Ruth Pursuit Analysis

We are now at the exciting stage where we can begin to stitch together an analysis of Ruth 1. This will be much the same as you have done with the Hebrew Quest Study Passages. The main difference is you will not have Izzy’s video explanation. In that sense, you will now be wading a little deeper into the Hebrew pool!

We’re going to do this in small chunks over the next several lessons.

If Ruth 1 is “Act 1” of the drama, we’ll start with what is “scene 1”: Ruth 1:1-6.

YOUR QUEST

  1. Read Ruth 1:1-6 in the Hebrew text and underline any words or forms do you not recognize
    • For the first time, try doing this without any study aids, including your Ruth Pursuit Translation Worksheet
    • Then as needed, look up the words you don’t recognize
  2. Using what you have learned about syntax/phrase constructions and context, compose your own interpretative translation (this time, using your Ruth worksheet and whatever other resources you’d like!)
    • You may wish to compose a structural outline of “mini-scenes” identified by conjunctive or disjunctive clauses, quotations, or other constructions
  3. Compare your version with translations of your choice. These may include JPS, KJV, ESV, NASB, NIV, or NLT.141
  4. At what points do you agree and disagree with translation decisions made by these publications?

This exercise is for you. Although you will need to complete this activity in order to earn your diploma, you will not have to turn this in, and it will not be graded as a part of this course. We would encourage you to share your passage with the Holy Language Institute Tribe for their feedback and encouragement.

Ruth 1:1-6

Click to hear Ruth 1 read by Abraham Shmuelof:

‫ 1 וַיְהִ֗י בִּימֵי֙ שְׁפֹ֣ט הַשֹּׁפְטִ֔ים וַיְהִ֥י רָעָ֖ב בָּאָ֑רֶץ וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ אִ֜ישׁ מִבֵּ֧ית לֶ֣חֶם יְהוּדָ֗ה לָגוּר֙ בִּשְׂדֵ֣י מוֹאָ֔ב ה֥וּא וְאִשְׁתּ֖וֹ וּשְׁנֵ֥י בָנָֽיו׃ ‬ ‫ 2 וְשֵׁ֣ם הָאִ֣ישׁ אֱ‍ֽלִימֶ֡לֶךְ וְשֵׁם֩ אִשְׁתּ֨וֹ נָעֳמִ֜י וְשֵׁ֥ם שְׁנֵֽי־בָנָ֣יו ׀ מַחְל֤וֹן וְכִלְיוֹן֙ אֶפְרָתִ֔ים מִבֵּ֥ית לֶ֖חֶם יְהוּדָ֑ה וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ שְׂדֵי־מוֹאָ֖ב וַיִּֽהְיוּ־שָֽׁם׃ ‬ ‫ 3 וַיָּ֥מָת אֱלִימֶ֖לֶךְ אִ֣ישׁ נָעֳמִ֑י וַתִּשָּׁאֵ֥ר הִ֖יא וּשְׁנֵ֥י בָנֶֽיהָ׃ ‬ ‫ 4 וַיִּשְׂא֣וּ לָהֶ֗ם נָשִׁים֙ מֹֽאֲבִיּ֔וֹת שֵׁ֤ם הָֽאַחַת֙ עָרְפָּ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית ר֑וּת וַיֵּ֥שְׁבוּ שָׁ֖ם כְּעֶ֥שֶׂר שָׁנִֽים׃ ‬ ‫ 5 וַיָּמ֥וּתוּ גַם־שְׁנֵיהֶ֖ם מַחְל֣וֹן וְכִלְי֑וֹן וַתִּשָּׁאֵר֙ הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה מִשְּׁנֵ֥י יְלָדֶ֖יהָ וּמֵאִישָֽׁהּ׃ ‬ ‫ 6 וַתָּ֤קָם הִיא֙ וְכַלֹּתֶ֔יהָ וַתָּ֖שָׁב מִשְּׂדֵ֣י מוֹאָ֑ב כִּ֤י שָֽׁמְעָה֙ בִּשְׂדֵ֣ה מוֹאָ֔ב כִּֽי־פָקַ֤ד יְהוָה֙ אֶת־עַמּ֔וֹ לָתֵ֥ת לָהֶ֖ם לָֽחֶם׃ ‬ ‫

  1. We do recommend you avoid strict paraphrase versions such as “The Message”, as well as the other translations discouraged by Izzy in his “Bible Reviews” series↩︎