Book of Ruth

In printed Bibles, Ezra-Nehemiah is two books, but one book in manuscripts of the Old Testament.1 Perhaps it was divided to make Nehemiah separate, because the beginning of Nehemiah resembles the beginning of a prophetic book. Further, most of Ezra 4-7 is in Aramaic, the international language, not Hebrew. Like bilingual people in the modern world, the original readers could evidently be expected to move between the two languages. The pages that follow will first outline Ezra-Nehemiah to provide a context for discussing the topic of justice in the two books and reflecting on its contemporary significance.

I first became aware of nativistic prejudice at the age of five or so. A distant uncle and his family were visiting from several states over, and when asked if they wanted to worship with us they said yes. But after taking our seats in the sanctuary he turned to me privately and whispered, "Boy, what do you think about all these n___rs in your church?" 1 Several years later, while serving as a freshman pastor scheduling speakers for a youth event, I invited our local dentist to participate. He and his family attended our small rural church on occasion and when I heard from a trusted source that he connected well with young people, I put his name on the program. When one of our elders saw it, however, he cornered me in the foyer, shouting, "What makes you think you can let a n___r speak at our church? Do you ever expect to work at another church in this county?" 2 These encounters did not happen "out there. " They happened "in here, " immediately alerting me to the truth that the "spiritual forces of 1. Perea ("Introduction, " 1) points out that "the word nativism suggests some part of its meaning: a preference for those deemed natives; simultaneous and intense opposition to those deemed strangers, foreigners. " Southwood (Ethnicity, 214) believes that "ethnicity and nationalism . . . share similarities, " but not "ethnicity and race, " while Gruen (Ethnicity, 2) argues that "the fact that ethnos (ἔθνος) has a plethora of meanings in antiquity, and that the ancients have no word for 'ethnicity, ' does not mean that we cannot employ the concept to investigate their perceptions and attitudes. But we need always to be conscious of the fact that any definition we apply is bound to be arbitrary, adopted for heuristic purposes, and, at best, only an indirect reflection of whatever reality may lie behind it. " 2. Nativism is not a one-way street. Once one of the leaders of the African-American church we attended for a year invited me to go with him to visit "delinquent members. " At dinnertime we stopped at a fast-food restaurant, and while standing in line to place my order the gentleman taking the orders looked right past me to ask my colleague what he wanted, which made me feel, if only for an instant, like Ellison's Invisible Man.

While describing the coup that Pekah b. Remaliah instigated against Pekahiah b. Menahem, the Bible states: “And Pekah son of Remaliah, his aide, conspired against him and struck him down in Samaria, in the royal palace with Argob and with the lion, and with him were fifty Gileadites, and he killed him and succeeded him as king” (2 Kgs 15:25). The meaning of the words “with Argob and with the lion” is unclear, and many modern scholars believe that the verse is distorted. I suggest that these words are not distorted, but rather reflect a phenomenon that has existed in Hebrew throughout the ages (including Biblical Hebrew): a syncopated letter Heh that occurs during a fast colloquial pronunciation. The phrase should be translated as “By [the] Argob and by the lion” and describes the precise location of Pekahiah’s assassination: between two specific objects located at the palace. The reasoning behind this description is also discussed.

The Ujamaa Centre for Community Development and Research, through the work of Sithembiso Zwane, has theorised a continuum of contested space, including invited space (controlled by dominant sectors), invigorated space (whereby marginalised sectors contend for space within invited space) and invented space (as marginalised sectors transform these spaces into space they control). In this article, we extend our conceptualisation of contested space to the biblical text itself, recognising within biblical text these three forms of space, both in terms of socio-historical text and narrative text. We use the book of Ruth as our biblical text, recognising, first, the production of the canonical text as a contestation of space, following the hermeneutic of Itumeleng Mosala by working backwards away from the canonical form towards marginalised textual remnant voices and second, that literary-narrative setting within the book of Ruth can be read as a contestation of space. Socio-historically, we argue that the canonical text co-opts marginalised textual voices (in terms of gender, sexuality, ethnicity, and economics). Narratologically, we argue that the Ruth narrative includes traces of both socio-historical contestation and narrative contestation of space through Ruth's struggle for invented space. Alongside this focus on the biblical text, we reflect on how the Ujamaa Centre's community-based work might use these resources for re-reading Ruth with local Southern African communities (in both South Africa and Mozambique) struggling for redemptive invented space in the intersection of gender, sexuality, ethnicity and economics.

This article explores a little-known midrash that links Uriah the Hittite with Goliath, cited in printed commentaries by several Sephardic sages who studied in Safed and were active within its scholarly circles during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. The midrash presents a striking reversal of the biblical narrative and is grounded in a metaphysical conception of Bathsheba as David’s predestined partner “from the six days of Creation.”
The study traces the origins of this tradition to the oral teachings of the kabbalist, martyr, and messianic herald Shlomo Molcho. Following the midrash's trajectory from Molcho’s circle in Italy to the writings of Safedian scholars sheds light on the intellectual ties between Italy and Safed and reveals the mechanisms by which homiletic traditions were transmitted across geographical and cultural contexts. It also highlights a distinctive Safedian editorial process, characterized by the softening or omission of overt messianic elements.
The midrash later reappears in Kurdish-Aramaic epic poetry, as part of the broader dissemination of Safedian teachings into Kurdistan. Its movement across diverse centers offers insight into the channels through which exegetical and homiletic traditions were transmitted, as well as the ways in which they were shaped, adapted, and at times censored in the course of their reception.

In a 1967 issue of Science, Lynn White claimed that "[e]specially in its Western form, Christianity is the most anthropocentric religion the world has ever seen… [and] not only established a dualism of man and nature but also insisted that it is God's will that man exploit nature for his proper ends." White and many others have regarded such a subject-object relationship to nature as the teaching of the Old Testament itself, especially in its account of Adam being created in God's image, ostensibly to bring nature into submission. This worldview of subjugating an unruly Other (both people and resources) would become the pseudo-biblical rationale for wars of conquest by Christendom's empires. By contrast, Bishop Desmond Tutu is prominent among non-western thinkers who hold that the imago Dei in humanity stands opposed to every form of colonial domination of the Other. Tutu also extends his signature notion of Ubuntu (human interdependence) to include the entire created order within "Eco Ubuntu." Since the Old Testament has thus featured in both (more) western narratives of unfettered domination over nature as well as (more) non-western narratives of creation stewardship, it is essential to adjudicate between these religio-cultural clashes in interpretation during the Anthropocene by revisiting the witness of the Bible's creation texts. In showing that holism characterises the most recent creation theologies, this study will also examine recent uses of the Old Testament in the rather disparate arguments of advocates of subsistence economics, sceptics of global warming, and climate apocalypticists.

Glossary 1 F 3 5 Developmental Forces • Androphrodite-The internal protective archetypal force; provides structure, boundaries, discipline, and ethical orientation in psychological development. • Estrophrodite-The internal nurturing archetypal force; embodies empathy, care, relational attunement, emotional awareness, and moral imagination. • Disalignment of Forces-A psychological state where the Estrophrodite and Androphrodite tendencies fall into conflict, creating inner tension, imbalance, and shadow projections. • Internal Working Model-Mental templates from early attachment experiences shaping expectations of self, others, and relationships. • Transitional Object-A symbolic object (e.g., teddy bear, blanket, sacred symbol) that helps bridge early dependence with growing independence. • Unconscious Mind-The realm storing memories, desires, conflicts, archetypal patterns, and repressed material outside conscious awareness.

Peter Lau has written an exemplary commentary on the book of Ruth in the NICOT series. It provides a translation and explanation of Ruth, thoroughly interacting with the relevant scholarly literature (making judicious use of footnotes) without losing the thread of the story or getting bogged down in tortuous scholarly debates. It points out the book’s literary sophistication and shows how these literary features contribute to meaning and enhance the reading experience. It treats Ruth in its biblical-theological context, seeing fruitful connections across the Christian canon. It is theologically astute, makes relevant cultural observations (ancient and modern), and provides pertinent remarks on contemporary application (e.g., responding to immigrants). It is written in an engaging and accessible style.

The book of Ruth is often read as a story that celebrates family, acceptance, and loyal lovingkindness. However, recent interpretations problematize the characterization of this narrative as idyllic, pointing to its troubling themes and the potentially exploitative dynamics between its characters. I argue that interpretations which highlight the charming and positive aspects of this narrative by turning away from its ambiguity and mess work to domesticate the story. Such interpretations train readers of Ruth, and other biblical stories, to frame out uncomfortable tensions of power and difference in the story world. Drawing on Sara Ahmed’s observation that learning to notice what we are taught not to notice is “a form of political labor,” I argue that learning to recognize these interpretive tensions can uncover similar tensions at work within diverse contemporary interpretive contexts. Through the uncomfortable work of turning towards what has previously been framed out of interpretations of Ruth, I explore how the narrative might become a conversation partner in noticing and naming entanglements of the idyllic and the exploitative.

The Book of Ruth is often read as an idyllic story of romance and
community. This reading fails to account for the narrative’s setting in the time of the Judges (Ruth 1: 1)—a context of extreme violence (Judg 19-21). The text’s continual characterisation of Ruth as a Moabite, with the negative connotations this brings within the Hebrew Bible, further highlights the violence underneath the narrative. These lands now called Australia (Prentis 2021) similarly offer a veneer of peaceful community. While often presented as a successful multicultural liberal democracy, the ongoing legacy of settler-colonialism shapes social spaces, including those in which the Bible is read. The biblical texts are complicit within the settler colonial project in Australia, entangled with practices of assimilation and elimination of Indigenous peoples within the so-called civilising mission. In this paper, I read the violence of the Book of Ruth in
counterpoint with ongoing legacies of colonial violence in these lands now called Australia. In this contrapuntal reading, I explore how ‘Settler’ Australian Christian readers might notice and attend to the underlying violence of both biblical texts and ongoing colonial legacies in movement towards decolonial praxis.

A Christotelic hermeneutic approaches Old Testament writings
with the understanding that Jesus is the consummate telos of what is
promised. The defense of this reading often employs the use of “types”.
Similar to prophecy, typology possesses a sense of the eschatological, by
means of representation in the temporal. Unlike prophecy, it is portrayed
through some form of physical reality, unrestricted to words and
utterances. As a text, the book of Ruth exists within a corpus of
recognized sacred texts (i.e., the Hebrew canon) and within a particular
environmental setting. The interweaving of similar language,
geography, chronology, and circumstances compels the reader to reflect
upon other narratives within that corpus. For the Christian, the body of
texts from which the reader draws (i.e., their particular corpus) expands
beyond the Hebrew Bible, including the twenty-seven books of the New
Testament. This paper seeks to respect the principles of intertextuality, both between the book of Ruth and other books within the Jewish canon,
but also to expand those principles to include the writings of the
Christian canon. It will identify various, observed parallels in each
chapter, connecting the text with Old Testament tradition, and follow
these associations with an expanded coupling to the person and work of
Jesus as related through the New Testament.

Genesis 38 isn't often included in the Bible stories we are told. Either as children, or included in sermons. It seems to be regarded as a disruptive aside in the Joseph narrative, but why would God have it included as a whole chapter in the Tanach if it isn't important? This pericope in fact contains a hidden timeline-an allegorical prophecy of God's redemptive plan. The five sons of Judah, all direct offspring of the patriarch (here typifying God the Father), symbolize epochs in human and divine history: from creation and the age of Innocence, through the Law and Church Age, to the Millennial reign of Messiah and the final judgement. This document systematically explores that prophetic sequence, grounded in scriptural interpretation, typology, and New Testament fulfillment. (Quotes are from the Berean Standard Version of the Bible.)

RESUMO Diante da compreensão de que há uma forte relação entre cultura, ética e missão cristã, visto tais fatores influenciarem a praxe das igrejas e sua relação com o mundo, o presente estudo busca contribuir com elementos que tragam maior esclarecimento à percepção bíblica do conceito de cultura. Para tanto, uma pesquisa de revisão bibliográfica e análise documental foi aqui efetuada, tomando como base principal o livro de Rute. Mediante leitura dessa amostra, foi possível observar que o conceito de cultura, embora não trabalhado de forma sistematizada, está presente nas Escrituras. Além disso, notou-se que, nas Escrituras, cultura diz respeito à identidade de um povo, sendo essa identidade formada a partir de pressupostos diferentes (como, por exemplo, de ordem religiosa), resultando em diferentes modos de vida. No contexto bíblico, tais pressupostos devem ser avaliados a partir dos dizeres divinos, a fim de que sejam aceitos como válidos ou rejeitados.

ABSTRACT Established that there is a strong relationship between culture, ethics and Christian mission, since these factors influence the praxis of churches and their relationship with the world, this study seeks to contribute with elements that bring greater clarification to the biblical perception of the concept of culture. To this end, a bibliographic review and a document analysis research was carried out, based on Ruth's book. When reading this sample, it was possible to observe that the concept of culture, although not worked in a systematic way, is present in the Scriptures. In addition, it was observed that, in the Scriptures, culture refers to the identity of a people, this identity being formed from different assumptions (such as, for example, religious), resulting in different ways of life in the biblical context, such assumptions must be evaluated from the divine sayings to be accepted as valid or rejected.
RESUMEN Teniendo en cuenta que existe una fuerte relación entre cultura, ética y misión cristiana, ya que estos factores influyen en la praxis de las iglesias y su relación con el mundo, este estudio busca presentar elementos que aporten mayor clarificación a la percepción bíblica del concepto de cultura. Para ello, se llevó a cabo aquí una investigación de revisión bibliográfica y análisis documental, tomando como base principal el libro de Rut. Al leer esta muestra, se pudo observar que el concepto de cultura, aunque no trabajado de manera sistemática, está presente en las Escrituras. Además, se señaló que, en las Escrituras, cultura se refiere a la identidad de un pueblo; esta identidad se forma a partir de diferentes supuestos (como, por ejemplo, religiosos), resultando en diferentes formas de vida. En el contexto bíblico, tales suposiciones deben evaluarse a partir de dichos divinos para que sean aceptadas como válidas o rechazadas.

By using the narrative device of contrastive characterization, the author of Ruth demonstrates three return-from-exile scenarios that act as a model for the audience. Orpah served as Ruth's foil and represents a return to the pagan culture. Naomi and Ruth project a role reversal. While Naomi returns more like a pagan than a Jewess, Ruth has demonstrated covenant fidelity and illustrated loyalty to YHWH and Israel. She is thus a model for how Jews ought to return from exile to exodus.

The book of Ruth makes for many excellent expositional, narrative sermons. The theology is rich, the story is compelling, the themes are significant, and the cultural mores are fascinating. Therefore, much is gained from an intense study through Ruth. This journal article sets out to demonstrate exactly how rich and detailed this story is, as exemplified from the opening pericope of Ruth 1:1-5. Part of the exegetical task is to uncover many great morphological puns and ironic elements which are so eloquently placed within. There is also an inherent tension growing throughout the Old Testament between the dynasties of Saul and David that is partly played out in the setting of Ruth. This tension helps to express one of the primary purposes for the book of Ruth-a political advertisement for the house of David. This article will also demonstrate the necessary bridge that preachers must cross from exegesis to exposition through a suggested homiletical outline from the opening pericope.

In recent years, many academics have addressed the issue of the ntersection of the fields of Biblical studies and Cultural studies. Many academic works have emphasized the importance of the Bible in the building of cultural narratives and the need to reflect on those narratives through interpretation, placing biblical texts within originating cultural contexts. This article attempts to situate itself in that stream of work, exploring the graphic
interpretation of the story of Ruth and Naomi in the graphic novel The Book of Ruth by Meredith Finch and Colin Dyer. It begins with an introduction to the characteristics of the graphic novel genre, highlighting how this medium has addressed religion and the Bible, including characters, narratives, and traditions. Subsequently, a comparative methodology is applied to examine the treatment of the biblical text in the graphic novel, contrasting the textual and graphic study conducted by Finch and Dyer. The aim is to demonstrate how the graphic novel serves as a contemporary mode of biblical text reception, creating a dialogue between the Bible and the current culture in which its texts are read.

This paper explores the leadership traits exhibited by Ruth and Naomi in the biblical narrative of the Book of Ruth and examines how their story offers a model for female leadership in maledominated structures. Using contextualized African hermeneutics and contemporary leadership theories, the study draws parallels between Ruth's leadership journey and the challenges faced by modern women leaders. The research highlights resilience, strategic action, mentorship, and cultural navigation as key elements of leadership displayed by Ruth and Naomi, contributing valuable insights into gender and leadership scholarship. In Africa, the status of women in leadership remains fraught with systemic challenges, cultural constraints, and institutional biases. Women face structural inequalities that limit their access to leadership opportunities despite the increasing push for gender inclusivity (Bitiyong & Ibrahim, 2019:12). Studies have shown that patriarchal norms, limited mentorship opportunities, and societal expectations often hinder women's professional advancement, requiring them to employ resilience and strategic positioning to succeed (De Villiers, 2021:5). Furthermore, the underrepresentation of women in executive leadership roles is exacerbated by deeply rooted stereotypes associating leadership with masculinity (Adamo, 2015:31). Through exploring Ruth and Naomi's leadership from African perspectives, this study contributes practical strategies aimed at addressing these challenges, fostering greater inclusivity, and advancing gender equity in leadership spheres.

Nada más abrir la Biblia constatamos que Dios es un «charlatán». Pero no de los que dicen tonterías: a Dios le gusta hablarnos con Palabras que calientan el corazón y tocan lo más íntimo de nosotros mismos. Gracias a Dios, nunca mejor dicho, sus Palabras se han hecho libro y han llegado a nosotros de la mano de una nube de testigos que las han transmitido, explicándonos su sentido. También nosotros, al calor de su Palabra, podemos entregársela a otros. De esto –Revelación, Inspiración, Tradición...– hablan estas páginas, que nos invitan a ser transmisores de la buena verdad de esa palabra de Dios.

In her personal, sometimes nostalgic, essay Ruth, the American Jewish author Cynthia Ozick depicts the biblical matriarch Ruth as a «second Abraham», for being capable of speaking the language of visionaries and prophets, and, therefore, knowing by herself God’s existence and oneness. Unlike her sister-in-law, Orpah, Ruth voluntarily leaves her uncomfortable past behind to embrace a not yet realized future. Taking a cue from Maimonides’ prophetic anthropology and from Leo Baeck’s idea of Judaism, Ozick transforms the Moabite heroine into a modern alter ego. Ruth’s spiritual journey from idolatry to ethical monotheism becomes an intrinsic part of Ozick’s family story, foreshadowing her spiritual and progressive passage from a childish, mythological religiosity to an intellectual approach to God.

בשני קטעי גניזה השייכים לשני טפסים השתמרו שרידים מפירוש קדמון למגילת רות. לפי כל מאפייני הפירוש, הוא הפירוש האבוד של רב שמואל בר חפני גאון סורא למגילה, עליו העיד רבי יוסף ראש הסדר. אך האם יתכן שהוא מתייחס לאחד מקודמיו בביטוי "אחד הגאונים" (בעץ' אלגאונים), ביטוי שנכנס לשימוש מאתיים שנים אחריו? ואולי הוא משתמש בו מילולית, ולא כביטוי? במאמר מוהדרים שני הקטעים בליווי הערות ומבוא מקיפים.

The Book of Rut/Ruth in the Torah is based on Herodotus's account of the arrival of the girls from Hyperborea (Scandinavia)-Moab (which means island in Scythian) to Greece. Quite simply, the names of the great Nordic tribes have been given to these mythological and historical girls: According to Herodotus, offerings from the Hyperboreans came to Scythia packed with straw, and they were passed from tribe to tribe until they arrived at Dodona and from them to other Greek peoples until they to came to Apollo's temple on Delos. He said they used this method because the first time the gifts were brought by two maidens, Hyperoche and Laodice, with an escort of five men, but none of them returned. To prevent this, the Hyperboreans began to bring the gifts to their borders and ask their neighbours to deliver them to the next country and so on until they arrived to Delos. Herodotus also details that two other virgin maidens, Arge and Opis, had come from Hyperborea to Delos before, as a tribute to the goddess Ilithyia for ease of child-bearing, accompanied by the gods themselves. The maidens received honours in Delos, where the women collected gifts from them and sang hymns to them.

Employee performance management is about directing and supporting employees to \ work as effectively as possible in line with the needs of the organization. This requires paying attention to employee’s attitude that improves the relationship between employer and employees. Success in business requires higher levels of performance in three areas namely: the quality of goods and services, the cost at which the products are produced and the speed with which the producers innovate and get new products in to the market. This means that in the face of the increasing competition, organizations must at all times strive to improve the performance of its employees and hence the overall organizational performance. The objective of the study was to determine the employee performance management process in Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company Limited. A case study design was used. Data collection was done using an interview guide. The respondents were the Director of Human Resources, Commercia...

Most scholars read the book of Ruth as a polemic against opposition to ethnic inter-marriages in the time of Ezra-Nehemiah (Ezra 9–10; Neh 13). Recently, some scholars have returned to reading the book of Ruth primarily as a narrative link between the periods of the judges and the kings (esp. Linafelt, 1999; Block, 2015). Connections have been made between the book of Ruth and the beginning of the book immediately following it in the Greek canonical order, 1 Samuel. Similar words, phrases, motifs and themes have been noted between the Ruth narrative and the narrative of Hannah (1 Sam 1:1–2:10), including the mention of kingship in Hannah's Song (1 Sam 2:10). However, an intertextual reading of the Ruth narrative and the rest of Hannah's Song has not been undertaken. This intertextual reading aims to fill this lacuna. Since the Song anticipates themes and theology found in the rest of the books of Samuel, forging intertextual links between the book of Ruth and the Song of Hannah will thus not only reinforce links between Ruth and the beginning of 1 Samuel but also consolidate Ruth's place as an important link in the Primary History of the Old Testament (Genesis–2 Kings).

The present study seeks to examine the abolition of intermarriage according to Ezra 10 by asking the question as to what were the compelling reasons for such a social crisis, and to demonstrate its possible implications to ethnic identity in the postexilic Judean community. In order to accomplish this purpose, the researcher has chosen to use an integrated method which allows him to bring different exegetical approaches into dialogue, bearing in mind that the canonical narratives are an outcome of a long process of redaction of both oral and written traditions done by different editors from different socio-historical contexts. It is through this method that this research highlights the following outcomes: first, from a canonical point of view, the final editors understood the exilic experience as an objective outcome of the intermarriage phenomenon which led the Israelites into a complete loss of their group identity, namelybeing a Yahwistic community, and it was, therefore, the responsibility of the returnees to avoid, at any cost, letting history repeat itself. Second, the phenomenon of intermarriage in the Hebrew Bible has to be approached from a diachronic perspective. Unlike the patriarchal and deuteronomistic traditions in which intermarriage was about morality and apostasy respectively, in the context of the postexilic community this topic was all about puritya strong zeal for temple and worship, as particularly witnessed in the priestly tradition. Third, from the fact that these canonical narratives took shape in sociohistorical settings where, in addition to the religious factor, there were also other reasons such as political and socio-economic, which contributed significantly not only to the dismissal of those intermarriages, but also to the negotiation of a group identity of the Second Temple addressee. In other words, in response to those socio-historical circumstances, the returnees were compelled to divorce and dismiss their foreign wives and, at the same time, they were shaping their group identity, which came to be known as Judaism.

Esta obra ofrece al lector un sugerente y novedoso diálogo entre los textos bíblicos y algunas de sus representaciones visuales desde el siglo XIX hasta nuestros días. El análisis se realiza desde una perspectiva interdisciplinar que aúna filología e historia del arte.

El libro se articula en torno a tres ejes. El primero destaca la importancia de la mirada pausada que se detiene en lo aparentemente irrelevante, diferenciando además entre la percepción de quien contempla la imagen en la época del artista y la del espectador contemporáneo. El segundo explora la imagen como una forma de exégesis visual, capaz de enfatizar determinados aspectos del relato, silenciar otros o incluso modificarlos, permitiendo múltiples lecturas visuales. El tercero aborda el interés por lo marginal, por lo que no forma parte del discurso imperante, referido tanto a los artistas como a los personajes bíblicos representados. Es por ello que se dedica especial atención al libro de Rut, una novela breve que con frecuencia ha pasado desapercibida.
En suma, nos encontramos ante una obra esmerada y sutil, fruto de años de investigación. Desde una mirada propia y con un estilo accesible y fluido, la autora explora territorios poco transitados, dejando constancia de la vigencia de la Biblia como generadora permanente de cultura.

Di tengah zaman yang semakin modern ini, mungkin bagi sebagian orang sangat asing dengan istilah pernikahan levirat yang digunakan pada masa Perjanjian Lama. Istilah levirat memiliki akar kata yaitu levir berarti saudara ipar. Levirat adalah praktik yang tersebar luas di masyarakat tradisional. Mereka biasanya bersifat patrilokal dan patrilineal dimana pasangan suami istri tinggal

This paper introduces SceneAnalyzer, a specialized AI prompt designed to assist scholars and students in analyzing the narrative structure of Biblical Hebrew prose. Rooted in the linguistic foundations of clause sequencing and discourse analysis, SceneAnalyzer leverages large language model capabilities to identify and classify vayyiqtoldriven narrative scenes, mini-scenes, and syntactic phenomena such as pluperfects, parenthetical clauses, and subordination. The tool also interprets scene transitions, tracks grammatical agency, and provides transliterated proper names to enhance linguistic clarity. Developed with Reformed theological sensitivity and a high view of Scripture, SceneAnalyzer functions as a research and teaching aid that bridges traditional Hebrew grammar with computational precision. The prompt was developed using ChatGPT but has not yet been fully tested with other platforms. SceneAnalyzer offers structured outputs in table form and interpretive commentary to support both syntactic analysis and theological reflection.

הכתבה בוחנת את המהפכה התרבותית שחולל פרנק באום בייצוג הנשי בספרות הילדים בראשית המאה ה-20 באמצעות ספרו "הקוסם מארץ עוץ". המאמר מנתח כיצד באום יצר עולם פנטסטי המעניק לנשים כוח, עצמאות ומשמעות, בניגוד לתפיסות המגדריות המסורתיות של אותה תקופה. במרכז הדיון עומדת דורותי, דמות נשית פעילה ובעלת יוזמה, המציגה מנהיגות, אומץ וחוסן נפשי יוצאי דופן. המאמר מתייחס גם לדמויות המכשפות בספר, הטובות והרעות, המייצגות מורכבות נשית החורגת מהנורמות המקובלות. בנוסף, המאמר מרחיב על הספר "מרשעת" מאת גרגורי מגווייר, המהווה עיבוד פוסט-מודרני לסיפור המקורי ומספק נקודת מבט אלטרנטיבית על דמות המכשפה הרעה. לטענת המאמר, באום ומגווייר מציגים מודלים חדשניים של נשיות, המשלבים חמלה, עצמאות וכוח, ומאתגרים תפיסות מסורתיות של נשיות וחלוקת כוח מגדרית בספרות ובתרבות.

There exists an intricate web of connection between gender inequality, the interpretation of religious texts, socio-religious culture and male hegemony in South Africa that impedes the pursuit of gender justice and reconciliation. This chapter addresses the ways in which ecclesial enculturation and biblical interpretation intersect with male hegemony to disenfranchise women and curtail the advancement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Paying particular attention to SDG 5, which targets gender equality, the multifaceted nexus between gender justice and reconciliation, ecclesial enculturation, biblical interpretation and male hegemony are explored through the lenses of inculturation hermeneutics 2 and African Women's Theology. 3 I use the term "ecclesial enculturation" to encapsulate the ways in which local churches foster socio-cultural and socio-religious environments that perpetuate various forms of social inequality, predominantly against women. I argue that the perpetuation of said oppression against women is achieved through the entrenchment of male hegemony and patriarchal conceptions of women within ecclesial settings. I maintain that it is imperative that we recognise how these socio-ecclesial characteristics act as formidable barriers to achieving gender justice and gender reconciliation in South Africa and by extension, the attainment of the SDGs.

רבי מיוחס בן אליהו (להלן רמב"א) היה פרשן מקרא שחי בביזנטיון במחצית הראשונה של האלף הקודם. מעט מאד ידוע על תולדותיו, ומעטים המחקרים שנכתבו עליו ועל יצירתו הפרשנית. פירושו מאופיין בשילוב של פירושי פשט לצד התייחסות מרובה מאד למדרשי חז"ל. הוא לא הציג בצורה מסודרת את יחסו למדרשים ואת שיטתו המתודולוגית בנוגע ליחס בין פשט המקרא לבין מדרשי חז"ל. בחלקו הראשון של המאמר מוצע שהוא חילק את המדרשים לשלושה סוגים שונים: מדרשים שאין להם שום עוגן בפסוקים; מדרשים הנסמכים על לשונות מיוחדים במקרא; מדרשים הנובעים מפשט הכתובים ומהווים פרשנות למקרא. זאת על סמך בדיקת ההיגדים המתודולוגיים הנמצאים בפירוש, ובעזרת עיון שיטתי בהפניות למדרשי חז"ל הפזורות לאורך פירושו. בחלקו השני של המאמר מוצע שהתייחסותו הנרחבת למדרשי חז"ל היא תוצאה של פולמוס עם הפרשנות הקראית למקרא.

이 논문은 룻기의 주요 부분을 ‘나오미의 이야기’와 ‘룻의 이야기’로 나누고, 각 이야기가 성서의 다른 이야기들과 어떻게 유비적인 연관성을 갖고 있으며, 이러한 유비적 관계로부터 드러나는 저자의 의도에 대해 논의한다. 먼저 나오미의 이야기는 자손의 문제와 관련하여 사라와 한나의 이야기와 유비적인 연관성을 드러내면서도, 두 이야기와 대조되는 하나님의 부재는 나오미의 절망과 불확실함을 주되게 드러낸다. 그리고 룻의 이야기는 다말의 이야기와 유비적 관계를 갖고 있는데, 두 이야기 모두 죽은 남편의 이름을 세우고자 하는 여성들의 능동적인 의지에서 비롯된 변칙적인 시형제 혼인을 통해 자손을 얻는 과정을 극적으로 서술한다. 룻기에서 나오미의 이야기와 룻의 이야기를 연결하는 중요한 모티프는 나오미의 ‘텅 빔’이다. 나오미의 이야기에서 ‘텅 빔’은 상실의 비극과 하나님의 침묵 가운데 하나님에 대한 인간의 원망을 강조한다면, 룻기의 이야기에서는 룻의 인애에 대해 보아스가 동일한 마음으로 답하고, 보리를 통해 자신이 이 텅 빔을 채우고자 한다. 그러나 저자는 궁극적으로 이 텅 빔을 채우고 새로운 자손을 통해 희망을 회복하게 한 분은 바로 하나님임을 드러내려 한다.

This paper divides the major parts of the Book of Ruth into “Naomi’s Story” and “Ruth’s Story,” examining how each narrative holds analogical connections with other biblical stories and discussing the author’s intent revealed through these analogies. In Naomi’s story, the theme of offspring is analogously connected to the stories of Sarah and Hannah. However, contrasting with these stories, Naomi’s narrative emphasizes the absence of God, underscoring her despair and uncertainty. Ruth’s story, on the other hand, has an analogical relationship with the story of Tamar. Both stories dramatically portray women who actively pursue a levirate marriage to secure descendants, stemming from a strong will to keep the name of their deceased husbands. A central motif that connects Naomi’s and Ruth’s stories in the Book of Ruth is Naomi’s “emptiness.” In Naomi’s story, “emptiness” highlights the tragedy of loss and human lament towards God amidst divine silence. In Ruth’s story, however, Boaz reciprocates Ruth’s hesed with the same hesed, offering barley to fill this emptiness. Ultimately, it is revealed that God is the one who fills this emptiness and restores hope through the birth of a new descendant.

Department of Philosophy and Religions Faculty of Arts, University of Abuja, Abuja The thrust of the paper dwells on divine intervention in a family's economic recession. The paper poses a fundamental question: In the circumstance of despair, pain, bitterness and emptiness, where should our hope hang? Consequently, it attempts to provide an answer from the circumstances of an Old Testament family, namely, Elimelech's family. It is an exegetical reading of an Old Testament narrative in order to show that even in the darkest of times the work of the Lord goes on in the faithfulness of a godly remnant. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to draw moral lessons from the narrative (Ruth 1:1-6 & 2:4-17a) for application against the background of inimical tendencies of laziness, indolence and faithlessness in God. As an inductive study, exegetical method was adopted. The findings from scholars' works reveal that, we ought not to flee to a foreign land, when experiencing economic recession. To do so is to admit a lack of trust that the Lord will provide for us in our country, 'the land of promise, and this act can only be understood as a triumph of pragmatism over faith. In the context of economic recession, our initiative and enterprise are key factors, which put us in the right place to take advantage of provision. Hence, to sit in the premises and to stand on  promises!

CITATION: Khoaseb, M. & Thesnaar, C. 2020. 'n Pastorale benadering van hoop en deernis : 'n Afrikaiese perspektief op die uitdaging van die COVID-19-pandemie. LitNet Akademies, 17(3):574-592.The original publication is available at https://www.litnet.co.zaDie artikel ondersoek die omvang van en invloed van siekte op Afrika-mense (waarmee in hierdie artikel bedoel word mense na wie dikwels ook as Afrikane verwys word) en bespreek die rol en bydrae van ’n pastorale sorg van hoop en medelye tot ’n betekenisvolle Christelike lewensbestaan. Dit plaas besondere klem op die huidige COVID-19-pandemie wat die meeste dele van die wêreld affekteer, met dodelike gevolge. Die fokus van die artikel is op die omvang van die impak van die COVID-19-pandemie op Afrika-gemeenskappe. Die artikel poog om pastorale sorg te integreer met die konsepte van koinonia en ubuntu in die soeke na responsiewe genesingsalternatiewe vir Afrika-Christene. Koinonia bestaan uit elemente van gemeenskap, aanbiddi...

I plan to summarize the Sabbatical and Jubilee regulations that appear in Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy, followed by later reports concerning ancient Israel’s actual practice. From there I will move to economic circumstances in 1st Century Palestine under Roman rule and references to sabbatical and jubilee in Jesus’ teachings. Finally, I will share some recent thoughts on current issues.