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 ~