Ruth 1:22 · Bible study
Ruth 1:22 Commentary: Return to Bethlehem at Harvest
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Naomi and Ruth arrive in Bethlehem at barley harvest, contrasting Naomi's feeling of emptiness with God's provision.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The verse records the arrival of Naomi and Ruth in Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest, subtly contrasting Naomi's feeling of emptiness with God's unfolding provision.
- Key words: 'returned' (shuv, H7725), a word that carries physical and spiritual turning; 'Moabitess', emphasizing Ruth's foreign origin; 'barley harvest', the first grain harvest, a time of provision and new beginnings.
- Main debate: The grammar of 'who returned' (haššābhāh), whether it is a 3rd person perfect with article or a participle, but the meaning is clear: Ruth is the one who returned with Naomi from Moab.
- Theological theme: Providence and reversal: God's provision operates even while a character feels empty, and the inclusion of a foreigner points to the breadth of God's plan.
- Best use: A hinge verse for sermons or studies on God's hidden hand in difficult transitions, or as a setup for the story of Ruth and Boaz.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
So Naomi returned from the land of Moab with her daughter-in-law Ruth the Moabitess. And they arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.
WEB World English Bible 2000
So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned out of the country of Moab. They came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.
KJV King James Version 1769
So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Beth–lehem in the beginning of barley harvest.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Beth-lehem in the beginning of barley harvest.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And Naomi turneth back, and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her, who hath turned back from the fields of Moab, and they have come in to Beth-Lehem at the commencement of barley-harvest.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned out of the fields of Moab; and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of the barley-harvest.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
So Noemi came with Ruth, the Moabitess, her daughter in law, from the land of her sojournment: and returned into Bethlehem, in the beginning of the barley harvest.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Así volvió Noemi y Ruth Moabita su nuera con ella; volvió de los campos de Moab, y llegaron á Beth-lehem en el principio de la siega de las cebadas.
Assim voltou Noemi e Rute moabita sua nora com ela; voltou dos campos de Moabe, e chegaram a Belém no princípio da colheita das cevadas.
Ainsi revinrent du pays de Moab Naomi et sa belle-fille, Ruth la Moabite. Elles arrivèrent à Bethléhem au commencement de la moisson des orges.
Es war aber um die Zeit, daß die Gerstenernte anging, da Naemi mit ihrer Schwiegertochter Ruth, der Moabitin, wiederkam vom Moabiterlande gen Bethlehem.
Alzo kwam Naomi weder, en Ruth, de Moabietische, haar schoondochter, met haar, die uit de velden Moabs wederkwam; en zij kwamen te Bethlehem in het begin van de gersteoogst.
Così Naomi se ne tornò con Ruth, la Moabita, sua nuora, venuta dalle campagne di Moab. Esse giunsero a Bethlehem quando si cominciava a mietere l’orzo.
A tak wróciła się Noemi i Rut Moabitka, synowa jej, z nią; wróciła się z krainy Moabskiej, i przyszły do Betlehem na początku żniwa jęczmiennego .
И возвратилась Ноеминь, и с нею сноха ее Руфь Моавитянка, пришедшая с полей Моавитских, и пришли они в Вифлеем в начале жатвы ячменя.
拿俄米 和她 兒婦 摩押女子 路得，從摩押 地 回來 到 伯利恆，正是動手 割 大麥的時候。
So Naomi came back out of the country of Moab, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her; and they came to Beth-lehem in the first days of the grain-cutting.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Ruth 1:22
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators read this verse as the hinge that closes Naomi's return and opens the stage for Ruth's story. Matthew Henry notes they 'came very seasonably', God's provision meeting them before they even arrived. Gill sees it as providential, leading to the Messiah's line through this Moabite woman. Keil and Delitzsch observe that the statement brings the return to a close and 'opens the way for the further course of the history.' The mention of barley harvest, Clarke explains, is 'the more distinctly marked because of Ruth's gleaning' in the next chapter. There is broad agreement that the timing is not accidental: it frames Naomi's bitter declaration of emptiness within the reality of a season of provision, subtly pointing to God's unseen hand even as she grieves.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The verse factually narrates the arrival of two women at the start of barley harvest, marking a narrative transition from emptiness to possibility.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Phrase 'which returned out of the country of Moab' | Most commentators see it as emphasizing Ruth's commitment and her role as the one who came back with Naomi. | Cambridge Bible suggests it may be 'a superfluous expression' or an insertion from Ruth 2:6, while Gill and others insist it is deliberate to draw attention to her Gentile origin and her role in the Messiah's line. |
| Naomi's claim of emptiness vs. the harvest timing | Scholars agree the narrator intentionally juxtaposes Naomi's lament (v.21) with the harvest detail to show God's provision already underway. | Some read it as the narrator gently correcting Naomi's perspective, while others see it as simply a narrative transition, with Naomi's grief still authentic. |
| Significance of 'barley harvest' | All note it sets up Ruth's gleaning in chapter 2 and marks a season of provision. | No significant disagreement; however, some highlight the connection to the wave sheaf offering (Lev. 23) and others focus more on the practical agricultural context. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Barley harvest in ancient Israel began in early spring, around mid-April, immediately after Passover. This was the first grain harvest of the year, marked by a wave offering of a sheaf of barley before the Lord (Leviticus 23:10, 14). The phrase 'beginning of barley harvest' signals a period of abundance and new growth, a stark contrast to the famine that had driven Elimelek's family to Moab years earlier. Bethlehem, meaning 'house of bread,' now lives up to its name as the fields turn gold with ripe barley.
For Naomi, returning at this time means entering a season of potential provision. The law commanded landowners to leave the edges of their fields for the poor and the foreigner to glean (Leviticus 19:9, 10; 23:22). Ruth, as a Moabite widow, would be eligible to gather grain, setting the stage for her encounter with Boaz. The repeated identification of Ruth as 'the Moabitess' underscores her foreignness, and the remarkable reach of God's grace. Her inclusion in the village's life, and eventually in David's lineage, begins with this arrival at harvest time.
The verse also uses the verb 'returned' (shuv, H7725) for both Naomi and Ruth. For Naomi, it is a physical return; for Ruth, it also implies a turning, a commitment to Naomi's people and God. The writer draws attention to this by the unusual construction 'who returned' (hashshavah), which grammatically functions as a relative clause emphasizing Ruth's action. Lange's commentary notes that this expression 'became customary to speak of Naomi and Ruth as “the returned from Moab,”' giving them a new identity shaped by their journey and their faith.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Ruth 1:22. The plural 'they came' (בָּאוּ) is masculine, used for Naomi and Ruth, which is grammatically allowed as the masculine can serve for mixed genders (Keil & Delitzsch). Lange's commentary discusses the form of 'hashshavah' (who returned) as either a third person perfect with article or a participle, but this affects translation nuance rather than substance.
Reception History
The Jewish tradition of reading the book of Ruth on Shavuot (the Feast of Weeks) sets this verse as the beginning of the harvest narrative that culminates in the lineage of David. The barley harvest is both a literal and a spiritual marker. In Christian interpretation, this arrival has been seen as a type of the Gentile inclusion into God's people, with Ruth representing the outsider who finds welcome at the time of spiritual harvest. The verse has also provided comfort to those returning from seasons of loss, as it shows that provision can arrive before the pain has fully spoken its last word.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God's timing often looks like ordinary circumstances. The barley harvest is simply the time of year, but the narrator makes it central because God's provision operates through the everyday.
- Emptiness is not the final word. Naomi said she came back 'empty' (Ruth 1:21), yet she arrives at the start of harvest. The text does not argue with her grief, it simply shows the counter-evidence.
- Providence works before we ask. The harvest was already ripening before Naomi and Ruth set foot in Bethlehem. God's provision does not wait for our awareness or our faith.
Five-point outline
- The return: a physical journey mirrors a spiritual turning. Both women leave Moab behind.
- The company: Ruth's loyalty means Naomi does not return alone, God provides community.
- The destination: Bethlehem, 'house of bread,' named appropriately at this season.
- The season: barley harvest, the firstfruits, a sign of new beginnings and God's faithfulness to the land.
- The hope: the writer places this verse right after Naomi's lament to show that hope and grief coexist.
Illustration hooks
- A family that lost everything in a house fire discovers that church members have already stocked a rental home with food and clothes before they arrive.
- A student who failed an exam learns the professor offers a retake the very next week, a second chance they did not plan on.
- A widow struggling with loneliness is invited to a neighbor's traditional Sunday lunch, where she finds company and conversation.
Questions your congregation is asking
- 'If God is good, why does He let us feel empty for so long?'
- 'How do I recognize God's provision when I'm still grieving?'
- 'Does my past or my background keep me from being part of God's plan?'
Leading a Discussion
This verse is the turning point in the first chapter of Ruth. Naomi has just poured out her bitterness, calling herself 'Mara' (bitter) and claiming she returned empty. Then the writer adds this detail: they arrived at Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest. The juxtaposition is not accidental. Use this discussion to notice how the story itself challenges the finality of Naomi's perspective.
Discussion questions
- Read Ruth 1:19, 22 aloud. What do you notice about the way the narrator describes Naomi's return compared to how Naomi herself describes it in verses 20, 21?
- The word 'returned' appears several times. Who is returning, and what does that word imply for each woman?
- Ruth is called 'the Moabitess' three times in these verses. Why do you think the writer emphasizes her nationality? What tension does that create in the story?
- Barley harvest is mentioned twice (here and in Ruth 2:23). What would that season mean to an ancient Israelite living through a famine?
- Naomi says she is empty (v. 21). Yet she returns with Ruth and arrives at harvest time. Is the narrator hinting that Naomi is wrong, or something more nuanced?
- How does the timing of this arrival affect your reading of the rest of the book? What expectations does it set?
- Think of a time when you saw provision appear at the end of a hard season. How did that change the way you told your own story?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 9:31 | The flax and the barley were struck, for the barley had ripened and the flax was blooming. |
| Exodus 9:32 | But the wheat and the spelt were not struck, for they had not grown up. |
| Ruth 2:23 | So she stayed close to the maidens of Boaz, to glean to the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and she lived with her mother-in-law. |
| II Samuel 21:9 | He delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites; and they hanged them on the mountain before Yahweh, and all seven of them fell together. They were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, at the beginning of barley harvest. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke underscores the historical precision of the timeline: the barley harvest began right after Passover in early spring, a detail that directly sets the stage for Ruth's gleaning. He also notes that the story's natural, artless quality is strong evidence of its genuineness.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Cambridge Bible reads the phrase "which returned out of the country of Moab" as an awkward repetition after Naomi is already named as returning, likely added from Ruth 2:6 or used as a fixed description of Ruth. The note also clarifies that barley harvest began in April, the first grain crop cut.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes emphasize the providential timing of Naomi and Ruth's arrival at the start of the barley harvest. This detail signals that their return from emptiness in Moab coincides with a season of provision, pointing to God's care and a fresh beginning in Bethlehem.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes the precise timing of Naomi and Ruth’s arrival at the barley harvest’s start, linking it to the second day of Passover when the wave sheaf was offered. He also notes the repeated mention of Ruth as a Moabitess, drawing attention to her Gentile origin in the Messiah’s lineage.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that the phrase "in the beginning of barley harvest" gives a precise seasonal marker, placing the event at the end of March in our modern calendar. This observation helps the reader connect the biblical timeline to a familiar time of year.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch stress that the townspeople's amazement was not that Naomi had survived and returned, but that she came back in such a sorrowful state as a solitary widow with no husband or sons. For them, "full" meant rich in family, not in money, making her loss far more bitter.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange highlights that Naomi uses the name Shaddai, the God of fruitfulness and children, precisely because she has been stripped of family and is now barren. His distinctive point is that her bitter lament is also a confession: she says “I went out full,” taking the blame herself rather than accusing her husband, and sees God testifying that her departure was sinful.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes the providential timing of Naomi's return at barley harvest, when God's restored provision could be seen. He also observes that the townspeople were stirred not only by curiosity but by concern that she might become a burden to them, and that her former high standing made her fall more noticeable.