Ruth: Bridges and Boundaries

350 Pages·2015·1.957 MB·English

by  Jonathan Grossman

Ruth: Bridges and Boundaries is a literary close reading of the text as a ns
ae
bridge between the anarchic period of the Judges and the monarchic mri
ssda
age that begins with the birth of David, as reflected through Ruth’s ab- on
ru
sorption process within Bethlehemite society. This bridge is constructed Go
n B
from three main axes: the theological perception that human actions had
tn
have the power to shape and advance reality; the moral-legal perception aa
that the spirit of the law must be privileged over the letter of the law Jonges
d
and social conventions; and the principle that the institute of monarchy i
r
B
must be based upon human compassion. The commentary traces the h:
narrative sequence through the paradigm of this three-fold cord, show- ut
R
ing how these threads are woven throughout the book. This innovative
reading is illustrated with an unprecedented psychological analysis of
Ruth as a narrative of transition, using modern psychological theories.
This contemporary yet textually faithful literary commentary offers new
Jonathan Grossman
insight into the inner workings of the text of Ruth as literary master-
piece. Academic yet accessible, this work provides tools for readers of
Ruth and the field of biblical narrative in general.
Ruth: Bridges and Boundaries
Dr. Jonathan Grossman is a faculty member of the Department of Bible D A S A L T E T E S T A M E N T I M D I A L O G
at Bar Ilan University. His main field of interest is the Bible as literature. His a n o u t l i n e o f a n o l d t e s t a m e n t d i a l o g u e
book Esther: The Outer Narrative and the Hidden Reading was published in 2011. Vol. 9
g
n
ISBN 978-3-0343-1674-3 a
L
r
e
et Peter Lang
P
www.peterlang.com
Ruth: Bridges and Boundaries is a literary close reading of the text as a ns
ae
bridge between the anarchic period of the Judges and the monarchic mri
ssda
age that begins with the birth of David, as reflected through Ruth’s ab- on
ru
sorption process within Bethlehemite society. This bridge is constructed Go
n B
from three main axes: the theological perception that human actions had
tn
have the power to shape and advance reality; the moral-legal perception aa
that the spirit of the law must be privileged over the letter of the law Jonges
d
and social conventions; and the principle that the institute of monarchy i
r
B
must be based upon human compassion. The commentary traces the h:
narrative sequence through the paradigm of this three-fold cord, show- ut
R
ing how these threads are woven throughout the book. This innovative
reading is illustrated with an unprecedented psychological analysis of
Ruth as a narrative of transition, using modern psychological theories.
This contemporary yet textually faithful literary commentary offers new
Jonathan Grossman
insight into the inner workings of the text of Ruth as literary master-
piece. Academic yet accessible, this work provides tools for readers of
Ruth and the field of biblical narrative in general.
Ruth: Bridges and Boundaries
Dr. Jonathan Grossman is a faculty member of the Department of Bible D A S A L T E T E S T A M E N T I M D I A L O G
at Bar Ilan University. His main field of interest is the Bible as literature. His a n o u t l i n e o f a n o l d t e s t a m e n t d i a l o g u e
book Esther: The Outer Narrative and the Hidden Reading was published in 2011. Vol. 9
g
n
a
L
r
e
et Peter Lang
P
Ruth: Bridges and Boundaries
D A S A L T E T E S TA M E N T I M D I A L O G
a n o u t l i n e o f a n o l d t e s t a m e n t d i a l o g u e
Band / Vol. 9
Herausgegeben von / edited by
Michael Fieger & Sigrid Hodel-Hoenes
PETER LANG
Bern • Berlin • Bruxelles • Frankfurt am Main • New York • Oxford • Wien
Jonathan Grossman
Ruth: Bridges
and Boundaries
PETER LANG
Bern • Berlin • Bruxelles • Frankfurt am Main • New York • Oxford • Wien
Bibliographic information published by die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche
Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographic data is available on the Internet
at ‹http://dnb.d-nb.de›.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data: A catalogue record for this book
is available from The British Library, Great Britain
Library of Congress Control Number: 2015940486
I would like to thank the Mofet Institute and the Ihel Foundation of Bar Ilan University
for making the research of this study possible.
Umschlaggestaltung: Thomas Jaberg, Peter Lang AG
ISSN 1662-1689 pb. ISSN 2235-5707 eBook
ISBN 978-3-0343-1674-3 pb. ISBN 978-3-0351-0850-7 eBook
This publication has been peer reviewed.
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Contents
Introduction .................................................................................................9
The Book of Ruth’s Dating and Objectives .......................................9
The Structure of the Book of Ruth ..................................................22
Artistic Structure ...................................................................................26
Theology in the Book of Ruth ...........................................................31
Attitude Towards the Law ...................................................................38
The Narrative’s Employment of Legal Discourse ...........................40
Intertextuality Reflecting Violation of the Law ..............................47
The Story of Judah and Tamar ...........................................................48
Time and Space in the Book of Ruth ................................................53
Time ........................................................................................................55
Space .......................................................................................................58
Introduction to Chapter 1 ...................................................................65
Exposition (1:1–6) ....................................................................................71
The Long Way Home: Naomi and Her
Daughters-in-Law (1:7–18) .............................................................87
Naomi’s Second Soliloquy (11–14) ....................................................95
Naomi’s Third Soliloquy (15) ............................................................102
“Wherever You Go, I Will Go” (16–17) .........................................104
Silent Acquiescence (18) ....................................................................110
Naomi (and Ruth’s) Return to Bethlehem (1:19–22) .........................113
Introduction to Chapter II ................................................................126
Ruth and Boaz’s Encounter in the Field (2:1–23) ..............................131
The Solitary Gleaner (2–3) ................................................................135
Boaz and His Boy in the Field (4–7) ................................................142
Boaz Addresses Ruth (8–9) ...............................................................156
Ruth’s Response (10) ..........................................................................161
Boaz’s Response (11–12) ...................................................................163
Ruth’s Reaction (13) ............................................................................167
Lunchtime Conversation (14–16) .....................................................169
The Remains of the Day (17) ...........................................................172
Ruth’s Return to Naomi (18–22) ......................................................174
The Structure of Ruth 2 ....................................................................186
Introduction to Chapter III ...............................................................193
Ruth and Boaz’s Encounter at the Threshing-Floor (3:1–18) ..........199
Naomi’s Suggestive Suggestion (1–5) ..............................................202
Ruth and Boaz at the Threshing-Floor (6–13) ...............................212
Boaz’s Reaction (10–13) .....................................................................227
Daybreak (14–15) ................................................................................235
Uncovering and Covering ..................................................................236
Ruth’s Return to Naomi (16–18) ......................................................240
Naomi’s Reaction ................................................................................247
The Structure of Ruth 3 ....................................................................250
Introduction to Chapter IV ...............................................................253
Before the Law (4:1–12) .........................................................................261
Gathering at the Gate (1–2) ..............................................................261
The First Dialogue – the Redeemer Consents to
Redeem the Field (3–4) .................................................................267
The Second Dialogue – From Redemption to
Acquisition (5–8) ...........................................................................278
“The Wife of the Deceased” – From Two Widows
to One Couple ...............................................................................283
From the Redeemer to Boaz ............................................................285
Boaz’s Declaration (9–10) ..................................................................293
The People’s Blessing: Security and Estate (11–12) ......................297
Two Mothers in Bethlehem (4:13–17) .................................................305
Marriage and Birth (13) ......................................................................305
The Choiring of the Town:
Let Your Name be Called (14–15) ..............................................309
The Feminine Signature (14–17) ......................................................313
“The Father of Jesse the Father of David” (17)............................323
6
Appendix – The Lineage of Peretz (4:18–22) ....................................327
Afterword .................................................................................................333
Reading the Story in Light of Winnicott .......................................335
Bridges ..................................................................................................340
7