RU-II Lesson 2

The Brothers’ Wife

Lesson Text: Ruth 3:8-18

In our last lesson, Ruth followed Naomi’s plan for letting Boaz know that she wanted to claim her legal rights of widowhood. Making this claim would assert her right to become his wife. Boaz’s action showed that he was happy that Ruth had chosen him. Let’s take a look at a case where a Jewish man was not happy about being forced to marry a woman even though she had the legal right to make that claim. Genesis 38:6-10:

1. Then Judah took a ____ for Er his firstborn, and her name was ______. (6)

2. But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was _______ in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD _______ him. (7)

3. And Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and marry her, and raise up ____ ______ to your brother.” (8)

4. But Onan knew that the heir would not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother’s wife, that he ______ on the ______, lest he should give an heir to his brother. (9)

5. And the thing which he did ________ the LORD; therefore He _____ him also. (10)

6. In the NT we find a story about a widow and seven brothers and her legal right to marry them. Please read the story in Matt.22:23-33 and tell what happened.

Now let’s find out what Boaz’s reaction was when he found out that Ruth had chosen him. (from Ruth 3):

7. Now it happened at midnight that the man was _______, and turned himself; and there, a woman was lying at his feet. (8)

8. And he said, “Who are you?” So she answered, “I am Ruth, your maidservant. Take your maidservant under your ____, for you are a close ______ .” (9)

9. Then he said, “Blessed are you of the LORD, my daughter! For you have shown more ______ at the end than at the beginning, in that you did not go after _____ _____ , whether poor or rich. (10)

10. And now, my daughter, do not _____ . I will do for you all that you request, for all the people of my town know that you are a ____ woman. (11)

11. Now it is true that I am a _____ relative; however, there is a relative ______ than I. (12)

12. Stay this night, and in the morning it shall be that if he will perform the duty of a close relative for you—good; let him do it. But if he does not want to ______ the _____ for you, then I will ________ the ____ for you, as the LORD lives! Lie down until morning.” (13)

13. So she lay at his feet until morning, and she arose before one could _______ another. Then he said, “Do not let it be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” (14)

14. Also he said, “Bring the ______ that is on you and hold it.” And when she held it, he measured six ephahs of barley, and laid it on her. Then she went into the city. (15)

15. When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “Is that you, my ______ ?” Then she told her all that the man had done for her. (16)

16. And she said, “These six ephahs of barley he gave me; for he said to me, ‘Do not go ____________ to your mother-in-law.’” (17)

17. Then she said, “Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out; for the man will not rest until he has _______ the matter this day.” (18)

Next week we will examine this week’s lesson text closer.