The Book of Lutz, the second book after Book of Judges, is the shortest book in the Old Testament, with only four chapters.
The Book of Judges, by the way, has 21 chapters.
Although "Judges" and "Lutz" are not two consecutive stories,
What is the Book of Judges about? Explain the summary!
This is an easy-to-understand explanation of Old Testament "Book of Judges," which describes the Judges who led the Israelites to the Promised Land!
If you are also interested in the "Book of Judges," please click here.
So, what is the story of "Lutz," the shortest book in the Old Testament?
Synopsis of the Book of Lutz
The Book of Lutz tells the story of a woman named Lutz.
The reason "Lutz" has such an important place in the Old Testament is that Lutz is a Gentile (a non-Jewish Israelite).
In other words, Lutz tells the story of God's grandeur to save not only the Jews but also the Gentiles in the Old Testament.
Naomi and Ruth's Journey
There was a man named Elimelech, an Israelite from Bethlehem in Judah.
He moved with his wife Naomi and their two sons to a place called Moab.
Each of these sons married a daughter from the land of Moab.
Ruth was a daughter of Moab who married one of his sons.
However, Elimelech and his two sons died, and Naomi, Lutz, and his other wife, Orpah, all became widows.
I am going to Judea, my husband's hometown. You have lost your husbands too... poor you, but go back to your homeland.
Oh no! Mother-in-law, I will always be with you!
Lutz wanted to stay with Naomi, so Naomi and Lutz went to Bethlehem together.
Lutz meets Boaz
When Naomi and Lutz arrived in Bethlehem, Lutz began to pick up the fallen ears of wheat in the field.
*Picking up the fallen ears of wheat is a process of collecting the fallen ears in the field after the harvest is over.
In ancient Palestine, this act was required of the poor as a form of begging.
When Lutz was picking up the fallen ears, a man approached her.
That was Boaz.
You serve your mother-in-law very well. I think you are a very nice woman.
Boaz was actually a distant relative of Elimelech.
Naomi realized this fact when she was informed by Lutz.
Mr. Boaz is a distant relative of ours. Maybe he will take you in. Lutz, you, get in Mr. Boaz's bed.
I understand, mother-in-law.
Lutz did as Naomi asked and crept into Boaz's bed.
However, Boaz did not touch Lutz at all and understood Naomi's intention.
I know someone who is much closer to your kin than I am. I must first ask him about your ransom. Since you will not be able to return to your mother-in-law alone, I will give you a gift.
Thus, Lutz returned to Naomi with many gifts from Boaz.
Lutz marries Boaz
Boaz met and spoke with Naomi and Lutz's closer relatives.
Elimelech and his sons are dead and their wives are widows. By rights, you have more right to underwrite these women than I do.
No - I don't really want to take care of them. I would give that right to you.
I understand. Then I will take care of them.
Thus, Lutz became Boaz's wife.
Lutz then gave birth to a son, Ovede.
Ovede's grandson would later become David.
Marriage in the Book of Lutz
The Book of Lutz begins with the widowhood of Lutz and Naomi.
The ancient Israelite concept of marriage was called the Levirat marriage.
*Levirat marriage is a marriage in which the husband's brother takes a widow whose husband has died.
All of Ruth's husband's brothers had died, so it wasn't a Levirat marriage in the original sense.
However, the idea of taking care of widows with their relatives may have taken root?
It is thought that this was a way to keep the family lineage alive.
This idea was accepted by the following peoples:
- Jewish
- Mongols
- Tibetan peoples
This idea was accepted by the
Ruth was a Gentile, but through this levirate marriage, she was able to enter the lineage that led to David, a very important figure for the Israelites.
To learn more about this famous King David, please see
Who is King David? Five Stories About the Legendary Life of the Man
Read the article here.