Ruth 1:6

6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return from the land of Moab, for she had heard in the land of Moab that the LORD had ¹visited His people in ²giving them food.

Ruth 1:6 Meaning and Commentary

Ruth 1:6

Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return
from the country of Moab
After the death of her two sons, and having heard of the ceasing of the famine in Israel, she had a desire to go into her own country, where she would have better opportunities of serving the Lord; and having no heart to stay in Moab, an idolatrous country, where she had lost her husband, and her two sons; and therefore prepared for her journey, and set forward, and her two daughters-in-law with her, to accompany her some part of the way; for it does not appear to be their intention, at least at first setting out, to go with her into the land of Canaan; and therefore it is only said, that they arose

that she might return

for she had heard in the country of Moab:
which was near the land of Israel, the borders of it reaching to the salt sea; the Targum says she heard it by the mouth of an angel, but it is highly probable it was by common fame:

that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread;
that he had been kind and gracious to the people of Israel, by granting them plenty of provisions; which might be their happy case after Gideon had vanquished the Midianites, who came yearly, and destroyed and carried off the fruits of the earth, which had caused a famine; see ( Judges 6:3-6 ) ( 8:28 ) . It seems as if the famine had continued ten years, see ( Ruth 1:4 ) nor need this be thought incredible, since there was a famine in Lydia, which lasted eighteen years ^F2.

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FOOTNOTES:

F2 Herodot Clio, sive, l. 1. c. 94.

Ruth 1:6 In-Context

4 They took for themselves Moabite women as wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. And they lived there about ten years.

5 Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and the woman was bereft of her two children and her husband.

6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return from the land of Moab, for she had heard in the land of Moab that the LORD had visited His people in giving them food.

7 So she departed from the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah.

8 And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go, return each of you to her mother's house. May the LORD deal kindly with you as you have dealt with the dead and with me.

Cross References

• 1. Exodus 4:31; Jeremiah 29:10; Zephaniah 2:7
• 2. Psalms 132:15; Matthew 6:11