Book of Ruth
Description
"Do not urge me to abandon you, to turn back from following after you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you lodge, I will lodge. Your people are my people, and your God is my God." In this pivotal verse, Ruth's self-sacrificial declaration of loyalty to her mother-in-law Naomi forms the relationship at the heart of the book of Ruth. Peter H. W. Lau's new commentary explores the human and divine love at the center of the narrative as well as the book's relevance to Christian theology. In the latest entry in the New International Commentary on the Old Testament, Lau upholds the series' standard of quality. The Book of Ruth includes detailed notes on the translation and pays careful attention to the original Hebrew and the book's historical context, all the while remaining focused on Ruth's relevance to Christian readers today. An indispensable resource for pastors, scholars, students, and all readers of Scripture, Lau's commentary is the perfect companion to one of the most beloved books of the Old Testament.
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Content
- Intro
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Dedication
- Contents
- Series Editor's Preface
- Author's Preface
- List of Abbreviations
- Bibliography
- Introduction
- I. Structure and Message
- II. Genre
- III. Authorship and Date
- A. Authorship
- B. Date of Composition
- C. Conclusions regarding the Dating of the Book of Ruth
- IV. Purpose
- V. Canonicity
- VI. The Hebrew Text
- VII. Theological Messages
- A. Names of God
- B. God's Providence
- C. Human Action
- D. The Cycle of Divine-Human Kindness
- E. God's Blessing
- VIII. Themes
- A. Applying the Law
- B. Ruth's Ethnicity and Israelite Identity
- IX. Ruth and the New Testament
- A. Matthean Genealogy
- B. Mission
- C. Redemption
- Text and Commentary
- Act 1: Death and Emptiness (1:1-22)
- A. The End of a Family Line in Moab (1:1-6)
- B. En route: Naomi, Orpah, and Ruth Dialogue (1:7-19a)
- C. Town Gate: Naomi Laments before the Townswomen (1:19b-22)
- Act 2: Seeking Short-Term Security (2:1-23)
- D. Home: Naomi Accepts Ruth's Plan (2:1-3)
- E. Boaz's Field: Encounter between Ruth and Boaz (2:4-17)
- F. Home: Naomi and Ruth Debrief (2:18-23)
- Act 3: Seeking Permanent Security (3:1-18)
- F´. Home: Ruth Accepts Naomi's Plan (3:1-5)
- E´. Threshing Floor: Encounter between Ruth and Boaz (3:6-15)
- D´. Home: Naomi and Ruth Debrief (3:16-18)
- Act 4: Redemption and Fullness (4:1-22)
- C´. Town Gate: Boaz Redeems before the Elders (4:1-12)
- B´. Home: Naomi and the Women Dialogue (4:13-17)
- A´. The Beginning of a Royal Line in Israel (4:18-22)
