for national sins, it seems to argue a want of submissive reverence to the Divine will to endeavour to avoid them. If this famine were sent to punish sin, particularly the sin of idolatry, according to the prophetic warnings of the Law of Moses, Elimelech was guilty of want of faith and obedience in seeking to escape it, by leaving his country and this view appears to be confirmed by the afflictions which befel himself and family when they were, as they thought, in safety in a foreign land. What would be perfectly justifiable in our own age and country, was not so to an Israelite, whose earthly governor was the Almighty; in whose hand are the issues of life, and who made the seasons the ministers of his all wise dispensations.

"And Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died; and she was left and her two sons. And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth and they dwelled there about ten years. And Mahlon and Chilion died also; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband."

"Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, that she might return from the country of Moab for she had heard in the country how that the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread. Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughtersin-law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah."

"And Naomi said unto her two daughters-in law, Go, return each to her mother's house; the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me."

To this disinterested remonstrance of the aged Naomi, both the daughters-in-law at first refused to listen; Orpah, however, soon yielded, and, taking an affectionate leave of her motherin-law, returned to her family, and remained in Moab; but Ruth persisted in her generous selfsacrifice, and no persuasion could induce her to desert the desolate Naomi. "Intreat me not to leave thee," she said, "or to return from following after thee; for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God; Where thou diest will I die, and there will I be buried the LORD do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me."

:

"When Naomi saw that Ruth was steadfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking to her."

"So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi, And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara:* for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified

* Naomi signifies pleasant; and Mara, or Marah, bitter.

against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted

me."

"So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law, which returned out of the country of Moab; and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.

"And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz. And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter. And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech." To glean in the field, was a privilege expressly granted the poor by the humane law of Moses. Nor were the rich to reap their fields too strictly, if they would procure a blessing upon their produce. The practice of gleaning in the field after the reapers, was however not a right, but a privilege, only conceded to those who were favored in a more especial manner.

"And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, the LORD bless thee."

"Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this? And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel

that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab and she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves; so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house."

"Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens. Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: and when thou art athirst, go`unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn."

"Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldst take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger."

"And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been showed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother-in-law, since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore. The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust."

"Then she said, Let me find favor in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine

handmaidens. And Boaz said unto her, At meal-time come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers; and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left. And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not; and let fall also some handfuls on purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not. So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned; and it was about an ephah of barley."

When Ruth returned, and related to Naomi the favor which Boaz had shown her, Naomi rejoiced; for Boaz was a near kinsman of her husband, and the most fitting person, according to the Hebrew customs, to show them kindness. and protection. She desired her daughter-inlaw to do in every thing as Boaz had commanded; to keep with his people, and not to be seen in the field of any other person, which Ruth did, and continued thus to glean in the fields of Boaz, until the end of the barley and wheat harvest.

When the harvest was over, Naomi, who was strongly attached to her devoted and generous daughter-in-law, resolved to avail herself of a law of Moses (which ordained that if a man died. without leaving children, his next of kin should marry his widow), to procure a safe and honor