Redemption
Redemption is a key theme in the book of Ruth. The words “redeem,” “redeemer,” and “redemption” appear 23 times.
Redemption is a key theme in the book of Ruth. The words “redeem,” “redeemer,” and “redemption” appear 23 times.
Slings (20:16) were weapons made of two long straps, usually either leather or cloth. These were attached to a wider pocket in the middle, where… Read More »Slings
Jebus (19:11) was the name of Jerusalem during this time because it was still under the control of the Jebusites. It would stay in the… Read More »Jebus
Laish was about 25 miles (40 km) north of the Sea of Galilee. The Danites would have traveled about a hundred miles (161 km) to… Read More »Laish
Blinding a prisoner and forcing him to grind grain at a mill (16:21) was a common form of punishment in the ancient Near East. This… Read More »Blinding a prisoner
City gates in Bible times were often very elaborate. Many of them were two stories high or even higher. The actual opening would be narrow,… Read More »City gates
Were the “foxes” actually jackals? The same Hebrew word can mean either “fox” or “jackal.” While foxes usually travel alone, jackals can often be seen… Read More »Were the “foxes” actually jackals?
Riddles were as popular in ancient Near Eastern cultures as they are around the world today. Samson’s riddle about the lion and the honey (14:5–18)… Read More »Riddles
Is it “Shibboleth” or “Sibboleth”? The Gileadites came up with a clever test to distinguish between their friends and their enemies (12:1–6). Knowing that the… Read More »Is it “Shibboleth” or “Sibboleth”?
Foolish vows. When Jephthah realized that his foolish vow could result in the death of his daughter (11:29–40), he could have broken the vow. For… Read More »Foolish vows
Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal make up the sides of the east-west pass into the Valley of Shechem. When Joshua conquered central Israel, he used… Read More »Mount Gerizim
Crescents. Midianite kings often decorated their camels with gold or silver pendants in the shape of a crescent moon (8:21). They may have believed the… Read More »Crescents