The Story of Ruth
Asimov's "The Story of Ruth" argues the biblical Book of Ruth likely counters Ezra's strict rules against foreign wives, showcasing Ruth the Moabite's character and lineage to King David.
Isaac Asimov, known for his expansive explorations of diverse subjects, including the Bible, approaches the story of Ruth with his characteristic clarity and insightful contextualization, as revealed in excerpts from his book, "The Story of Ruth." Rather than merely retelling an ancient narrative, Asimov frames the Book of Ruth as a deliberate piece of writing, crafted by an anonymous author he calls "the Writer," with a specific purpose tied to events unfolding centuries after the story is set.
The book is structured in two parts: Part I delves into the historical background that likely motivated the writing of the Book of Ruth, and Part II presents the story itself. Asimov's method, apparent in the excerpts, is to first immerse the reader in the world leading up to the Book of Ruth's creation, explaining complex historical shifts and religious debates in a simple, logical manner.
Part I, titled "How Ruth Came to Be Written," sets the stage by tracing the history of the kingdoms of Judah and Israel, descendants of the united monarchy under King David. Judah, with its capital Jerusalem, faced periods of weakness and independence struggles against powerful empires like Assyria and Chaldea. The most significant event discussed is the destruction of Jerusalem and Solomon's Temple by the Chaldeans under Nebuchadrezzar in 586 B.C., leading to the exile of many leading Judeans to Babylonia. During this exile, away from their land and Temple, the Jews focused on collecting and preserving their traditions and laws, which eventually formed the first five books of the Bible, the Torah, and other historical and prophetic writings. They yearned for a return to Jerusalem and never forgot their homeland.
This return became possible decades later when the Persian empire, led by Cyrus, conquered Babylon. Cyrus adopted a lenient policy, permitting the exiled Jews to return to Judah and rebuild the Temple, which was finally rededicated in 516 B.C.. However, the return was challenging. Judah was not empty; it was inhabited by descendants of those who hadn't been exiled, some of whom had developed different religious practices (later called Samaritans) and others who were non-Jews with their own gods. The returning Jews faced hostility and difficulty maintaining their religious distinctiveness.
A significant challenge arose concerning intermarriage. Many returning Jewish men married local women who were not Jewish, leading to concerns that religious traditions would weaken and children would not be raised according to Jewish ways. This problem became a major focus for Ezra, a priest and scribe who arrived from Babylonia perhaps around 450 B.C.. Ezra was a specialist in Jewish Law and was horrified by the religious laxness he found in Jerusalem, particularly the widespread intermarriage. He organized a religious revival, reading the Law to the people. Ezra insisted that the Law taught Jews should avoid marrying non-Jews to keep their religion pure. He likely cited biblical examples such as Abraham's instruction to his servant not to take a Canaanite wife for Isaac, Isaac's and Rebecca's distress over Esau marrying Hittite women, and the disastrous consequences when Israelite men had intercourse with Moabite women in the wilderness. Ezra pointed to the Law in Deuteronomy which seemed to exclude Ammonites and Moabites from becoming members of the assembly of the Lord for ten generations, even forever. Confronting the people, Ezra demanded that they confess their offense of marrying foreign wives and separate themselves from them. This strict policy resulted in the breaking up of many marriages.
It is against this backdrop of Ezra's severe stance on foreign wives, particularly Moabite women, that Asimov presents the Book of Ruth. Asimov suggests that "the Writer" of the Book of Ruth likely disapproved of Ezra's policy and wrote the story to counter it, arguing that intermarriage, even with a Moabite, was not inherently wrong and that individuals should be judged by their character.
The Book of Ruth, comprising Part II of Asimov's work, is presented as a story intended to illustrate this point. It tells of a family from Bethlehem in Judah who, due to famine, went to live in Moab. The historical context provided by Asimov regarding the famine, the location of Moab, and the significance of Bethlehem as the birthplace of David are crucial for understanding the setup. The family included Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and their sons Mahlon and Chilion. The narrative includes key elements of ancient Israelite life and law that Asimov meticulously explains in Part I and woven into his retelling in Part II, such as the vulnerability of widows without male protectors, the humane law allowing the poor and aliens to glean in the fields, and the custom of levirate marriage (where a relative was obligated to marry a childless widow to perpetuate the deceased husband's name). These legal and social customs are not just mentioned, but their significance and potential conflicts are detailed by Asimov, preparing the reader for how they might play out in the story.
Without revealing the specific progression of the plot, Asimov implies how the story builds upon this foundation. The central characters, Naomi, her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, and Boaz, a kinsman of Naomi's husband, interact within this complex social and legal framework. The story, in Asimov's view, highlights Ruth's loyalty, character, and eventual place within the community despite her foreign origin.
The story is significant because, as Asimov points out, it establishes the ancestry of King David. The genealogy presented at the end of the Book of Ruth explicitly links David to Boaz and, through Boaz's actions in the story, to a Moabite woman. This ancestral link directly challenges Ezra's strict anti-intermarriage policy, particularly concerning Moabites. The book serves as a powerful argument, suggesting that if Ezra's policy had been universally applied centuries earlier, the line of David, Judah's greatest king, might never have existed.
As a review of Asimov's approach, his book offers a compelling narrative about the origin and purpose of the Book of Ruth. He uses his deep knowledge of biblical texts and history to provide a layered understanding of the story, moving beyond a simple summary of events to explore the socio-political and religious context in which it was likely written and the debate it was intended to address. His writing style, characterized by simple language and clear explanations of potentially confusing ancient customs and laws, makes the historical and cultural background accessible. He effectively uses biblical quotations, distinguishing them clearly from his own commentary, to support his points. By focusing on the "Why" and "How" the Book of Ruth might have been written, Asimov transforms the reading experience, prompting the reader to consider the ancient text not just as a historical account but as a message, possibly even a form of subtle protest, against the prevailing attitudes of its time, a message about judging individuals by their character rather than their origin. He concludes by emphasizing the timeless relevance of this message of tolerance and looking beyond prejudice.
