Ladies Bible Study: Naomi's Choices ... Lesson 5

Naomi's Choices

Lesson 5: A Time to Glean

Ruth 2:1-17

By Patsy Norwood © 2026.  All rights reserved.  Any and all commercial use of this study is prohibited.  Permission is given for use in ladies Bible classes as long as there are no changes made in the study and no monetary gain involved.  This Bible study is written for women.

Last week we left Naomi and Ruth getting settled in Bethlehem, let's see what happens next ...

We are not told where Naomi and Ruth lived once they arrived back in Bethlehem, but we are told that they returned at the beginning of barley harvest in Ruth 1:22, which corresponds with our April/May calendar. 

It had been about 10 years since Naomi had seen her native land and one wonders if she was able to reclaim the home she had shared with Elimelech … but we are not told.

 Ruth 1:22  (NASB) …  So Naomi returned, and with her Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, who returned from the land of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.

The next thing we read in chapter 2, verse 1, is that Elimelech (Naomi’s late husband) has a wealthy relative whose name was Boaz living in Bethlehem and that he owned fields full of barley.  

Ruth 2:1  (NASB) …  Now Naomi had a kinsman of her husband, a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz.

This is significant as it was the nearest kinsman’s responsibility to look out for the deceased's family.  Was Boaz the nearest kinsman?

In the margin of your Bible near chapter 2, verse 1, write the following:  Responsibilities of the nearest kinsman:  Leviticus 25:25; Leviticus 25: 47-49; Numbers 35:19; Deuteronomy 25: 5 – 10; Ruth 4. 

Naomi is familiar with the responsibility aspect of the nearest kinsman and later we’re going to see how she takes that knowledge and devises a plan for her and Ruth’s future.

But for the time being, Naomi and Ruth had to eat so when Ruth asked permission from Naomi to go to the fields and glean grain along with the other gleaners, Naomi consented.   What Naomi didn’t know was that eventually the gleaners would come to Boaz’s field.  

To ‘glean’ is to gather grain or produce left in the fields from the harvesting.  That’s what Naomi gave Ruth permission to do.  

Ruth 2:2-3  (NASB)  And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain following one in whose eyes I may find favor.”  And she said to her, “Go , my daughter.”  So she left and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.

Can you see God providentially working on Naomi and Ruth's behalf!!!!   Whose field?  Who's the kinsman?  Is he the nearest kinsman?  If he's not, then what?  Are you beginning to put 'two and two' together?

Boaz happened along, greeted the gleaners and took notice of Ruth.  He inquired of his servant in charge of the gleaners as to who Ruth was.  The servant answered that she was the Moabite woman who returned with Naomi from Moab.

Ruth 2: 5 (NASB) Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” 

Since this study is about Naomi and not Ruth per say, I’m going to summarize the next few verses up through verse 17.

Boaz told Ruth not to go on with the other gleaners when they left his field but to stay with his maids who were also gleaning his field.  Boaz went even further and instructed his servants not to touch her, to leave extra grain for her and let her glean among the harvested grain.  Boaz was clearly giving Ruth special treatment.

Ruth inquired why Boaz was being so good to her and in essence, he told her it was because of the choices she had made and her commitment to Naomi. 

Naomi at the time is sitting at home and waiting … she doesn’t know what she’s waiting for … she’s just waiting.  One has to wonder if she’s reaching out to God in prayer or if she still feels like God has abandoned her.  She doesn’t yet realize that God is actively working on her and Ruth’s behalf.  She’s just waiting.

Do we ever find ourselves in a season of waiting?

Questions:

1.         What time of the year did Naomi and Ruth arrive back in Bethlehem?

2.         A wealthy relative is introduced, who is it?

3.         We read that Ruth asked Naomi’s permission to glean grain along with the other gleaners, what is gleaning and what are gleaners?

4.         Eventually the gleaners wind up in Naomi’s wealthy relative’s field, what is his reaction to Ruth?

5.         What reason does the wealthy relative give for his reaction? 

 Next week Naomi starts planning and plotting!

Until then!

patsy @ From This Heart of Mine

~ a place for women to gather and study God's Word ~ 

Ladies Bible Study: Naomi's Choices ... Lesson 4

Naomi's Choices

Lesson 4: Home at Last

Ruth 1:19-22

By Patsy Norwood © 2026.  All rights reserved.  Any and all commercial use of this study is prohibited.  Permission is given for use in ladies Bible classes as long as there are no changes made in the study and no monetary gain involved.  This Bible study is written for women.

Last week we left Naomi and Ruth embarking on a journey back to Bethlehem.  Let’s see what happens once they arrive …

Naomi and Ruth arrive back in Bethlehem and everyone was surprised and maybe a bit dismayed at what they saw.  Verse 19 tells us that, “…all the city was stirred because of them, and the women said, “Is this Naomi?”

Naomi was ready with her reply in verses 20 and 21 allowing her bitterness to surface.  “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.  I went out full, but the Lord has brought me back empty.  Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has witnessed against me and the Almighty has afflicted me?”

It’s clear that Naomi blames God for her current circumstances and that she is bitter about it.  It would appear that Naomi feels like God is against her and that He has abandoned her.  Little did she know that God had not abandoned her at all but was working behind the scenes to make something good come from the difficult circumstances in which she found herself.

God is like that isn’t He?  He can take a bad situation and make good come from it, if we let Him.  Romans 8:28 gives us that assurance …

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

But Naomi’s situation occurred before the New Testament was written, so she didn’t have the complete written word as we do today.  Have you ever thought about how blessed we are today?  We have God’s completed and written Word, we don’t have to depend on word of mouth or bits and parts of God’s revelation for us.

Naomi lived under the law of Moses and was the recipient of the historical evidence of what God had done for His people, of how He had taken care of them.  Should she have known better than to get all up in her feelings?  Didn’t her heritage show God’s provision and care?

Conquering our feelings is one of the hardest things we’ll ever do, isn’t it?  It was that way for Naomi, and it continues to be that way for mankind today.  The devil wants us all up in our feelings making impulsive reactionary decisions … and when things don’t go as we want, do we blame God … like Naomi did?

However, we today can see what Naomi couldn’t see then … God was working behind the scenes!

Does God work behind the scenes in our lives today?  Here’s something I wrote several years ago along with a bit of background for context …

Several years ago, I spoke at a lady’s day event on the topic of hope and used the following poem I had written.  First, the background ...

During the presentation, I talked about three benefits of having hope:

1.  Eternal life  (Titus 1:1-3)

2.  God taking our mistakes and making good come from them  (Romans 8:28)

3.  God working behind the scenes in our lives (Romans 8:28)

I asked the ladies to think about one thing that they longed for other than their home in heaven and I shared that the one thing that I longed for, other than my home in heaven, was that my loved ones who have drifted away from God, would return to Him.

I then shared how I had been particularly burdened with thinking about this one night on the way home from a Bible class my husband and I were taking and how I had silently cried out to God in prayer yet again as I rode home that night.  I went on to tell the ladies that I suddenly felt the urge to start writing so I picked up my cell phone and started typing. 

Here's what I wrote that night …

on the way home …

in our automobile …

in the dark …

using my cell phone ...

 

I’m Working Behind the Scenes

By Patsy Norwood, All Rights Reserved

I know your heart is aching,

I hear your agonizing prayers.

These words are for you My child,

I’m working behind the scenes.

 

I know you love your loved ones,

Please know that I do too.

Just listen to My word’s dear child,

I’m working behind the scenes.

 

Your loved ones have gone astray,

How hard that is to bear.

Just remember these words dear child,

I’m working behind the scenes.

 

I know that you grow weary,

I see your tears when they fall.

Remind yourself of this dear child,

I’m working behind the scenes.

 

The things that you’ve asked for,

Are indeed according to My will.

Be patient while I work it out,

I’m working behind the scenes.

 

Keep on keeping on dear one,

For nothing is impossible with Me.

Just hold on to these words My child,

I’m working behind the scenes.

 

 Questions:

1.       What was everyone’s reaction to Naomi when she and Ruth arrived back in Bethlehem?

2.      What was Naomi’s response to everyone’s reaction?

3.      Who does Naomi blame for her situation?

4.      Who and what really had put Naomi in the situation she was in?

5.      Had God abandoned Naomi?

6.      Does God abandon His faithful children today?

7.       Go back to lesson one and look again at the verses we talked about that assure us that  God never forsakes His children.  Write out your favorite and post it somewhere you will be able to see it every day.

 

Next week, we start to see how God works behind the scenes on behalf of Naomi and Ruth.

Until then!

patsy @ From This Heart of Mine

~ a place for women to gather and study God's Word ~ 

Ladies Bible Study: Naomi's Choices ... Lesson 3

Naomi's Choices

Lesson 3 … Two Choices

Ruth 1: 6-18

By Patsy Norwood © 2026.  All rights reserved.  Any and all commercial use of this study is prohibited.  Permission is given for use in ladies Bible classes as long as there are no changes made in the study and no monetary gain involved.  This Bible study is written for women.

Last week we left Naomi grieving over her sons’ death and the all-important question of what to do now?

Naomi now has more choices to make … let’s pick up there …

Naomi’s first choice was whether to stay in Moab or go back to Bethlehem. 

It was the drive for physical nourishment that drove Elimelech and family from Bethlehem, will it be that same drive that sends Naomi back to Bethlehem? 

Nowhere are we told that spiritual considerations were taken into account in either decision making process, Elimelech or Naomi’s.  Naomi, upon hearing that the famine was over in Bethlehem, decided to return home.    It seems Elimelech and Naomi’s decisions were both based on their physical needs and not on what would be best for them spiritually.  Even though returning to Bethlehem was the best spiritual based choice for Naomi, it was not her reason for going home.  According to verse 6, Naomi’s reason for returning to Bethlehem was physical nourishment.

Ruth 1:6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return from the land of Moab, for she had heard in the land of Moab that the Lord had visited His people in giving them food.

 Naomi’s second choice was what to do about her daughter’s-in-law?

When Naomi had the conversation with her daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah, she admonished both of them to go back to their families and start a new life.  Her reasoning was that she had nothing left for them and that she was going home.  After some urging Orpah relented and returned to her family, Ruth however refused to leave Naomi and was determined to return to Bethlehem with her.

Ruth 1:7-18  So she departed from the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. 8 And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May the Lord deal kindly with you as you have dealt with the dead and with me. 9 May the Lord grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband.” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. 10 And they said to her, “No, but we will surely return with you to your people.” 11 But Naomi said, “Return, my daughters. Why should you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? 12 Return, my daughters! Go, for I am too old to have a husband. If I said I have hope, if I should even have a husband tonight and also bear sons, 13 would you therefore wait until they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters; for it is harder for me than for you, for the hand of the Lord has gone forth against me.”  14 And they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.  15 Then she said, “Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” 16 But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. 17 Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the Lord do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you and me.” 18 When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her.

 Naomi is going home but she is going as a changed woman; she is going back without her husband and sons, with a whole lot of bitterness towards God and with a daughter-in-law who refuses to leave her side. 

    Questions:

            In this lesson we learn that Naomi had two choices, what was the first one?            

            What did Naomi choose and what was the reason for making the choice she made?

                   What was Naomi’s second choice?

                  Was Naomi’s decision to leave her daughters-in-law behind spiritually wise for them?

                  How did Naomi want her second choice to play out?  Did it go the way she wanted?

                 Verse 13 gives us a glimpse into Naomi’s heart, what does it tell us?

                 Verses 16 & 17 contain a beautiful promise and pledge that Ruth made to Naomi, what was it?

                 What was Naomi’s reaction to Ruth’s pledge?

                 Contrast the Naomi that left Bethlehem with the Naomi that is heading back to Bethlehem.  What is the difference? 

Let’s talk a bit about our decision-making process:

            Do we base our decisions on our feelings?  Is that good or bad?

Are we honest with ourselves about the reason for the decisions we want to make, or do we dress it up and hide it amongst other reasons?  God knows the real reason; would the real reason be pleasing to Him?

Do we asked God for wisdom, guidance and discernment before making big decisions, or any decision we’re not sure about?

Do we need reassurance that God is willing, waiting and ready to help us in our decision-making process?  Look at James 1:5 …

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

There you go, go ahead and ask God, you have His permission!

This concludes lesson 3 of our study on Naomi.  I hope you’ll choose at least one of the questions above and answer it in the comments below. 

In lesson 4 Naomi is home at last!

Until the next time!

patsy @ From This Heart of Mine

~ a place for women to gather and study God's Word ~