sufficiency may be our support and supply under all our afflictions. He that empties us of the creature knows how to fill us with himself. (3.) She speaks very feelingly of the impression which the affliction had made upon her: He has dealt very bitterly with me. The cup of affliction is a bitter cup, and even that which afterwards yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness, yet, for the present, is not joyous, but grievous, Heb 12:11. Job complains, Thou writest bitter things against me, Job 13:26. (4.) She owns the affliction to come from God as a controversy: The Lord hath testified against me. Note, When God corrects us he testifies against us and contends with us (Job 10:17), intimating that he is displeased with us. Every rod has a voice, the voice of a witness.
2. The compliance of her spirit with this change: "Call me not Naomi, for I am no more pleasant, either to myself or to my friends; but call me Mara, a name more agreeable to my present state." Many that are debased and impoverished yet affect to be called by the empty names and titles of honour they have formerly enjoyed. Naomi did not so. Her humility regards not a glorious name in a dejected state. If God deal bitterly with her, she will accommodate herself to the dispensation, and is willing to be called Mara, bitter. Note, It well becomes us to have our hearts humbled under humbling providences. When our condition is brought down our spirits should be brought down with it. And then our troubles are sanctified to us when we thus comport with them; for it is not an affliction itself, but an affliction rightly borne, that does us good. Perdidisti tot mala, si nondum misera esse didicisti—So many calamities have been lost upon you if you have not yet learned how to suffer. Sen. ad Helv. Tribulation works patience.
路得记第一章概述
本章记述了拿俄米的苦难。I. 作为一个困窘的管家，因饥荒被迫迁往摩押地（得1:1,2）。II. 作为一个哀恸的寡妇与母亲，为丈夫和两个儿子的死而悲悼（得1:3-5）。III. 作为一个体贴的婆婆，渴望善待两个儿媳，却在归回故土时不知如何成全（得1:6-13）。她与俄珥巴在愁苦中分别（得1:14），却怀着敬畏将路得带在身边（得1:15-18）。IV. 作为一个贫困的妇人，被引回她起初安居之所，靠朋友的恩慈得着供养（得1:19-22）。这一切都令人忧郁，似乎都与她作对，然而万事都互相效力，为要叫爱神的人得益处。