Chapter 1: 19-22
"Ruth's Reception"
J. Deering, AncientPath.net

Visualized Text and Questions Only
(Answers are in the Master Study section)

Ruth 1:19-22  "Ruth's Reception"
THE VISUALIZED TEXT (NASB)  (conjunctions & prepositions (and other important words) underlined, words not in original text in italics)  (alternate text in purple)

(1:19a)
So

they both went

until they came to Bethlehem.

(1:19b)

And

it came about
when

they had come to Bethlehem,

that

all the city was stirred

because of them, and
the women (Lit., "they said") said,

"Is this Naomi?"

 Questions and Answers about Ruth 1:19

1. Why "So?"
   (Another major plot shift)
2. Until they came to where?
   (Bethlehem Ephrathah)
3. Why repeat where they had come to?
   (When God speaks twice – you should listen)
4. How much of the city was stirred?
   (ALL)
5. Why was the city stirred?
   (Naomi’s long absence, Naomi returns w/o Elimelech, Naomi returns with a foreigner who is now her daughter-in-law)
6. What can you discern from the woman's question, "is this Naomi?"
   (10-15 years have gone by and they have not been kind years)

(1:20a)
And

she said to them,

"Do not call me Naomi (i.e., "pleasant");
call me Mara (i.e., "bitter"),

(1:20b)

for

the Almighty (Heb., "Shaddai") has dealt very bitterly
with me.

 Questions and Answers about Ruth 1:20

1. Who spoke to the city people?
   (Naomi)
2. Why are people's names so important?
   (Establishing major characters)
3. What is the meaning of the name "Naomi?"
   (Pleasant, Lovely)
4. What is the meaning of the name "Mara?"
   (Bitter)
5. Why did Naomi want to be called "bitter?"
   (She’s bitter and wants to share it – it is OK to have feelings!)
6. Why did Naomi blame God for her fortune?
   (She is bitter, and is in the valley between blessings)
7. What is the significance to her calling Him, "The Almighty?"
   (She Still Believes, but has wounded pride and feelings)
8. Does the fact that she said it make it true?
   (This is a major point in life – just because someone (or you) says something it doesn’t make it true – it only means they (or you) said it)

(1:21)

"I went out full,
but
the LORD (Heb., "Shaddai")
has brought me
back empty.

Why do you call me Naomi,

since

the LORD
has witnessed against me and
the Almighty has afflicted me?"

 Questions and Answers about Ruth 1:21

1. Who went out full?
   (Naomi)
2. What does that mean?
   (Husband, children, sons, land, possessions, happiness, etc.)
3. What is the significance of the word "But?"
   (Contrasting thoughts)
4. Did the Lord bring her back empty?
   (No, but she thinks so, she’s got Ruth)
5. What is the significance of her using the term "The Lord?"
   (She Still Believes, but has wounded pride and feelings)
6. Does the fact that she said it make it true?
   (This is a major point in life – just because someone (or you) says something it doesn’t make it true – it only means they (or you) said it)

(1:22)
So

Naomi returned, and
with her Ruth

the Moabitess,
her daughter-in-law,
who returned from the land of Moab. And

they came to Bethlehem

at the beginning of barley harvest.

 Questions and Answers about Ruth 1:22

1. How is the word "So" used?
   (To indicate Result)
2. Who returned?
   (Naomi)
3. Where did she return to?
   (Bethlehem)
4. Who returned with Naomi?
   (Ruth)
5. What was her nationality?
   (Moabite)
6. What was her relationship to Naomi?
   (Daughter-in-law, but w/ no husband)
7. Who came to Bethlehem here?
   (Naomi and Ruth)
8. When did they arrive?
   (At the beginning of the Barley Harvest)
9. When is the Barley harvest?
   (The last days before Pentecost [40-50 days after Passover])
10. What is the Barley harvest?
    (The Last harvest)
11. What is Barley used for?
    (Animal food and soup stock)

The Book of Ruth, Bible Study, J. Deering, AncientPath.net, study materials are a ministry of AncientPath.net, and may be copied for use in Bible study groups, in limited numbers, providing that no charge is made for them.  No further distribution or use of these materials is allowable under U.S. or International Copyright Law without the express permission of AncientPath.net. ©2008 AncientPath.net, All rights reserved.

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