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The Book of Ruth contains one of the Bible’s best-known and most-loved stories. This major commentary by Robert L. Hubbard shows how the author of Ruth used, with great literary artistry, the story of Ruth and Naomi to convey important theological themes. In his introduction, Hubbard discusses the issues of text, canonicity, literary criticism, authorship and date, purpose, setting, genre, legal...

though in this case the author was silent about its cause.9 The mention of famine, however, served a twofold thematic purpose. First, it recalled the biblical pattern that famines, despite tragic appearances, often advance God’s plan for his people.10 What great destiny might this story portend? Second, it hinted at some thematic link between this story and the patriarchs—a linkage all the more probable since the same phrase (wayehî rāʿāḇ bāʾāreṣ) occurs elsewhere only in Gen. 12:10 and 26:1
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