Naomi and her daughters in law by Gustave Doré, Ruth 1:6-22, Bible.Gallery
Naomi and her daughters in law created and it was drawn with engraving style.
Artwork Description
The little book of Ruth is often likened to a bed of untamed wildflowers, rich in their exquisite beauty and a varied array of colors, much like those found scattered across the landscapes of Palestine. It serves as a captivating contrast to the preceding book of Judges in our Canon. Transitioning from one to the other feels akin to moving from the somber and harrowing scenes of an Aeschylus tragedy to the vibrant and picturesque settings of a pastoral idyll penned by Theocritus. Every verse of Ruth resonates with an aura of tranquility and love, painting a vivid testament to the humane and broad-minded principles underpinning the Mosaic laws. Israel was indeed a people set apart, secluded from the rest of the world to preserve the purity of the chosen lineage until the time came for a universal dispensation. Yet, throughout both word and deed, there are continual hints of hope for the nations beyond. Within the pages of Ruth, we find a narrative that unveils the journey of a daughter of the uncircumcised Moabites, welcomed into the fellowship of God's people, ultimately becoming a member of the lineage from which the most illustrious of Israel's kings would emerge.
The story unfolds as Elimelech, driven by famine, leads his family, including his wife and two sons, on an emigration from Bethlehem to the fields of Moab. There, his sons marry local women. Tragedy befalls the household as Elimelech passes away, followed by the untimely deaths of both sons. A decade later, Naomi is left with her two daughters-in-law. Learning that the famine has lifted in her homeland, she decides to return, with her younger companions initially accompanying her. On the journey, Naomi, while acknowledging their kindness and devotion to the deceased, urges them to turn back, for she has little to offer them. Orpah heeds this advice and, weeping, returns home. However, Ruth adamantly refuses and clings to Naomi. This poignant scene is vividly captured in the picture: Orpah turning away, hands covering her face, while Ruth, brimming with deep affection, remains steadfastly attached to her husband's mother. When Naomi suggests that Ruth should follow her sister-in-law's example, Ruth responds with words that have become timeless in their expression of profound and sacred affection: "Urge me not to leave thee, or to return from following 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, I will die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me." The love depicted here is undeniably intense, yet it is wholly moral and spiritual in its essence, untouched by self-interest, hope, or vanity.