Introduction
In the Bible, there are historical narrative of more than two courageous women. However, the story of these two women is particularly unusual because they were not Israelites, but one was a Canaanite and the other a Moabite. What is most surprising is that these two women have been part of the family tree leading to King David and later, to the man Jesus Christ. These two historical accounts perfectly illustrate what the Apostle Peter said shortly before the baptism of Cornelius, a Roman centurion, a non-Jew: « At this Peter began to speak, and he said: “Now I truly understand that God is not partial, 35 but in every nation the man who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him’ » (Acts 10:34).
Meditation on the book of Ruth
The historical period of the Book of Ruth is at the beginning of the governance of the judges in Israel, that is to say, towards the end of the tenth century BCE (before common era) (see the biblical Book of Judges). This biblical book has a highly emotional historical narrative based on a dramatic part of the life of Ruth, widow of one of the two sons of Naomi, who died prematurely (Orpah was his second daughter-in-law, widow of the second deceased son). Naomi was also a widow of Elimelech. The chapter 1 sums up very well the historical framework of this book which will have a happy conclusion. This meditation will bring out the qualities of Naomi, Ruth and Boaz. Regarding Ruth, her important quality was her loyalty to Naomi when the situation seemed particularly dark for these two women. Obviously, we can mention Ruth’s attachment to the Heavenly Father Jehovah God. This reflection will also show that this book has not only an anecdotal value, but also in connection with the future coming of the Messiah (at the time of the story), in its chronological aspect. Indeed, Elimelech and Naomi were from Bethlehem Ephratha in Judah, mentioned in the prophecy regarding to the birthplace of the Child Jesus, in Micah 5:2.
Chapter 1
“Now in the days when the judges administered justice, a famine occurred in the land; and a man went from Bethlehem in Judah to reside as a foreigner in the fields of Moab, he along with his wife and his two sons. 2 The man’s name was Elimelech, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. And they came to the fields of Moab and remained there.
3 After some time Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4 The men later married Moabite women; one was named Orpah, and the other was named Ruth. They remained there for about ten years. 5 Then the two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, also died, and the woman was left without her two children and her husband. 6 So she started out with her daughters-in-law to return from the fields of Moab, for she had heard in Moab that Jehovah had turned his attention to his people by giving them food.
7 She left the place where she had been living with both of her daughters-in-law. As they were walking on the road to return to the land of Judah, 8 Naomi said to both of her daughters-in-law: “Go, return, each of you to your mother’s home. May Jehovah show loyal love to you, just as you have shown it to the men who have died and to me. 9 May Jehovah grant that each of you finds security in the home of your husband.” Then she kissed them, and they wept loudly. 10 They kept saying to her: “No, but we will go with you to your people.” 11 But Naomi said: “Return, my daughters. Why should you go with me? Can I still give birth to sons who could become your husbands? 12 Return, my daughters. Go, for I have grown too old to marry. Even if I could hope to find a husband tonight and could also bear sons, 13 would you keep waiting for them until they could grow up? Would you refrain from getting remarried for their sakes? No, my daughters, I feel very bitter for you, because the hand of Jehovah has turned against me.”
14 Again they wept loudly, after which Orpah kissed her mother-in-law and departed. But Ruth stuck with her. 15 So Naomi said: “Look! Your widowed sister-in-law has returned to her people and her gods. Return with your sister-in-law.”
16 But Ruth said: “Do not plead with me to abandon you, to turn back from accompanying you; for where you go I will go, and where you spend the night, I will spend the night. Your people will be my people, and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May Jehovah do so to me and add to it if anything but death should separate me from you.”
18 When Naomi saw that Ruth insisted on going with her, she stopped trying to convince her. 19 And they both continued on their way until they came to Bethlehem. As soon as they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole city became stirred up over them, and women were saying: “Is this Naomi?” 20 She would say to the women: “Do not call me Naomi. Call me Mara, for the Almighty has made life very bitter for me. 21 I was full when I went, but Jehovah made me return empty-handed. Why should you call me Naomi, when it is Jehovah who opposed me and the Almighty who caused me calamity?”
22 This is how Naomi returned from the fields of Moab, along with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth. They came to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest”.
There is no need to come back to the historical framework of the book well described in the introduction. The situation was particularly dramatic for these three women, Naomi, Ruth and Orpah. While Naomi took the decision to return to Bethlehem Ephratha in Judah, Ruth and Orpah decided to go with her. There is no doubt that so much Ruth, and Orpah, loved Naomi. While Naomi, had decided to leave, these two young women could, from the beginning, tell her to leave alone, by remaining in their country of Moab in order to remarry.
During the return to the country, maybe at the beginning of the trip, Naomi had to be very embarrassed by the situation. Indeed, she thought of the future of these two young women and in the fact that they accompanied her in her dramatic situation. Here is what she said to them: « Naomi said to both of her daughters-in-law: “Go, return, each of you to your mother’s home. May Jehovah show loyal love to you, just as you have shown it to the men who have died and to me. May Jehovah grant that each of you finds security in the home of your husband.” Then she kissed them, and they wept loudly” (verses 8 and 9). Naomi asked Ruth and Orpah to stop accompanying her, adding a blessing for those two young women. At first, they categorically refused: « Then she kissed them, and they wept loudly. They kept saying to her: “No, but we will go with you to your people” » (verse 10). There is no doubt that the three women were all very sincere. Naomi did not want to inflict a sad future on them by her side, as a widow without children and without the possibility of having offspring.
This is why in all sincerity and perhaps with a greater insistence and more firmness, with arguments showing that her situation was desperate, she repeated them to leave and let her to return alone to the country: « But Naomi said: “Return, my daughters. Why should you go with me? Can I still give birth to sons who could become your husbands? Return, my daughters. Go, for I have grown too old to marry. Even if I could hope to find a husband tonight and could also bear sons, would you keep waiting for them until they could grow up? Would you refrain from getting remarried for their sakes? No, my daughters, I feel very bitter for you, because the hand of Jehovah has turned against me”” (verses 11-13).
Naomi sincerely thought in the future of these two young women who still had a whole life in front of them. She did not want to spoil their future with a sad life by her side. Finally, Orpah took into account the arguments of Naomi, she went back to the country of Moab (verse 14). But Ruth insisted stubbornly to stay with Naomi by agreeing to assume all the unfavorable circumstances of her decision to accompany her: « So Naomi said: “Look! Your widowed sister-in-law has returned to her people and her gods. Return with your sister-in-law”” (verse 15). Naomi insisted a third time maybe by suggesting her to be « reasonable » and to do like her sister-in-law, returning to the country with its culture and traditional god. However, Ruth persisted in her decision to stay with her mother-in-law: « But Ruth said: “Do not plead with me to abandon you, to turn back from accompanying you; for where you go I will go, and where you spend the night, I will spend the night. Your people will be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May Jehovah do so to me and add to it if anything but death should separate me from you” » (verses 16,17). In verse 18, it is written that Ruth persisted.
It is a very good example of loyalty in the tribulations of life… Ruth illustrated in a beautiful way that faithful attitude is visible not when things are fine, but rather when everything seems to be going wrong… Ruth remained faithfully alongside Naomi, the elderly widow who did not seem to have a happy future ahead of her… Jesus Christ said that the true love was visible in the unfavorable circumstances of life (Matthew 5:43-48). The continuation of the narrative seems to indicate that Elimelech, the deceased husband of Naomi, was a man well known in Bethlehem in Judah, to the point that when Naomi, his widow, returned, it is written that « the whole city became stirred up over them » (verse 19).
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In chapter 2, there is the narrative about Boaz, an eminent and very wealthy man, a landowner of the Elimelech family. He will become the key to a happy reversal of circumstances for Naomi and Ruth:
Chapter 2
“Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side who was very wealthy; his name was Boaz, and he was of the family of Elimelech.
2 Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi: “Let me go out, please, to the fields and glean among the ears of grain behind whoever looks on me with favor.” So Naomi said to her: “Go, my daughter.” 3 At that she went out and began to glean in the field behind the harvesters. By chance she came upon a plot of land belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. 4 Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and said to the harvesters: “Jehovah be with you.” And they replied: “Jehovah bless you.”
5 Boaz then asked the young man in charge of the harvesters: “To whom does this young woman belong?” 6 The young man in charge of the harvesters answered: “The young woman is a Moabitess who returned with Naomi from the fields of Moab. 7 She asked, ‘Please, may I glean and gather among the cut-off ears of grain left behind by the harvesters?’ And she has been on her feet since she came this morning until just now, when she sat in the shelter for a short rest.”
8 Then Boaz said to Ruth: “Listen, my daughter. Do not go away to glean in another field, and do not go anywhere else; stay close by my young women. 9 Keep your eyes on the field that they harvest, and go with them. I have commanded the young men not to touch you. When you are thirsty, go to the water jars and drink from what the young men have drawn.”
10 At that she fell facedown and bowed down to the ground and said to him: “How have I found favor in your eyes, and why have you taken notice of me, when I am a foreigner?” 11 Boaz answered her: “A full report was made to me of all you have done for your mother-in-law after the death of your husband and how you left your father and your mother and the land of your relatives to go to a people whom you had not known before. 12 May Jehovah reward you for what you have done, and may there be a perfect wage for you from Jehovah the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge.” 13 To this she said: “Let me find favor in your eyes, my lord, because you have comforted me and spoken reassuringly to your servant, although I am not even one of your servants.”
14 Boaz said to her at mealtime: “Come here, eat some of the bread, and dip your piece in the vinegar.” So she sat down beside the harvesters. He then handed her some roasted grain, and she ate and was satisfied, and she had something left over. 15 When she got up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men: “Let her glean even among the cut-off ears of grain, and do not mistreat her. 16 You should also be sure to pull out some ears of grain from the bundles for her and leave them behind for her to glean, and do not say anything to stop her.”
17 So she continued to glean in the field until evening. When she beat out what she had gleaned, it came to about an ephah of barley. 18 Then she took it and went into the city, and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. Ruth also took out and gave to her the food that was left over after she had eaten her fill.
19 Her mother-in-law then said to her: “Where did you glean today? Where did you work? May the one who took notice of you be blessed.” So she told her mother-in-law about whom she had worked with, saying: “The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz.” 20 At that Naomi said to her daughter-in-law: “May he be blessed by Jehovah, who has not failed in his loyal love toward the living and the dead.” Naomi continued: “The man is related to us. He is one of our repurchasers.” 21 Then Ruth the Moabitess said: “He also told me, ‘Stay close by my young people until they have finished my entire harvest.’” 22 Naomi said to her daughter-in-law Ruth: “It is better, my daughter, for you to go out with his young women than to be harassed in another field.”
23 So she stayed close to the young women of Boaz and gleaned until the barley harvest and the wheat harvest came to an end. And she kept dwelling with her mother-in-law”.
There is information which will be examined in the order of the narrative of the chapter 2. The practice of gleaning was a merciful requirement of the mosaic law towards the poor people: « When you reap the harvest of your land, you must not reap the edge of your field completely and you must not pick up the gleaning of your harvest. Also, you must not gather the leftovers of your vineyard or pick up the scattered grapes of your vineyard. You should leave them for the poor and the foreign resident. I am Jehovah your God » (Leviticus 19:9,10). « When you reap your harvest from your field and you have forgotten a sheaf in the field, do not go back to get it. It should be left for the foreign resident, the fatherless child, and the widow, so that Jehovah your God may bless you in all that you do. When you beat your olive tree, you should not repeat the procedure on its branches. What is left should remain for the foreign resident, the fatherless child, and the widow. When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you must not return to gather the leftovers. They should be left for the foreign resident, the fatherless child, and the widow. Remember that you became a slave in the land of Egypt. That is why I am commanding you to do this » (Deuteronomy 24:19-22).
In verse 3, it is written that Ruth went to glean « by chance » in the field of Boaz. It is very possible that this simple « by chance », is in fact a divine providence, or the hand of Jehovah God who guided her to this field to glean, according to Naomi (verse 20). It is written in verse 4 that Boaz was a pious man, attached to God: « Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and said to the harvesters: “Jehovah be with you” ». And as soon as he arrived his attention focused on Ruth. Maybe the presence of this young woman with delicate appearance, among the harvesters seemed unusual, because the harvest of barley and the harvest of wheat is a task that requires a lot of endurance, under the sun.
In verse 3, it is written that Ruth went to glean « by chance » in the field of Boaz. It is very possible that this simple « by chance », is in fact a divine providence, or the hand of Jehovah God who guided her to this field to glean, according to Naomi (verse 20). It is written in verse 4 that Boaz was a pious man, attached to God: « Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and said to the harvesters: “Jehovah be with you” ». And as soon as he arrived his attention focused on Ruth (verse 5). Maybe the presence of this young woman with delicate appearance, among the harvesters seemed unusual, because the harvest of barley and the harvest of wheat is a task that requires a lot of endurance, under the sun.
The narrative reveals another high quality from Boaz, kindness and benevolence (verses 8 and 9). In verse 8, Boaz addressed to Ruth by calling her « my daughter » which shows that not only Ruth was a young woman, but also, that Boaz was a mature man (compare with verse 2). We can note the humility and the sense of gratitude of Ruth to Boaz (verse 10). Boaz explained to Ruth that his good reputation had reached his ears, regarding her good behavior toward Naomi, her mother-in-law (verses 11,12). The blessing of Boaz written in verse 12 is very beautiful: « May Jehovah reward you for what you have done, and may there be a perfect wage for you from Jehovah the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge ». Ruth was really a valiant woman maintaining endurance. Not only, after gleaning the barley at the end of the day, she threshed the grains and put them in a bag of about twenty kilos and returned to the home of Naomi (verse 17). This very hard work lasted several weeks, even several months (verse 23).
In verse 20, it is written that Naomi informed Ruth that Boaz was one of their « repurchasers ». That was another merciful requirement of the mosaic law towards the men who died without having offspring, which in fact interrupted their family line. It was the law of levirate marriage or brother-in-law marriage: « If brothers dwell together and one of them dies without having a son, the wife of the dead one should not marry someone from outside the family. Her brother-in-law should go to her, take her as his wife, and perform brother-in-law marriage with her. The firstborn whom she will bear will carry on the name of his dead brother, so that his name may not be wiped out of Israel » (Deuteronomy 25:5,6). Elimelech and his two sons died without having descendant so their family name was doomed to disappear definitively. The merciful requirement toward the memory of the death was the Levirate marriage allowing, the first born from this marriage, to have the name of the deceased man who had no descendants. Thus, through this « repurchase », the line and the name of Elimelech could continue by this levirate marriage. Boaz, by divine providence, was one of these repurchasers.
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It is obvious that the light of a beautiful hope shone in the heart of Naomi. As wise woman she took on arrangements to benefit from the requirement of this merciful divine law:
Chapter 3
“Naomi, her mother-in-law, now said to her: “My daughter, should I not look for a home for you, so that it may go well with you? 2 Is not Boaz our relative? He is the one whose young women you were with. Tonight he is winnowing barley at the threshing floor. 3 So wash yourself and rub on some perfumed oil; then dress up and go down to the threshing floor. Do not make your presence known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 When he lies down, take note of the place where he lies down; then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what you should do.”
5 At that she replied: “All that you say to me I will do.” 6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did all that her mother-in-law had instructed her to do. 7 Meanwhile, Boaz ate and drank and was feeling good at heart. Then he went to lie down at the end of the grain heap. After that she quietly came and uncovered his feet and lay down. 8 At midnight the man began to shiver, and he leaned forward and saw a woman lying at his feet. 9 He said: “Who are you?” She replied: “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread out your garment over your servant, for you are a repurchaser.” 10 At that he said: “May Jehovah bless you, my daughter. You have shown your loyal love more in this last instance than in the first instance, by not going after the young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And now, my daughter, have no fear. I will do for you everything that you say, for everyone in the city knows that you are an excellent woman. 12 While it is true that I am a repurchaser, there is a repurchaser more closely related than I am. 13 Stay here tonight, and if he will repurchase you in the morning, fine! Let him repurchase you. But if he does not want to repurchase you, I will then repurchase you myself, as surely as Jehovah lives. Lie down here until the morning.”
14 So she lay at his feet until the morning and then got up before it was light enough for anyone to be recognized. He then said: “Do not let it be known that a woman came to the threshing floor.” 15 He also said: “Bring the cloak that you are wearing, and hold it out.” So she held it out, and he put six measures of barley in it and put it on her, after which he went into the city.
16 She went her way to her mother-in-law, who now said: “How did it go for you, my daughter?” She told her everything that the man had done for her. 17 She added: “He gave me these six measures of barley and said to me, ‘Do not go empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’” 18 At that she said: “Sit here, my daughter, until you learn how the matter will turn out, for the man will not rest until he settles the matter today””.
After Ruth said to Boaz that he was a potential repurchaser. Boaz saw, a second time, that Ruth had a good heart particularly towards Naomi and her deceased husband Elimelech, in order to allow to arouse an offspring by means of a levirate marriage. Boaz was aware that he was much older than Ruth, that is why he pointed out the kindness of heart of Ruth which was manifested by accepting this levirate marriage, rather than to get married with a young husband (verse 10). Nevertheless, we can see how much Boaz was a man with a right heart. He informed Ruth that he was not the closest parent of Elimelech and that therefore, it was his duty to notify this person, in order to assert his right as repurchaser. It is only in the case of a refusal of this closest parent, that he could get married with Ruth in the context of a levirate marriage.
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In the morning, Boaz hastened to present the case to this closest relative of Elimelech, for the occasion, in the text, called « So-and-so »:
Chapter 4
“Now Boaz went up to the city gate and sat there. And look! the repurchaser whom Boaz had mentioned passed by. At that Boaz said: “Come here and sit down, So-and-so.” And he went over and sat down. 2 Then Boaz took ten of the city elders and said: “Sit down here.” So they sat down.
3 Boaz now said to the repurchaser: “Naomi, who has returned from the fields of Moab, must sell the plot of land that belonged to our brother Elimelech. 4 So I thought I should disclose it to you and say, ‘Buy it in front of the inhabitants and the elders of my people. If you will repurchase it, repurchase it. But if you will not repurchase it, tell me so that I will know, for you have the claim to repurchase it, and I am next in line after you.’” He replied: “I am willing to repurchase it.” 5 Then Boaz said: “On the day you buy the field from Naomi, you must also buy it from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead man, in order to restore the name of the dead man to his inheritance.” 6 To this the repurchaser said: “I am unable to repurchase it, for I may ruin my own inheritance. Repurchase it for yourself with my right of repurchase, because I am not able to repurchase it.”
7 Now this was the custom of former times in Israel concerning the right of repurchase and exchange to validate every sort of transaction: A man had to remove his sandal and give it to the other party, and this was the manner of confirming an agreement in Israel. 8 So when the repurchaser said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself,” he removed his sandal. 9 Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people: “You are witnesses today that I am buying from Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon. 10 I am also acquiring Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, as a wife to restore the name of the dead man to his inheritance, so that the name of the dead man will not be cut off from among his brothers and from the city gate of his home. You are witnesses today.”
11 At this all the people who were in the city gate and the elders said: “We are witnesses! May Jehovah grant the wife who is entering your house to be like Rachel and like Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel. May you prosper in Ephrathah and make a good name in Bethlehem. 12 May your house become like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, through the offspring that Jehovah will give you by this young woman.”
13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. He had relations with her, and Jehovah let her conceive and she gave birth to a son. 14 Then the women said to Naomi: “Praised be Jehovah, who has not left you without a repurchaser today. May his name be proclaimed in Israel! 15 He has restored your life and will sustain you in your old age, because he has been born to your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons.” 16 Naomi took the child and held him to her bosom, and she cared for him. 17 Then the neighbor women gave him a name. They said, “A son has been born to Naomi,” and they named him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, David’s father.
18 Now this is the family line of Perez: Perez became father to Hezron; 19 Hezron became father to Ram; Ram became father to Amminadab; 20 Amminadab became father to Nahshon; Nahʹshon became father to Salmon; 21 Salmon became father to Boaz; Boaz became father to Obed; 22 Obed became father to Jesse; and Jesse became father to David”.
By reading the narrative, we understand better why the individual who refused to get married with Ruth so as not to « ruin his own inheritance », was named « So-and-so ». The excuse of this man was dismal. Besides, for Jehovah God, such an attitude was shameful enough to allow the widow who was rejected by a repurchaser, to remove his sandal from his foot and spit in his face: « Now if the man does not want to marry his brother’s widow, his brother’s widow should then go to the elders at the city gate and say, ‘My husband’s brother has refused to preserve his brother’s name in Israel. He has not consented to perform brother-in-law marriage with me.’ The elders of his city must call him and speak to him. Should he insist and say, ‘I do not want to marry her,’ then his brother’s widow should approach him before the elders, remove his sandal from his foot, spit in his face, and say, ‘That is what should be done to the man who will not build up his brother’s household.’ After that his family name in Israel will be known as ‘The house of the one who had his sandal removed’ » (Deuteronomy 25:7-10). Nevertheless, this is not what Ruth did, for the simple reason, that she fortunately had a second repurchaser, the man Boaz.
It is at the very end of this biblical book that we understand that this historical narrative has not only also an anecdotal value. Thus, the Book of Ruth explains the important role of the levirate marriage regarding to the line leading to king David and later, to the man Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:1-16; Luke 3:23-38). In Matthew 1:5, it is written that the mother of Boaz was Rahab, the courageous woman who saved the two spies in Jericho (Joshua chapter 2). Logically, the story of the Book of Ruth took place after the death of Joshua, that is to be under the governance of Judge Othniel, the nephew of Caleb (judges 1:13). Admittedly, these courageous and faithful women, Rahab and Ruth, do not know that Jehovah God allowed their names to cross the centuries in memory of their loyalty toward God and men, appearing in the line leading to Christ. In addition, the name of a biblical book of Ruth appears in the canon of the Holy Scriptures. It is after their resurrection that they will know how Jehovah acted with goodness toward their names and memory by virtue of their courage and their faithful love (Acts 24:15).
The happy end of the narrative of the Book of Ruth is an encouragement for those who go through trials as was the case for Naomi and Ruth. To use what the disciple James wrote, about the happy outcome concerning the faithful Job, this can just as well apply to Naomi and Ruth: « Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you do not get judged. Look! The Judge is standing before the doors. Brothers, take as a pattern of the suffering of evil and the exercising of patience the prophets who spoke in the name of Jehovah. Look! We consider happy those who have endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome Jehovah gave, that Jehovah is very tender in affection and merciful » (James 5:9-11).
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Rahab, a courageous woman
Entering the Promised Land, Joshua, the successor of Moses, sent two spies to the city of Jericho. While they were spotted by the soldiers of the city, they went to the home of Rahab. Here is what it is written in biblical book of Joshua chapter 2:
“Then Joshua the son of Nun secretly sent two men out from Shittim as spies. He told them: “Go and inspect the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab, and they stayed there. 2 The king of Jerʹi·cho was told: “Look! Israelite men have come in here tonight to spy out the land.” 3 At that the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab: “Bring out the men who came and are staying in your house, for they have come to spy out the entire land.”
4 But the woman took the two men and hid them. Then she said: “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. 5 And at dark when the city gate was about to be closed, the men went out. I do not know where the men went, but if you quickly chase after them, you will catch up with them.” 6 (However, she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them among stalks of flax laid in rows on the roof.) 7 So the men chased after them in the direction of the Jordan at the fords, and the city gate was shut once the pursuers had gone out.
8 Before the men lay down to sleep, she came up to them on the roof. 9 She said to the men: “I do know that Jehovah will give you the land and that the fear of you has fallen upon us. All the inhabitants of the land are disheartened because of you, 10 for we heard how Jehovah dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you left Egypt and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites, Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction on the other side of the Jordan. 11 When we heard about it, we lost heart, and no one has any courage because of you, for Jehovah your God is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. 12 Now, please, swear to me by Jehovah that, because I showed loyal love to you, you will also show loyal love to my father’s household; and you must give me a sign of good faith. 13 You must spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and you must save us from death.”
14 At that the men said to her: “We will give our lives for yours! If you do not tell about our mission, then we will show loyal love and faithfulness toward you when Jehovah gives us the land.” 15 After that she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on a side of the city wall. In fact, she was dwelling on the wall. 16 Then she said to them: “Go to the mountainous region and hide there for three days, so that those pursuing you may not find you. Then, after your pursuers have come back, you can go on your way.”
17 The men said to her: “We will be free from guilt respecting this oath that you made us swear 18 unless, when we come into the land, you tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window by which you let us down. You should gather your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household with you into the house. 19 Then if anyone goes out the doors of your house into the open, his blood will be on his own head, and we will be free from guilt. But if harm comes to anyone who remains with you in the house, his blood will be on our heads. 20 But if you report our mission, we will be free from guilt respecting your oath that you made us swear.” 21 She replied: “Let it be according to your words.”
With that she sent them off, and they went their way. Afterward, she tied the scarlet cord in the window. 22 So they left and went to the mountainous region and stayed there for three days, until the pursuers returned. The pursuers had been looking for them on every road but did not find them. 23 The two men then descended from the mountainous region and crossed the river and came to Joshua the son of Nun. They related to him all the things that had happened to them. 24 Then they said to Joshua: “Jehovah has handed over the entire land to us. In fact, all the inhabitants of the land are disheartened because of us””.
In Joshua chapter 6:22-25, it is written that Rahab and his family were saved for having been courageous by hiding the two spies: « Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land: “Go into the house of the prostitute and bring out the woman and all who belong to her, just as you swore to her.” So the young spies went in and brought out Rahab, along with her father, her mother, her brothers, and all who belonged to her; yes, they brought out her whole family, and they brought them safely to a place outside the camp of Israel. Then they burned the city and everything in it with fire. But the silver, the gold, and the articles of copper and iron, they gave to the treasury of Jehovah’s house. Only Rahab the prostitute and her father’s household and all who belonged to her were spared by Joshua; and she lives in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent out to spy on Jericho ».
The apostle Paul wrote about de faith of Rahab, in the letter to the Hebrews chapter 11: « By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after the people had marched around them for seven days. By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who acted disobediently, because she received the spies in a peaceable way » (Hebrews 11:30,31). Later Rahab, will be the mother of Boaz, who will marry with Ruth (whose biblical book bears his name, the Book of Ruth; Matthew 1:5).
The disciple James gave the example of Rahab to illustrate the idea that the faith must have works if someone wants to be declared righteous by God: « You see that a man is to be declared righteous by works and not by faith alone. In the same manner, was not Rahab the prostitute also declared righteous by works after she received the messengers hospitably and sent them out by another way? Indeed, just as the body without spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead » (James 2:24-26).
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Why God Allowed Suffering and Wickedness ?
Reading and Understanding the Bible (Psalms 1:2, 3)
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Table of languages of more than seventy languages, with six important biblical articles, written in each of these languages…
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