THREAD: Meditations on marriage metaphors in Ruth
The book of Ruth is, of course, a story about a beautiful marriage. But even before the courtship and the wedding and the important genealogy at the end, we find interesting language that is strikingly reminiscent of Genesis 2:24
That important verse reads:
'Therefore a man shall leave [╫Щ╓╖╓╜╫в╓▓╫Ц╓╕╫С] his father and his mother and hold fast [╫Х╓░╫У╓╕╫С╓╖╓г╫з] to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.'
The verb ╫в╫Ц╫С can be quite strong in force. For example, Joseph leaves behind [╫Х╓╖╫Щ╓╖╓╝╫в╓▓╫Ц╓╣╓д╫С] his garment as he flees from Pharaoh's wife's sexual advances. Countless times, Israel is depicted abandoning the LORD, for example in Judg 2:12 [╫Х╓╖╫Щ╓╖╓╝╫в╓╖╫Ц╓░╫С╓Ю╫Х╓╝], and going after other gods.
Likewise, the verb ╫У╫С╫з is rather striking. Lot is mortified of disaster overtaking him [╫к╓┤╓╝╫У╓░╫С╓╕╓╝╫з╓╖╓е╫а╓┤╫Щ] as he flees from Sodom. Israel is commanded in Deut 10:20 to cling fast [╫к╓┤╫У╓░╫С╓╕╓╝╓Ф╫з] to the LORD and serve him and swear by his name.
Together they illustrate how radical God designed marriage to be. Marriage is a real severing of family relations in order to form a new, permanent bond with another human being.
Something very similar to this takes places in Ruth's life.