Christ can turn tragedy into triumph.
READ Overview
READ Introduction …in Additional Resources
.READ The Book of Ruth…in Additional Resources
-What is the story of Ruth?
-What did it mean to Naomi’s life to lose her husband and sons?
-What was significant when Naomi decided to back to her home?
-What did she tell her daughters in law?
-And their response?
READ Ruth 1:16-17
-What evidence in vs 17 that Ruth has been converted?
When Ruth declares she will stay with Naomi, we learn of Ruth’s conversion. The bold statement “Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God” (Ruth 1:16) confirms that Ruth has become an Israelite in her heart.
-What qualities do Ruth and Naomi exhibit? (selfless,loyalty,sacrifice)
-How can we develop these traits in our lives?
READ Elder Neal A. Maxwell…in Add’l Res
-Back in Bethlehem, what does Ruth have to do?
-What was the Jewish custom at harvest time.
READ Ruth 2:3
READ What does it mean to glean…in Add’l Res
-Who was Boaz
READ Boaz…Add’l Res
-What kindness did Boaz show to Ruth? (At the time of harvest)
-What did Naomi tell Ruth to do?
Overview: It is most significant that these books of Israel’s history begin not with kings, courts, and battles but rather with the personal, emotional struggles of an average woman.The Lord had created a custom among his chosen people in such a way that for those in darkest need a hope was provided;[13] for all such Israelites, the concept of a redeemer must have served as a strand of hope in the midst of despair. The existence of a kinsman redeemer, was the hope of Israel. This divinely mandated role stood as a bright shining comfort for those in most desperate need. By focusing on the contrast between Hannah’s and Eli’s families, we are able to find a potent commentary on the role of temple-based covenants. Hannah’s story shows a rise in fortune that accompanies righteous choices, while Eli’s fate reveals the devastating consequences that accompany sinful choices.
Ruth 1:16 And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will bgo; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.
3 And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap (meaning good fortune) was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.
24-OT SS Lesson: June 6-12, 2022 Ruth, 1 Samuel 1-3 “My Heart Rejoiceth in the Lord”
-What is Boaz’s reaction to finding Ruth at his feet?
By lying at the feet of Boaz, Ruth would be, in effect, proposing marriage to him.
READ Verses 8-11
-What does Boaz say in verse 11?
-What was the Jewish custom when a husband died?
Boaz was a virtuous man and was prepared to assist Ruth even though he was not the first in line to do this.
READ The Principle of Redemption:...in Add’l Res
-So, what happened with the person with 1st right of refusal?
-Why is it important that our family members, friends, and neighbors know what we believe in and what values we strive to uphold?
Such an example can influence lives for good. Boaz might not have had the interest in Ruth had it not been for her selfless and upright character. Consider the long term effects of this noble relationship: King David and Jesus Christ were born through their lineage.
READ President Thomas S. Monson stated: "In our selection of heroes, let us nominate also heroines. First, that noble example of fidelity--even Ruth. Sensing the grief-stricken heart of her mother-in-law, who suffered the loss of each of her two fine sons, and feeling perhaps the pangs of despair and loneliness which plagued the very soul of Naomi, Ruth uttered what has became that classic statement of loyalty: 'Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.' Ruth's actions demonstrated the sincerity of her words. There is place for her name in the Hall of Fame." (Ensign, Nov 1974, p108)
8 And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.
9 And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.
10 And he said, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.
11 And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.
We should listen to and obey the voice of the Lord.
READ Overview
READ Hannah’s Sorrow…in Add’l Res
“Hannah was greatly distressed, because it was a great reproach to a woman among the Jews to be barren; because, say some, every one hoped that the Messiah should spring from her line.” (Clarke, Bible Commentary, 2:207.)
READ 1 Samuel 1:2
REVIEW 1 Samuel 1:9-15
-When we pray do we pour out our souls to the Lord?
-How can we make our prayers more sincere and meaningful?
Hannah responded to Eli's words, "Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad" (1 Samuel 1:18).
-Where did Hannah make her promise to the Lord?
-How can going to the temple help us with our worries and troubles?
READ Elder John A. Widtsoe:
READ 1 Samuel 1:19-20
Overview The traditional reading of 1 Samuel 1–3 is of a barren woman who rejoices when she is blessed with the baby for whom she has earnestly prayed. While this is certainly an accurate and legitimate approach to the key events of the text, there is more to the story. By focusing on the contrast that the writer draws between Hannah’s and Eli’s families, we are able to find a potent commentary on the role of temple-based covenants.
1 Samuel 1:2 And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had ano children.
Elder John A. Widtsoe: "I believe that the busy person...who has his worries and troubles, can solve his problems better and more quickly in the house of the Lord than anywhere else....a blessing will come to him, for at the most unexpected moments, in or out of the temple will come to him, as a revelation, the solution of the problems that vex his life. That is the gift that comes to those who enter the temple properly." (quoted by David B. Haight, Ensign, Nov 1990)
1 Samuel 1:19-20 "And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her. Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD."
-How did Hannah keep her promise after Samuel was born?
Hannah took Samuel to the temple after she weaned him (v24).
"When Samuel was old enough, Hannah took him up to the temple and presented him to Eli,
READ 1 Samuel 1:27-28
Among the Israelites of this time, weaning took place very late. The mothers were in the habit of nursing their children until age three. Samuel probably did not go up to the temple with his mother until this age.
-How do you think Hannah felt about giving Samuel to the service of the Lord?
It must have been difficult to part with this precious child that she had grown to love with all her heart. Did she contemplate not presenting Samuel to Eli? I think not. There is no evidence of that in the scriptures. She was committed to the Lord and would fulfill her covenant with him.
-What does the Lord ask us to give him?
-What should be our attitude about giving to him?
Hannah honors her covenants, attends the temple and has her wish granted. Not every temple attender experience the same results.
-How would you explain that to someone?
READ Summary
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1 Samuel 1:27-28 For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him: Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there."
SUMMARY: Hannah’s story shows a rise in fortune that accompanies righteous choices, while Eli’s fate reveals the devastating consequences that accompany sinful choices. This is a tale of reversals. In Hannah we find a woman of low social status who struggles mightily with a challenging family dynamic: infertility compounded by a jealous sister-wife. Eli also grapples with a difficult family situation—unrighteous sons—but he does so from the high social standing of the high priest. The reader expects that Eli’s physical and social proximity to the temple would make it central in his life (and peripheral for Hannah), but instead it is just the opposite: Hannah uses the temple as a refuge, with a focus on making and keeping covenants. There is a failure of priesthood leadership in Israel, and Hannah remedies it through committing her son to the service of the temple.
Hannah is able to change people: we see her changing her husband’s and Eli’s minds. But Eli is unable to change his sons’ minds regarding their wicked behavior. Hannah’s faithful worship gives her power. Note that Eli seems willing to police the temple to protect it from inappropriate behavior from people like Hannah (where he is wrong in his accusations), but he is unwilling to police inappropriate behavior when the source is his own sons. In other words, he seems to privilege family relationships over the sanctity of the temple. Hannah does just the opposite in her willingness to dedicate her son to the temple.
The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, followed in the footsteps of their father as priests (READ 1 Samuel 2:17, 24)
READ Eli’s Fall…in Add’l Res25).
Unfortunately, the sons of Eli were wicked priests.
What effect did their actions have on other people in Israel?
READ 1 SAMUEL 2:17, 24
-How do our actions affect others?
Recall the words of the Savior in that great sermon:
READ Matthew 5:13, 16
READ Elder LeGrand Richards
Eli partially fulfilled his responsibility by counseling them regarding their evil behavior, but he did nothing further to correct the terrible sins and their consequences.
READ Arthur M. Richardson
The Lord sends a messenger to Eli.
READ 1 SAMUEL 2:29 ASK-What is Eli doing?
-In what ways do we sometimes honor our children-or others- more than God?
President Joseph F. Smith: "...there should [not] be any of us so unwisely indulgent, so thoughtless and so shallow in our affection for our children that we dare not check them in a wayward course, in wrongdoing and in their foolish love for the things of the world more than for the things of righteousness, for fear of offending them." (Gospel Doctrine, p286)
-What were the results of the actions of Eli and his sons?
"...they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed" (2:30).
17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord: for men abhorred the offering of the Lord.
24 Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the Lord’s people to transgress.
Matthew 5:13 "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted?"
Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
Elder LeGrand Richards: "If we have what we claim, a marvelous work and a wonder, should it not inspire us as a people to live up to its standards? It is nothing more than what Jesus said that we should let our light so shine before men that they, seeing our good works, should glorify our Father which is in heaven." (CR, April 1962, p.43)
Arthur M. Richardson: "Like most rebellious, wicked sons they refused to take counsel from their father. However, Eli's responsibility did not end with counseling his sons. He had a further responsibility to protect the people from their depredations. This he failed to do. Rather, he allowed them to continue in their priestly office taking advantage of the people physically, spiritually, and morally." (Improvement Era, Sep 1955)
29 Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?
So Samuel comes to live with Eli and to learn to serve in the temple.
READ 1 Samuel 3:1
READ The story of the calling of Samuel…
-How many times did Samuel hear the Lord’s voice?
-Why did he think Eli was calling him and how did he reply?
-Why did Samuel not know the Lord’s voice?
-Do we sometimes hear the Lord’s voice and not recognize it?
-How can we be sure that we recognize the Lord’s voice?
-After the 3rd time what did Eli tell Samuel to say?
The 4th time Samuel said“Speak, for thy servant heareth.”
READ 1 Samuel 3:10-14 for what the Lord told Samuel
-What did Eli ask in the morning?
-Did Samuel tell him?
How did Samuel honor the Lord?
When the Lord called Samuel he replied, "Here I am."
Samuel was willing to respond to Lord. He did not ask the Lord to come back in the morning at a more convenient time.
When Samuel responded to the Lord he said, "Speak; for thy servant heareth."
Samuel was prepared to listen to the message that the Lord would deliver.
READ 1 Samuel 3:19-20
We know that Samuel lived a righteous life and heeded the words of the Lord, for he became "a prophet of the LORD."
Like Samuel, when the Lord calls to us, are we willing to respond?
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1 Samuel 3:1 And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision. [there was no prophet]
The story of the calling of Samuel (see 1 Samuel 3:1-10).
1 Samuel 3:10 And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.
11 And the Lord said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.
12 In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.
13 For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.
14 And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever.
1 Samuel 3:19-20 "And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD" .
My Thoughts: In 1992 Lyle Lovett released an album titled “Joshua, Judges, Ruth,” which, for some reason I recalled as I was typing this. The album, not the year. Thinking that it might add perspective I looked it up. Just the sometimes unexplainable random memory flashbacks (but definitely not drug induced) of an aging fan.
This lesson richly blesses us with stories of Ruth and Naomi, Hannah and Samuel. The loyalty,faithfulness and love of Ruth and her mother in law is a wonderful account of blessings that come from serving others. Hannah’s story, equally inspiring, speaks of a woman’s desire for a son, and her faith and obedience in attending the temple and honoring her covenants so that she might be blessed.. She promised the Lord she would give her son to Him, and she did so. Samuel told the Lord “speak for thy servant heareth.” President Monson said that if we were going to compile a list of heroines in the Bible, Ruth, Naomi and Hannah would certainly be on our “A” list.
Not all our hopes and desires, regardless of how worthy they might be, are granted as were these hopes and desires. For some blessings in our life we might wait years, and even then hope that in our next life they will be granted. I don’t mean to imply that life was easy for the individuals of our study. They toiled for years building relationships, reputations (as like Ruth and Boaz), worshipping the Lord, and enduring through their trials and hardships. There can be tragedy and pain, as in the lives of Eli and his sons, who chose to ignore their sacred duties.
The calling of the prophet Samuel was an important event. The first verse of 1 Samuel 3 tells us the the word of God was ‘precious,”
which meant rare, and there was no “open vision.” Harold B. Lee said there was no prophet on the earth at that time. Samuel was to fulfill that role and in later lessons we will learn more of his service to the Lord and the Israelites.
It is nice to be able to study the lives of these individuals without (with the exception of Eli’s family) the constant murmuring and states of apostasy of the general population.
There are some interesting articles, or parts of articles, on these individuals in the Additional Resources. This week they are a little more weighty than most. But again, you may consider them as footnotes, the lesson can be studied without these resources if you choose.
I loved these people, and their wonderful qualities (of course,not including Eli even tho he did mentor Samuel). I see saints today who are doing their best to be faithful, loving, loyal and obedient and I appreciate the good example you are to your families and to me. Your selfless service is truly Christlike. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is true. Be of good cheer. We are loved. We will win.
I hope you have a good week.
Greg
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Introduction: Naomi, her husband, and their two sons moved from Bethlehem to the land of Moab because of a famine. There Naomi’s husband died and each of her sons married a Moabite woman. After the deaths of both of her sons, Naomi encouraged her daughters-in-law to return to live with their families so they could be cared for. One daughter-in-law, Ruth, chose to stay with Naomi. The two returned to Bethlehem, where a man named Boaz, who was related to Naomi’s husband, married Ruth and provided for their needs.
What does it mean to glean?
"Harvesting was difficult work and demanded long hours. Young men moved through the fields grasping handfuls of the grain and cutting through the stalks with sickles. These small bunches of grain were then bound into bundles called sheaves. As the men worked rapidly, a number of stalks fell to the ground. If the men were careful and took the time, these too could be gathered up. However, any stalks that dropped were allowed to remain where they fell. Poor people, following the reapers, were permitted to 'glean,' or gather, the random stalks--possibly all that stood between them and starvation. In addition, the edges of the field, where the sickle was not as easily wielded, were left unharvested. The poor were welcome to that portion, as well." (Old Testament Student Manual, pp262-263)
The Principle of Redemption:
n Israel, the family had another responsibility in looking after its members who had come under hardship. Israel and her ancient Near Eastern neighbors required that all possible means be taken in order to meet a debt. If an individual had difficulty in paying his debt, family land and even family members, including the debtor, were required to be sold as an attempt to meet the obligation. No allowances were made in justice, which demanded debt repayment. Yet the law of Moses also provided a way for mercy to be extended through family members. The closest family member had a right and an obligation to redeem, or buy back, family land or family members who had been sold.[9]“After that he is sold he may be redeemed again; one of his brethren may redeem him: either his uncle, or his uncle’s son, may redeem him, or any that is nigh of kin unto him of his family may redeem him; or if he be able, he may redeem himself” (Leviticus 25:48–49). The man who bought his family land or kinsman back was known as the redeemer, or in Hebrew, the gō’el. This was not free deliverance; this was deliverance at a price, and the gō’el paid that price.[10] He met the debt owed by his relative which that kinsman could not pay on his own.
Symbolically, it is important that not just anyone could serve as a redeemer, that only close family members had that right, beginning with the closest relative. Kerry Muhlestein, “Ruth, Redemption, Covenant, and Christ,” in The Gospel of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament, The 38th Annual BYU Sidney B. Sperry Symposium (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, BYU,
Hannah’s Long Shadow But Hannah’s story is not quite over. She, unlike Eli, casts a long shadow not just on her son’s life or on her immediate circumstances but also over the rest of the Bible. Note that 2 Samuel (which was not originally divided from 1 Samuel) ends with a song of praise—this time from the lips of David, but with remarkable similarities in language and theme to Hannah’s song. [16] David’s song also has reference to a rock, to sons of Belial (specifically mentioned twice in Hannah’s story but not in her song), and to the ideas of exalting and debasing and killing and making alive. But where Hannah’s song speaks of reversals and a future hope, David’s song is full of praise for victories already achieved. In other words, Hannah’s hopes are fulfilled in David’s words. By bookending the books of Samuel with these two songs, the author has encouraged us to view Hannah as the initiator of the Davidic dynasty; in this sense she is parallel in importance with David, as Hannah’s influence on Samuel becomes manifest in Samuel’s anointing of David. Additionally, framing a history book with hymns makes clear that this is not a random chronicle of events but rather a sacred history in which the role of the Lord is clear and profound.
It is most significant, then, that these books of Israel’s history begin not with kings, courts, and battles but rather with the personal, emotional struggles of an average woman. The genesis of the Davidic dynasty is to be found not on the battlefield but in a barren woman’s prayer in the temple. This broken hearted woman makes covenants that benefit not only herself and her family but also her nation. Julie M. Smith, “'The Lord . . . Bringeth Low, and Lifteth Up': Hannah, Eli, and the Temple," in Ascending the Mountain of the Lord: Temple, Praise, and Worship in the Old Testament
Elder Neal A. Maxwell: "It is fashionable to blame systems and institutions, not individuals, for our ills, but individuals impact on our institutions—not just the other way. Whether or not we are takers or givers, therefore, does matter, for we transmit that tilt to the tasks that are ours. To warn of inordinate selfishness may be to strike a simplistic theme, and yet the immediacy and the relevancy of this theme cannot be overstated. You and I will not go to sleep tonight without having confronted specific, if only minor, situations in which we can choose either to be selfish or selfless. Who will get his car out of the crowded parking lot first? Who will wait for whom at the busy doorway out of an auditorium? Which partner in a marriage (where there may have been a few harsh words today) will be selfless enough to take the verbal initiative necessary for reconciliation? Who will put out the light? Who will get up with a crying baby? Thomas C. Schelling has used a powerful, but simple, illustration of our society's ultimate interdependency and its reliance on cooperation, selflessness, and sacrifice. Schelling notes how cars can line up for miles on a busy highway because a mattress has fallen onto the highway; in spite of the inconvenience of hundreds of waiting motorists, each driver, once he is safely past the obstructing mattress, does not stop to remove the mattress, because now that he is past that point, the act of removal would not benefit him. The capacity to act for the good of community similarly requires us to abstain from actions that hurt others and also to inconvenience ourselves in order to help future generations.
Selflessness requires some surgery in each of our lives; some willingness to do without, that others may have; some self-denial, that our joy in other things may be more full." (That My Family Should Partake, pp35-36)
The book of Ruth begins with a familiar theme. A famine has come into the land of Canaan, and some choose to escape this famine by journeying to a foreign land. In this case it is Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and two sons. These sons soon take Moabite women as wives, but do not have children by these wives (despite spending ten years in Moab). In time, tragedy strikes the family as first the father and then the sons die. Besides the grief which would naturally attend the loss of her children, Naomi is now faced with the prospect that she will have no one to care for her in her old age. Confronted with these hardships and having learned that the famine in Judah has ceased, Naomi decides to return to her native home.
Initially, both of her daughters-in-law accompany Naomi on this journey, intent on remaining with her. Somewhere along the way, Naomi must have given much thought to the plight of the two women who were at her side. Being young, they still had the opportunity for remarriage and thus for a family life that could bring them joy and security. Acting on these thoughts, Naomi entreats her loyal daughters-in-law to return home and make a life for themselves. Both Ruth and Orpah maintain that they wish to remain with Naomi, but when Naomi insists, Orpah eventually gives in to her wishes.
Three things are worth noting in this situation. Naomi is very aware that the women who were accompanying her, who were her family by covenant, were volunteering to undergo extreme hardship for the rest of their lives in order to help Naomi. Thus she says to them, “Go, each of you return to your mother’s house; may the Lord perform hesed for you as you have done for the dead and for me” (see Ruth 1:8). Naomi recognizes the covenantal kindness, or hesed, that these women are carrying out. Being aware that she was incapable of performing hesed for them, she asks the Lord to do so. At least in the case of Ruth, the Lord will eventually show hesed, but he will do this through the acts of a mortal: Boaz. Ruth’s intense love and loyalty, manifestations of hesed, are particularly inspiring to us. We cannot read of her devotion without hoping that we will always have a Ruth in our lives, and simultaneously aspiring to be a Ruth for others. Whether we understand the term or not, Ruth motivates us to perform similar acts of hesed; the devotion in her soul-felt expression feels its way into our souls.
Second, the narrative is not written in a way that portrays Orpah in a bad light. Indeed, this worthy daughter has been fulfilling all that could be expected of her in a stalwart way. It is not a shortcoming on the part of Orpah that is highlighted here, but instead Orpah’s goodness is contrasted with Ruth’s greatness. In a theme that will recur during the narrative, Ruth shows that she is willing to go beyond what is expected of her; she will be extraordinary in her service.[24]
Finally, in insisting that she will accompany Naomi throughout her life, Ruth has altered who will pay the greatest price. Naomi was faced with finishing her life alone, having no one to care for her and see her through the hardships of life. Ruth is willing to forestall that fate for Naomi. However, in staying with Naomi, which seems to dictate that Ruth will not remarry nor have children, Ruth insures that it is she who will face old age all alone. Ruth is fully willing to take Naomi’s potential suffering upon herself, providing relief for a loved one by experiencing that fate instead. This emulation of the Savior is not an accidental message of the story—it is one of its main themes. Kerry Muhlestein, “Ruth, Redemption, Covenant, and Christ,” in The Gospel of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament, The 38th Annual BYU Sidney B. Sperry Symposium (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, BYU, 2009).
BOAZ: Our introduction to Boaz wastes no time in establishing him as a man of character and compassion. He goes to great lengths to help Ruth in her efforts. He instructs her to stay in his fields and to work with his maidens under the watchful eye of his men (see Ruth 2:8–9), a measure of invitation and protection that must have served as immeasurable comfort to a foreigner who was earnestly engaged in her first day of labor. He also tells her to partake of the water drawn for his workers, an important commodity in an arid land during heavy work (see Ruth 2:9). He further invited her to partake of the meal he provided for his workers, a great boon to Ruth because it not only provides her with food (see Ruth 2:14) but does so when she is not in a position to have aught with which to prepare any meal for herself. The parched corn she partakes of is more important than we typically realize. Israel and her neighbors followed a custom with grain harvesting that many Middle Eastern societies continue today. Some of the grain is harvested just before it is ripe. It is then roasted, producing a carmelized food that is both tasty and serves as a high-energy food source for its consumers. While the preharvest production and preparation of this meal is expensive for the owner of a field, today workers are often given this food at midday because it enables them to continue their work with vigor throughout the hot afternoon.[26] When Ruth received such a meal, it must have served as a great physical and emotional boost.
Moreover, Boaz secretly charged his workers to leave extra grain for Ruth (see Ruth 2:16). Thus, without her knowledge, her workload was made lighter and her production ability increased. As with Ruth, we see in Boaz someone not only willing to do what the law required but also zealous in keeping the spirit of the law. As a man who far exceeded that which was expected or asked of him, Boaz possessed a greatness of generosity and love to match Ruth’s.
All of Boaz’s efforts proved extremely beneficial for Ruth. When we calculate how much she gathered in one day against known ration amounts and extrapolate that rate to the entire harvest season, it appears that she would have been able to gather enough food for nearly a year while spending time in Boaz’s fields.[27] Such a rate must have been gratifying to her and Naomi.
To me the most impressive thing about Boaz is the reason he did all of this for Ruth. He tells her plainly, “It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore” (Ruth 2:11). Boaz’s wish is that “the Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust” (Ruth 2:12). We find not only that Boaz is part of fulfilling this wish but that the picture of coming under God’s wing is both a moving image and an important phrase that will come to play later in the story. Kerry Muhlestein, “Ruth, Redemption, Covenant, and Christ,”
Hannah’s Sorrow The first chapter paints a portrait of Hannah as a woman who focuses her life on the temple, despite overwhelming difficulties. She lived in a chaotic time of moral relativism: in Hannah’s day, “there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). The situation within her own family is also deeply troubling to her; she weeps often in the face of her own infertility, especially as Peninnah, her husband’s other wife, makes a regular habit of using their yearly trips to the sanctuary to “provoke” Hannah and “make her fret” over her childlessness (1 Samuel 1:6). Hannah’s husband, Elkanah, asks her, “Am I not better to thee than ten sons?” (1 Samuel 1:8). Scholars have understood that question in different ways: it is perhaps a kind hearted effort to soothe Hannah’s mind, but it may also be interpreted as a self-centered dismissal of her concerns. [2] Either way, he is trying to encourage Hannah to become content with her situation. Hannah, however, has something else in mind: she takes her sorrow to the temple in an effort to change her circumstances. [3] She vows that if she is blessed with a son, that child will serve the Lord. At this point, the reader expects Hannah to find relief, but she has one more challenge to face: because Hannah prays silently, Eli accuses her of drunkenness (see 1 Samuel 1:13–14). We might expect this to be the straw that breaks Hannah’s back, but instead she responds to Eli politely but firmly. Her response—cleverly explaining that instead of being drunken from having taken in wine, she was rather pouring out her spirit to the Lord (see 1 Samuel 1:15)—introduces the theme of reversals that will be so prominent in Hannah’s story in the next chapter.
Note that Hannah—instead of lashing out at Peninnah, being disappointed in Elkanah’s passive acceptance of her barrenness, or becoming offended at Eli’s false accusations—focuses her attention instead on the temple and, more specifically, on her ability to enter into covenants. The story includes no response to Peninnah or Elkanah at all and only a modest, straightforward statement to Eli; despite the slights that Hannah would have felt from them, she chooses to focus on the Lord and on temple covenants. [4] We might suspect that Hannah prayed silently, which was contrary to usual practice, [5] because of the personal nature and depth of her anguish, but her silent prayer also reminds the reader that Hannah sees this issue as being solely between her and the Lord. She chooses not to get into a dispute with Peninnah, Elkanah, or the priest. Instead, she silently pours out her soul to the Lord. She sees a covenant with the Lord as the antidote to her emotional distress.
Hannah’s Joy: Hannah is soon blessed with a baby boy, whom she names Samuel. While this would have brought her joy, it may also have brought a measure of anguish as well: she had vowed to give this child to the service of the Lord. It must have been enormously difficult for Hannah to keep this covenant. Under the best of conditions, it would mean having her young child live far away from her and under the care of others. But she would not have the best of conditions: for Hannah, keeping her covenant meant turning this young child over to the care of Eli. Hannah may not have known the full extent of the wickedness of Eli’s family at this point, but she probably would have had at least some inkling of the situation, given the public nature of the sins of Eli’s sons (see 1 Samuel 1:22). Perhaps Hannah entertained the idea that surely the Lord would understand if she decided to keep Samuel at home; this would violate her covenant, to be sure, but at home she could guard against unwholesome influences. However, Hannah was true to her word and brought young Samuel to live and serve in the sanctuary. With this decision, she becomes a model of keeping covenants even under the most difficult of circumstances. Julie M. Smith, “'The Lord . . . Bringeth Low, and Lifteth Up': Hannah, Eli, and the Temple," in Ascending the Mountain of the Lord: Temple, Praise, and Worship in the Old Testament (2013 Sperry Symposium), ed. Jeffrey R. Chadwick, Matthew J. Grey, and David Rolph Seely, RSC, BYU
Eli’s Fall …It has already been noted that the backgrounds of Eli and Hannah lead the reader to expect that Eli will be focused on the temple and Hannah will not, but the story presents precisely the opposite scenario. Even in the smallest details, we find a sharp contrast between Hannah and Eli. Note that Eli is always pictured sitting or lying down passively, unlike Hannah, who travels, prays, gives birth, vows, sings, and sews. First Samuel 1:9 contains a particularly compelling juxtaposition of Hannah’s activity with Eli’s passivity: “Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the Lord.”
Eli’s first act in the story is to make a mistake: he sees Hannah’s innovation of silent prayer and assumes that she is intoxicated. As Eli speaks to Hannah, he is cast in the role of a messenger of the Lord who announces the birth of an important person; this is evidenced by the fact that his words to Hannah are in a poetic form as well as by the expectations for the scene in which Eli and Hannah interact. But rather than being a divine messenger with special knowledge to give to Hannah, he instead knows less than she does, as evidenced by the false accusation. The structure of the story leads the reader to expect an angel, but instead there is a very mistaken man. The portrayal of Eli is unsympathetic from the very beginning, but it deteriorates even further in chapter 2, where Hannah begins her song of praise to the Lord.
Eli has sons who have been called to serve in the temple, but they abuse that role. Their behavior is truly shocking: as priests, they are to carefully follow the law of Moses to ensure that the sacrifices are properly performed in the sanctuary. They instead violate this sacred trust, take the best portions of the sacrificed meat for themselves, and, when questioned, threaten violence (see 1 Samuel 2:13–16). They seem to want to pick and choose the very best parts for themselves—a far cry from Hannah, who faithfully accepts whatever obstacles the Lord sends her way. Not only are their actions prohibited and a form of theft, but they also make a mockery of the sacred rituals that were instituted in order to prepare the Israelites to understand the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
The contrast between the path of Hannah’s son and that of Eli’s sons is made even starker as the text once again swings from Samuel and Hannah’s service in the temple to Eli’s sons’ sins in their capacity as priests. We learn that Eli’s sons have been engaged in inappropriate relationships with female temple workers (see 1 Samuel 2:22). [13] Eli lectures his sons, but his words have no effect. The story again pivots to Samuel’s growth in righteousness. What is perhaps most stunning at this point is that Samuel is able to live morally when surrounded by such unrighteous leaders within the temple itself. The reader is left to conclude that Samuel’s faith comes from the collaboration of Hannah and the Lord in raising and guiding him. The chapter ends with a man of God coming to Eli to tell him that, because he has honored his sons above the Lord, both sons will die on the same day and the Lord will raise up a faithful priest from another line (see 1 Samuel 2:29, 35). Julie M. Smith, “'The Lord . . . Bringeth Low, and Lifteth Up':