The History of Ruth
Part Three: Famine in the House of Bread
By Jeremy Lucas
In our last two studies, we looked at the history of two leading characters in the Book of Ruth. We learned of Boaz and his family heritage, a line of princes and captains in Judah. We learned of Ruth and the timing of her redemption in the grace of Boaz (that she was ten generations from Lot's incest). In this third section, we're going to deal with the backdrop of their location. What was Bethlehem? What made it significant?
To begin, let's turn our attention to a journey between two cities. The story of a woman with child and the man who loves her dearly. Two people on their way to a small town by the instruction of God. The woman only pregnant because God opened her womb.
Picturing Joseph and Mary? Try again.
"And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Bethel. And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour." Genesis 35:15-16
Jacob and Rachel. Remember them?
"And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter." Genesis 29:18
Jacob would serve 7 years to earn the favor of Rachel's father. But Rachel also had a sister, the firstborn. Neither of them were yet married. It was not a custom for Laban, Rachel's father, to give away the younger of two daughters first, so Jacob works seven years for Rachel only to receive Leah, the older daughter.
"And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it [was] Leah: and he said to Laban, What [is] this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me? And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years." Genesis 29:25-27
Just to get the woman he loved, Jacob worked 7 years + 7 more years.
"And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also." Genesis 29:28
(This is one of several verses where we learn about the placement of a "week" as 7 years.)
After 14 years, Jacob has two wives. Rachel's womb is closed.
"And when the LORD saw that Leah [was] hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel [was] barren." Genesis 29:31
With all the love Jacob has for Rachel, Leah is the one who begins having children.
"And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me. And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard that I [was] hated, he hath therefore given me this [son] also: and she called his name Simeon. And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi. And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing." Genesis 29:32-35
Leah's Firstborn is Reuben.
Leah's Second is Simeon.
Leah's Third is Levi.
Leah's Fourth is Judah.
Four children to Leah.
"And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, [Am] I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her. And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her." Genesis 30:1-4
Rachel's envy for her sister's ability to have children puts her into a heated argument with Jacob. At this point, she seems nearly suicidal and suggests Jacob take her handmaid, Bilhah, as a wife. He accepts the offer and Bilhah becomes pregnant twice.
"And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son. And Rachel said, God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son: therefore called she his name Dan. And Bilhah Rachel's maid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son. And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali." Genesis 30:5-8
Bilah's Firstborn is Dan.
Bilah's Second is Naphtali.
Not long after, she gives Jacob another handmaid, Zilpah, as a wife. He accepts again and Zilpah conceives.
"When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife. And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a son. And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad. And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a second son. And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher." Genesis 30:10-13
Zilpah's Firstborn is Gad.
Zilpah's Second is Asher.
"And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son. And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar. And Leah conceived again, and bare Jacob the sixth son. And Leah said, God hath endued me [with] a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun." Genesis 30:17-20
Leah now has two more children.
Her fifth son is Issachar.
Her sixth son is Zebulun.
Altogether, there are ten descendants of Jacob. Absolutely none from the womb of Rachel, whom we read about in the opening story of Genesis 35. So what happens?
"And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb." Genesis 30:22
By His mercies, her womb is opened and she conceives.
"And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach: And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add to me another son." Genesis 30:23-24
Joseph and the promise of another son.
Between the birth of Joseph and the birth of this last son, quite a number of years pass in which the family has endured many things. In fact, so many years have passed, that another child would quite literally be "the baby" of the bunch. And here we return to Genesis 35.
"And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour." Genesis 35:16
Anytime you see "Beth" in the Old Testament Scriptures, it indicates a "city of" whatever follows. In this case, "Beth" and "el" refers to the "City of God."
And just a few verses earlier, Jacob was renamed "Israel."
"And God said unto him, Thy name [is] Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel." Genesis 35:10
The picture we're given is a man, Israel, traveling from the City of God to Ephrath, known as the Place of Plenty or the Place of Increase. On the way, his most beloved wife, Rachel, goes into a very troubling labor.
"And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also." Genesis 35:17
Hard labor indeed. Enough that there was fear the child might not be born safely. The midwife assures her that the baby will be born.
"And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin." Genesis 35:16
On her way out, she names the child Benoni, the "son of my sorrow." But Israel, the child's father, names him Benjamin, the "son of the right hand." And before much time passes, Rachel dies giving birth.
"And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which [is] Bethlehem." Genesis 35:17
She is buried in the way near Ephrath, which is also known as Bethlehem. Ephrath is the "Place of Plenty" and Bethlehem would more gradually become its known title. Bethlehem means, "City of Bread," and it stems from the former location known as the "Place of Plenty." For it was here, in the nearby fields, that they held some of the most significant wheat and barley harvests of the land, among many other agricultural crops that came in abundance (vineyards, olive orchards, grazing land for sheep).
Bethlehem of Ephratah was very much like Jerusalem in that those who lived in its parameters were "up" in the hills. You see, Bethlehem is nearly 2500 feet above sea level. This is emphasized when Boaz goes to meet the elders in chapter 4.
"Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down." Ruth 4:1
Boaz had to go "up" to the gate of the city, for the valleys he owned and operated were below the higher elevation of Bethlehem itself.
Perhaps you may find this interesting, but Jerusalem has an equivalent sea level tower. The success of these two cities depends upon the valleys and fields that surround them on all sides.
"Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah: we found it in the fields of the wood." Psalm 132:6
If you can imagine a small town on a hill 2500 feet above normal sea level with surrounding valleys filled with trees, plains, fields for grazing, and crops galore... that is Bethlehem in its most valuable historical picture. Not a place of bustling life and social gatherings... just a peaceful place where residents worked hard at a variety of agricultural projects.
And this, my friends, was where famine broke the peace for the ten years that Naomi was in Moab losing her husband and sons. And this was the place where Naomi returned with her daughter-in-law to begin work in the Barley and Wheat fields restoring natural resources.
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