The Meaning of Ruth 1:22 Explained

Ruth 1:22

KJV: 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.

YLT: And Naomi turneth back, and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her, who hath turned back from the fields of Moab, and they have come in to Beth-Lehem at the commencement of barley-harvest.

Darby: So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned out of the fields of Moab; and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of the barley-harvest.

ASV: So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.

Discover Ruth 1:22

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Ruth 1:22?

MEANING: What does Ruth 1:22 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Ruth 1:22 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Ruth 1:22?

What is the context of Ruth 1:22?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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.

What does Ruth 1:22 Mean?

Verse Meaning

This summary sentence not only concludes chapter1but also prepares the reader for the remaining scenes of the story. Naomi had left Bethlehem pleasant (Heb. na"em) but returned bitter ( Ruth 1:20). She had left with Elimelech, one source of blessing in her life, but returned with Ruth , who would become another source of blessing for her. She had left during a famine, but she returned to Bethlehem (lit. house of bread, the place of blessing) at the beginning of harvest. This is probably a reference to the barley harvest, which began the harvest season in Israel. ^[1]

Throughout the book the writer frequently referred to Ruth as "Ruth the Moabitess" ( Ruth 1:22; Ruth 2:2; Ruth 2:6; Ruth 2:21; Ruth 4:5; Ruth 4:10). This is one way in which he drew attention to the fact that God used even a non-Israelite, from an enemy nation, to bring blessing to Israel. The key to her being this source of blessing emerges in the first chapter. It was her faith in Yahweh and her commitment to His people. Throughout human history this has always been the key to God using people as His channels of blessing. It is not their origins or backgrounds but their faith in and commitment to Yahweh and others that make them usable.

Warren Wiersbe saw three common mistakes that people make in this chapter: trying to run from our problems ( Ruth 1:1-5), trying to hide our mistakes ( Ruth 1:6-18), and blaming God for our trials ( Ruth 1:19-22). ^[2]

Context Summary

Ruth 1:15-22 - Love's Steadfast Choice

This young woman was to be an ancestor of David and in the line of our Lord's descent. Moabite though she was by birth, Ruth was designated for the high honor of introducing a new strain into the Hebrew race, that was to enrich it and through it the world. Indeed, we may almost detect in her noble and beautiful words some anticipation of the Psalms, which have gone singing down the ages. But how stern is the discipline through which those must pass who are called to the highest tasks! The death of her husband in their early married life, the anguish of Naomi, the separation from her own people, the loneliness of a foreign land-these were part of the great price that Ruth paid.

May not something also be said for the mother? It was because of her that Ruth was led to her supreme self-giving. She had never seen a suffering soul bear itself so heroically. She felt that, in the Hebrew faith, there was something which Chemosh had never imparted, to her people; she craved for herself some of the holy radiance that lingered on the worn face of Naomi. More people watch our bearing than we think. Let us attract them to Jesus! [source]

Chapter Summary: Ruth 1

¹ Elimelech, driven by famine into Moab, dies there
⁴ Mahlon and Chilion, having married wives of Moab, die also
⁶ Naomi, returning homeward
⁸ dissuades her two daughters-in-law from going with her
¹⁴ Orpah leaves her, but Ruth with great constancy accompanies her
¹⁹ The two come to Bethlehem, where they are gladly received

What do the individual words in Ruth 1:22 mean?

So returned Naomi and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her who returned from the country of Moab And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of harvest barley

וַתָּ֣שָׁב נָעֳמִ֗י וְר֨וּת הַמּוֹאֲבִיָּ֤ה כַלָּתָהּ֙ עִמָּ֔הּ הַשָּׁ֖בָה מִשְּׂדֵ֣י מוֹאָ֑ב וְהֵ֗מָּה בָּ֚אוּ בֵּ֣ית לֶ֔חֶם בִּתְחִלַּ֖ת קְצִ֥יר שְׂעֹרִֽים

וַתָּ֣שָׁב	So returned
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular Root: שׁוּב Sense: to return, turn back.
נָעֳמִ֗י	Naomi
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular Root: נָעֳמִי Sense: wife of Elimelech, mother of Mahlon and Chilion, and mother-in-law of Ruth and Orpah.
וְר֨וּת	and Ruth
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, feminine singular Root: רוּת Sense: daughter-in-law of Naomi, wife of Boaz, and grandmother of David.
הַמּוֹאֲבִיָּ֤ה	the Moabitess
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular Root: מֹואָבִי Sense: an citizen of Moab.
כַלָּתָהּ֙	her daughter-in-law
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person feminine singular Root: כַּלָּה Sense: bride, daughter-in-law.
עִמָּ֔הּ	with her
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular Root: עִם Sense: with.
הַשָּׁ֖בָה	who returned
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular Root: שׁוּב Sense: to return, turn back.
מִשְּׂדֵ֣י	from the country
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct Root: שָׂדֶה Sense: field, land.
מוֹאָ֑ב	of Moab
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular Root: מֹואָב Sense: a son of Lot by his eldest daughter.
וְהֵ֗מָּה	And they
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, third person masculine plural Root: הֵם Sense: they, these, the same, who.
בָּ֚אוּ	came
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural Root: בֹּוא Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
לֶ֔חֶם	Bethlehem
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular Root: בֵּית לֶחֶם Sense: a city in Judah, birthplace of David.
בִּתְחִלַּ֖ת	at the beginning
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct Root: תְּחִלָּה Sense: beginning, first.
קְצִ֥יר	of harvest
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct Root: קָצִיר Sense: harvest, harvesting.
שְׂעֹרִֽים	barley
Parse: Noun, feminine plural Root: שְׂעֹרָה Sense: barley.

What are the major concepts related to Ruth 1:22?

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Similar Scriptures for Ruth 1:22

		Ruth 2:23 [4]
		2 Samuel 21:9 [2]
		Exodus 9:31-32 [1]