The Song of Ruth
Elimelek, Naomi’s husband, was dead,
Naomi, Elimelek’s wife, was a widow.
Mahlon and Kilion, Naomi’s sons, were dead,
Their wives Orpah and Ruth, were widows.[1]
Weeping widows facing future with dread
Women walking in the shadows.
Setting out sadly to her native land,
With Moabite daughters-in-law in tow.[2]
Walking warily west the despondent band,
Contemplated the dreary fate of the widow.
One woman returning to Judah in sadness,
Two women leaving Moab in sad exile.
Naomi knew their situation was madness,
Yet remained silent for a while.
Judah’s border lay ahead,
Harsh truth they faced.
Naomi confronted their dread,
Before too far they paced.
“Go back”, Naomi said,
“Even if I had more sons, you would be old maids”.
It
was the right thing to do,
It
was the kind thing to do,
It
was the selfless thing to do,
It
was the crazy thing to do.
“Thank you”
Orpah said,
Relieved to be
released from this obligation.
“No” said Ruth,
Refusing to
abandon Naomi to her situation.
Orpah returned
to Moab,
Leaving the
story.
Ruth turned away
from Moab,
Living in glory.
Each understood
the other,
Never again
seeing one another.
Orpah returned
to what she’d known,
Ruth faced a
future unknown.
Orpah knew not
what the future held,
Yet trusted in
Moab’s god.
Ruth knew not
what the future held,
Yet trusted in
Israel’s god.
It
was the right thing to do,
It
was the kind thing to do,
It
was the selfless thing to do,
It
was the crazy thing to do.
Two women walked into Judah,
One was too old to marry.
Two women walked into Bethlehem,
One was too Moabite to marry.
Reaching Bethlehem, curiosity they dreaded,
Two widows, two women in the shadows.
“Call me Mara”, Naomi said as she bitterly treaded,
Ruth said nothing, hoping for better tomorrows.
Unwanted, widowed, live they must,
Unwanted, widowed, in God they’d trust.
Naomi kept their humble dwelling,
Ruth kept them by humble gleaning.
Lost, without hope of salvation,
Lost, without man’s protection.
Yet all-powerful was their advocate,
Just was their ruler and judge.
Abhorring not their lowly state,
For widows, bearing no grudge.
God opened Boaz’s eyes to see,
The Moabite girl’s essential nobility.
Boaz provided extra grain for free,
The Moabite girl deserved his charity.
Ruth was selfless in support of Naomi,
Leading Boaz to support Ruth.
Thinking of the girl’s security,
Boaz told her the truth:
“Don’t glean in another field. Stay here.”
Boaz had to protect this defenseless youth.
Ruth was selfless in
support of Naomi,
Naomi
was selfless in support of Ruth.
Thinking
of the young woman’s future,
Naomi
told her the truth:
Boaz was her family Guardian-Redeemer,
Ruth should stay around his field.
Moabite, woman, and foreigner,
Ruth might be harmed in another man’s field.
It
was the right thing to do,
It
was the kind thing to do,
It
was the selfless thing to do,
It
was the crazy thing to do.
By and by, the harvest was done,
Barley had been harvested.
Barley threshed under hot sun,
Boaz at the threshing floor rested.
Naomi made Ruth wash, perfume, dress on the run,
Boaz was a husband ripe to be harvested.
Ruth came to Boaz’s threshing floor,
Ruth stayed at the party past nine.
Ruth saw where Boaz slept,
After a long day, good food and wine.
Upon inert Boaz Ruth crept,
Uncovered his feet, lay down, thinking “He’s mine!”
Boaz, turning in his sleep, awoke,
A young girl lay at his feet!
Was this a practical joke?
Young women young men seek to meet.
It
was the right thing to do,
It
was the kind thing to do,
It
was the selfless thing to do,
It
was the crazy thing to do.
Ruth identified herself as his servant,
Asking him to spread his garment over her,
Since he was a family Guardian Redeemer.
Under custom then current,
Ruth’s marriage proposal could not be clearer,
Boaz’s heart warmed,
Boaz was charmed.
Boaz did things by the book,
Offering first right to a nearer Guardian Redeemer.
That man refused to take up his right,
Boaz became Ruth’s Husband.
It
was the right thing to do,
It
was the kind thing to do,
It
was the selfless thing to do,
It
was the crazy thing to do.
Ruth did right by Naomi and found a husband,
Naomi did right by Ruth and found an heir,
Boaz did right by Naomi and found a young wife,
Together all three of them found a new life.
Ruth bore Boaz a son, Obed.
Obed was the father of Jesse.
Jesse, sired seven sons,
The youngest was David.
But that is another story …
© Craig Turney
