Study Desk

Then 10,000 select men from all Israel made a frontal assault against Gibeah, and the battle was fierce. But the Benjamites did not realize that disaster was upon them.

But when the column of smoke began to go up from the city, the Benjamites looked behind them and saw the whole city going up in smoke.

So they fled before the men of Israel toward the wilderness, but the battle overtook them, and the men coming out of the cities struck them down there.

But six hundred men turned and fled into the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, where they stayed four months.

And at that time the Benjamites returned and were given the women who were spared from Jabesh-gilead. But there were not enough women for all of them.

But we cannot give them our daughters as wives." For the Israelites had sworn, "Cursed is he who gives a wife to a Benjamite."

"But look," they said, "there is a yearly feast to the LORD in Shiloh, which is north of Bethel east of the road that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah."

But Naomi replied, "Return home, my daughters. Why would you go with me? Are there still sons in my womb to become your husbands?

Again they wept aloud, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.

But Ruth replied: "Do not urge me to leave you or to turn from following you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.

Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD punish me, and ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me."

I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? After all, the LORD has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me."

Then Boaz said to Ruth, "Listen, my daughter. Do not go and glean in another field, and do not go away from this place, but stay here close to my servant girls.

Therefore wash yourself, put on perfume, and wear your best clothes. Go down to the threshing floor, but do not let the man know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking.

Yes, it is true that I am a kinsman-redeemer, but there is a redeemer nearer than I.

Stay here tonight, and in the morning, if he wants to redeem you, good. Let him redeem you. But if he does not want to redeem you, as surely as the LORD lives, I will. Now lie here until morning."

So she lay down at his feet until morning, but she got up before anyone else could recognize her. Then Boaz said, "Do not let it be known that a woman came to the threshing floor."

I thought I should inform you that you may buy it back in the presence of those seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you want to redeem it, do so. But if you will not redeem it, tell me so I may know, because there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am next after you." "I will redeem it," he replied.

He had two wives, one named Hannah and the other Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved her even though the LORD had closed her womb.