03- Book of Ruth Bible Study

Call Me Mara

Ruth 1 Commentary: Verses 18 – 21
18 When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.
19 ¶ So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, [Remember, after at least 10 years of being in Moab…] that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi? 20 And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi [Which means “pleasant”], call me Mara [Which means “bitter”]: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi [“Pleasant”], seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?
Wow. Naomi in no uncertain terms is attributing her series of unfortunate events to the Lord. He’s brought about a complete reversal for her. Her name means pleasant. But her life is anything but pleasant. It’s bitter. She went out full. Now she comes home empty. And she says that all of this is the Lord’s testifying against her. Whether she’s interpreting the situation correctly or not – I think what we see here is a guilty conscience. When you’re involved in things that you know from God’s word are wrong and life stops working the way it used to and things all of a sudden are very difficult and bitter – doesn’t your mind go immediately to wondering if the Lord himself is chastening you? Well, that’s because he probably is. And Naomi feels that.
Ruth 1 Commentary: Verse 22
Lastly, verse 22 is a summary of what we’ve seen so far.
22 ¶ 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.
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