路得記2:17-23

 

  2:17 這樣，路得在田間拾取麥穗，直到晚上，將所拾取的打了，約有一伊法大麥。 2:18 她就把所拾取的帶進城去給婆婆看，又把她吃飽了所剩的給了婆婆。 2:19 婆婆問她說：「你今日在哪裏拾取麥穗，在哪裏做工呢？願那顧恤你的得福。」路得就告訴婆婆說：「我今日在一個名叫波阿斯的人那裏做工。」 2:20 拿俄米對兒婦說：「願那人蒙耶和華賜福，因為他不斷地恩待活人死人」。拿俄米又說：「那是我們本族的人，是一個至近的親屬。」 2:21 摩押女子路得說：「他對我說：『你要緊隨我的僕人拾取麥穗，直等他們收完了我的莊稼。』」 2:22 拿俄米對兒婦路得說：「女兒啊，你跟著他的使女出去，不叫人遇見你在別人田間，這才為好。」 2:23 於是路得與波阿斯的使女常在一處拾取麥穗，直到收完了大麥和小麥。路得仍與婆婆同住。

  Ruth 2:17-23

New International Version (NIV)

 17 So Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. Then she threshed the barley she had gathered, and it amounted to about an ephah.[a]18 She carried it back to town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gathered. Ruth also brought out and gave her what she had left over after she had eaten enough.

 19 Her mother-in-law asked her, “Where did you glean today? Where did you work? Blessed be the man who took notice of you!”

   Then Ruth told her mother-in-law about the one at whose place she had been working. “The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz,” she said.

 20 “The LORD bless him!” Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. “He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead.” She added, “That man is our close relative; he is one of our guardian-redeemers.[b]”

 21 Then Ruth the Moabite said, “He even said to me, ‘Stay with my workers until they finish harvesting all my grain.’”

 22 Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It will be good for you, my daughter, to go with the women who work for him, because in someone else’s field you might be harmed.”

 23 So Ruth stayed close to the women of Boaz to glean until the barley and wheat harvests were finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law.

Footnotes:

1. Ruth 2:17 That is, probably about 30 pounds or about 13 kilograms
2. Ruth 2:20 The Hebrew word for guardian-redeemer is a legal term for one who has the obligation to redeem a relative in serious difficulty (see Lev. 25:25-55).

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      路得因著到波阿斯的田中撿麥穗，讓她的生命有所改變。

      在我們人生的路途中，也如路得一樣，上帝為我們安排許多的機會，等待我們一一去經歷與突破，我只要耐心等候與仰望，存著信心，上帝的愛我們就可以感受與經歷到。

路得記4:13-22

4:13 於是，波阿斯娶了路得為妻，與她同房。耶和華使她懷孕生了一個兒子。
4:14 婦人們對拿俄米說：「耶和華是應當稱頌的！因為今日沒有撇下你，使你無至近的親屬。願這孩子在以色列中得名聲。
4:15 他必提起你的精神，奉養你的老，因為是愛慕你的那兒婦所生的。有這兒婦比有七個兒子還好！」
4:16 拿俄米就把孩子抱在懷中，作他的養母。
4:17 鄰舍的婦人說：「拿俄米得孩子了！」就給孩子起名叫俄備得。這俄備得是耶西的父，耶西是大衛的父。
4:18 法勒斯的後代記在下面：法勒斯生希斯崙；
4:19 希斯崙生蘭；蘭生亞米拿達；
4:20 亞米拿達生拿順；拿順生撒門；
4:21 撒門生波阿斯；波阿斯生俄備得；
4:22 俄備得生耶西；耶西生大衛。

¹³ So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. ¹⁴ The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! ¹⁵ He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.”
¹⁶ Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. ¹⁷ The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
¹⁸ This, then, is the family line of Perez:

Perez was the father of Hezron,

¹⁹ Hezron the father of Ram,

Ram the father of Amminadab,

²⁰ Amminadab the father of Nahshon,

Nahshon the father of Salmon,^[d]

²¹ Salmon the father of Boaz,

Boaz the father of Obed,

²² Obed the father of Jesse,

and Jesse the father of David.

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    路得雖然是外邦女子，卻被列在王朝的族譜中。照這個族譜，她是大衛的曾祖母。而在主耶穌的族譜中也是有提到路得：「撒門從喇合氏生波阿斯；波阿斯從路得氏生俄備得；俄備得生耶西；」（馬太福音1:5）

    這也讓我們看見非常重是血統純正的猶太人，竟然也會讓家譜有外邦女子，也是很特別。不過這也要告訴我們，耶穌基督不只是猶太人的救主，也是外邦人的救主。

    因此，在基督裡不再分外邦人和猶太人，也不再受國籍、血緣、文化、…等等的限制了，因為耶穌基督是萬國萬民的救主！

路得記4:1-12

4:1 波阿斯到了城門，坐在那裡，恰巧波阿斯所說的那至近的親屬經過。波阿斯說：「某人哪，你來坐在這裡。」他就來坐下。
4:2 波阿斯又從本城的長老中揀選了十人，對他們說：「請你們坐在這裡。」他們就都坐下。
4:3 波阿斯對那至近的親屬說：「從摩押地回來的拿俄米，現在要賣我們族兄以利米勒的那塊地；
4:4 我想當贖那塊地的是你，其次是我，以外再沒有別人了。你可以在這裡的人面前和我本國的長老面前說明，你若肯贖就贖，若不肯贖就告訴我。」那人回答說：「我肯贖。」
4:5 波阿斯說：「你從拿俄米手中買這地的時候，也當娶（原文是買；十節同）死人的妻摩押女子路得，使死人在產業上存留他的名。」
4:6 那人說：「這樣我就不能贖了，恐怕於我的產業有礙。你可以贖我所當贖的，我不能贖了。」
4:7 從前，在以色列中要定奪甚麼事，或贖回，或交易，這人就脫鞋給那人。以色列人都以此為證據。
4:8 那人對波阿斯說：「你自己買吧！」於是將鞋脫下來了。
4:9 波阿斯對長老和眾民說：「你們今日作見證，凡屬以利米勒和基連、瑪倫的，我都從拿俄米手中置買了；
4:10 又娶了瑪倫的妻摩押女子路得為妻，好在死人的產業上存留他的名，免得他的名在本族本鄉滅沒。你們今日可以作見證。」
4:11 在城門坐著的眾民和長老都說：「我們作見證。願耶和華使進你家的這女子，像建立以色列家的拉結、利亞二人一樣。又願你在以法他得亨通，在伯利恆得名聲。
4:12 願耶和華從這少年女子賜你後裔，使你的家像她瑪從猶大所生法勒斯的家一般。」

Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer^[a] he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down.

² Boaz took ten of the elders of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so. ³ Then he said to the guardian-redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek. ⁴ I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you^[b] will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.”
“I will redeem it,” he said.
⁵ Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the^[c] dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.”
⁶ At this, the guardian-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.”
⁷ (Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption and transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandal and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalizing transactions in Israel.)
⁸ So the guardian-redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it yourself.” And he removed his sandal.
⁹ Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon. ¹⁰ I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from his hometown. Today you are witnesses!”
¹¹ Then the elders and all the people at the gate said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the family of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. ¹² Through the offspring the Lord gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.”

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    波阿斯是一個辦事有次序的人，該怎樣進行就怎樣進行，尤其是財產的承接一點也不馬虎，把事情處理的有條有理。因為照猶太人的律法，取得土地也要娶過世兄弟的妻子，好使兄弟的財產不制失落。

    然而可以有第一順位承繼的人，不願意娶路得為妻，就失去了承繼的權利了。波阿斯願意娶路得為妻，就可以取得土地了！而這樣的舉動就蒙了長老的祝福：「我們作見證。願耶和華使進你家的這女子，像建立以色列家的拉結、利亞二人一樣。又願你在以法他得亨通，在伯利恆得名聲。願耶和華從這少年女子賜你後裔，使你的家像她瑪從猶大所生法勒斯的家一般。」

    從這件事的過程，我們看見上帝賜福，在願意選擇遵行旨意的人身上。正如波阿斯，願意承擔起路得的事情，讓家族的土地得以完整，上帝就大大的賜福給波阿斯。

路得記3:16-18

3:16 路得回到婆婆那裡，婆婆說：「女兒啊，怎麼樣了？」路得就將那人向她所行的述說了一遍，
3:17 又說：「那人給了我六簸箕大麥，對我說：『你不可空手回去見你的婆婆。』」
3:18 婆婆說：「女兒啊，你只管安坐等候，看這事怎樣成就，因為那人今日不辦成這事必不休息。」

¹⁶ When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, “How did it go, my daughter?”
Then she told her everything Boaz had done for her ¹⁷ and added, “He gave me these six measures of barley, saying, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”
¹⁸ Then Naomi said, “Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today.”

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    拿俄米知道波阿斯的為人，所以勸路得不要緊張，只要耐心等候！正如拿俄米所說：「女兒啊，你只管安坐等候，看這事怎樣成就，因為那人今日不辦成這事必不休息。」

    其實我們向上帝禱告也是如此，有些人以為禱告完還是要積極做東做西，這樣才會成功，因為他們內心認為禱告歸禱告，你不動上帝怎麼會完成祂的工呢？所以，還是要努力做自己該做的事。

    但是，我個人還是會比較像拿俄米的做法，「只管安坐等候，看這事怎樣成就」，因為上帝是行事的上帝，會在適當的時機成就他要成就的，我們該做的就是安靜聆聽祂的話語，等候祂的命令，他說走再走！正如以色列人在曠野，雲柱、火柱的引導，雲柱、火柱有動才能動，不然就不要動，絕對不要跑在上帝的面前！因為我們是跟隨者！

    或許有人不贊同，我這樣的說法，但是我相信這是聖經重要的原則，這也是很多人不苟同我之處，但是我還是堅持這樣的看法，畢竟我是上帝的僕人不是主人，上帝是主動的，我是被動的！你認為呢？

路得記3:1-15

3:1 路得的婆婆拿俄米對她說：「女兒啊，我不當為你找個安身之處，使你享福嗎？
3:2 你與波阿斯的使女常在一處，波阿斯不是我們的親族嗎？他今夜在場上簸大麥；
3:3 你要沐浴抹膏，換上衣服，下到場上，卻不要使那人認出你來。你等他吃喝完了，
3:4 到他睡的時候，你看準他睡的地方，就進去掀開他腳上的被，躺臥在那裡，他必告訴你所當做的事。」
3:5 路得說：「凡你所吩咐的，我必遵行。」
3:6 路得就下到場上，照她婆婆所吩咐她的而行。
3:7 波阿斯吃喝完了，心裡歡暢，就去睡在麥堆旁邊。路得便悄悄地來掀開他腳上的被，躺臥在那裡。
3:8 到了夜半，那人忽然驚醒，翻過身來，不料有女子躺在他的腳下。
3:9 他就說：「你是誰？」回答說：「我是你的婢女路得。求你用你的衣襟遮蓋我，因為你是我一個至近的親屬。」
3:10 波阿斯說：「女兒啊，願你蒙耶和華賜福。你末後的恩比先前更大；因為少年人無論貧富，你都沒有跟從。
3:11 女兒啊，現在不要懼怕，凡你所說的，我必照著行；我本城的人都知道你是個賢德的女子。
3:12 我實在是你一個至近的親屬，只是還有一個人比我更近。
3:13 你今夜在這裡住宿，明早他若肯為你盡親屬的本分，就由他吧！倘若不肯，我指著永生的耶和華起誓，我必為你盡了本分，你只管躺到天亮。」
3:14 路得便在他腳下躺到天快亮，人彼此不能辨認的時候就起來了。波阿斯說：「不可使人知道有女子到場上來」；
3:15 又對路得說：「打開你所披的外衣。」她打開了，波阿斯就撮了六簸箕大麥，幫她扛在肩上，她便進城去了。

One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, I must find a home^[a] for you, where you will be well provided for. ² Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relative of ours. Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. ³ Wash, put on perfume, and get dressed in your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. ⁴ When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.”

⁵ “I will do whatever you say,” Ruth answered. ⁶ So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do.
⁷ When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down. ⁸ In the middle of the night something startled the man; he turned—and there was a woman lying at his feet!
⁹ “Who are you?” he asked.
“I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer^[b] of our family.”
¹⁰ “The Lord bless you, my daughter,” he replied. “This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. ¹¹ And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character. ¹² Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family, there is another who is more closely related than I. ¹³ Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer, good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the Lord lives I will do it. Lie here until morning.”
¹⁴ So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before anyone could be recognized; and he said, “No one must know that a woman came to the threshing floor.”
¹⁵ He also said, “Bring me the shawl you are wearing and hold it out.” When she did so, he poured into it six measures of barley and placed the bundle on her. Then he^[c] went back to town.

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    在這裡看見拿俄米一直為路得開路，希望她能和波阿斯有好的結果。就教導路得怎樣做，可以親近波阿斯。因為波阿斯和以利米勒是有家族關係，是可以與路得結為連理，並且承接以利米勒家的土地並撫養他的家人。

    然而波阿斯是一個懂得倫理的人，所以他不直接接受路得為妻，他認為還有人比他有資格，除非那人肯放棄，不然他不會為了一點利益，改變他做人處是該遵守的法則。

    其實我們成為基督徒，因上帝恩典，透過耶穌基督已經得救，不需要靠守律法的義得救，但是我們不能廢棄上帝的律法上的要求，禮儀率可以不守，但是關乎和上帝和人之間的關係之律例，我們還是要遵守，為要討上帝喜悅，因為守律法是得救以後的記號，但是與上帝建立關係是來自耶穌基督，不是我們守律法。正如以色列人和上帝有關係也不是律法來的，是來自上帝和亞伯拉罕的約。