Who was Naomi in the Bible?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Naomi, an Israelite woman, faced hardship as her family moved to Moab during a famine, where her husband and sons died, leaving her widowed with her daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah. Urged by Naomi, Orpah returned to her family, but Ruth remained steadfast, declaring her loyalty and love to Naomi. Together, they returned to Bethlehem, where Naomi's sorrow led her to rename herself "Mara," meaning "bitter." Despite her grief, Naomi guided Ruth in providing for them, leading Ruth to catch the attention of Boaz, a wealthy relative. Naomi recognized Boaz as a potential kinsman redeemer for Ruth and advised her in pursuing marriage with him. Through Naomi's guidance, Ruth and Boaz married, and their son, Obed, became Naomi's joy, restoring her hope and faith in God's provision. Obed's lineage is traced to Jesus in the New Testament, highlighting Naomi and Ruth's pivotal roles in biblical history. Their relationship exemplifies selfless love and foreshadows the redemptive love embodied by Jesus.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• Naomi’s story is found in the book of Ruth.
• Naomi was an Israelite woman whose family moved to Moab from Bethlehem during a famine. Her name means "pleasant" or "my delight," which seems to describe her character even after having moved to a new land.
• Naomi's husband was named Elimelech. Elimelech died in Moab. But Naomi still had their two sons Mahlon and Chilion, who married two Moabite women, Ruth and Orpah. However, within ten years of the family being in Moab, Naomi's sons also died, without leaving her grandchildren or an inheritance (Ruth 1:1–5).
• Naomi and her daughters-in-law were widows. A foreigner without family or property, Naomi knew she could not remain in Moab. She urged Ruth and Oprah to return to their families knowing they could remarry and have a chance at a happy life in Moab. Orpah returned home after much insistence, but Ruth was determined to stay with Naomi (Ruth 1:6–18). Ruth told Naomi, "Do not urge me to leave you or to return 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. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the LORD do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you" (Ruth 1:16–17).
• Together Ruth and Naomi traveled to Bethlehem (Ruth 1:19). When the women of Bethlehem saw Naomi, they recognized her. Naomi told them to no longer call her Naomi but "Mara," meaning "bitter" (Ruth 1:20–21).
• Despite her broken heartedness, Naomi taught Ruth how she could provide for them (Ruth 2). Ruth gathered food for them from the left-over products of harvest in the farmer's fields (Leviticus 23:22). As she was gathering food, a wealthy landowner named Boaz took notice of her and was told she was the daughter-in-law of Naomi. He admired her dedication to her mother-in-law and made sure she had enough to gather for them to eat. Naomi was pleased to learn that Ruth was working in Boaz's fields. Boaz was a relative of Naomi's late husband, Elimelech. According to Jewish tradition, when a woman became a widow, her deceased husband's relative, usually a brother, would marry her in order to provide offspring for his brother and care for the widowed wife. Naomi believed Boaz would be an ideal kinsman redeemer for Ruth.
• Naomi wisely instructed Ruth to clean herself up, dress nicely, and present herself to Boaz with a marriage proposal. Ruth heeded her mother-in-law's advice and Boaz desired to marry her (Ruth 3:1–4). However, there was one relative in line before him, so Boaz had to ask him to relinquish his right to redeem Elimelech's land, and thus also marry Ruth, first (Ruth 4:1–12). Once the relative agreed to step aside, Boaz took Ruth as his wife (Ruth 4:13). Ruth and Boaz’s first child was Obed, the grandfather of David and an ancestor of Jesus Christ (Ruth 4:17–22).
• After the birth of Obed, the women of Bethlehem said to Naomi, "Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him" (Ruth 4:14–15). Naomi cared for the child and her joy was restored.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Obed, Naomi’s grandson, is mentioned in Jesus’ genealogy (Matthew 1:5–6).

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Naomi fully experienced the pain of loss and yet she continued in her faith, seemingly acknowledging God's sovereignty and willingly submitting to His will. Her trust in His provision bore fruit, and both Naomi and Ruth were well provided for. Naomi and Ruth are a wonderful testament to the beauty of a healthy mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship. Both women acted out of love, not in jealousy or fear. They demonstrate that love goes deeper than blood or nationality. Love unifies across generations and cultures. Love brings healing where there is brokenness. Naomi and Ruth's love for one another was inspiring and yet only a shadow of the love that was to come from Jesus.

UNDERSTAND

• Naomi experienced significant loss, transforming from "pleasant" to "bitter" as she lost her husband and sons.
• Naomi displayed selflessness by guiding Ruth and encouraging her daughters-in-law to seek and follow their own way.
• Naomi's guidance led to Ruth's marriage to Boaz, securing their future and bringing joy through the birth of her grandson, Obed.

REFLECT

• How does Naomi's journey from bitterness to joy resonate with moments of hardship and your responses in your own life?
• How do you see elements of selflessness and sacrifice mirrored in Naomi's actions reflected in your own relationships or decision-making?
• How does Naomi's story challenge or inspire your understanding of faith and trust in God's provision during difficult times?

ENGAGE

• What does Naomi and Ruth’s relationship reveal about the importance of familial relationships, and how do they challenge your culture’s view of them?
• How do you interpret Naomi's decision to change her name to "Mara" in response to her grief? What do we learn about God and how He provided for her despite her distress?
• In what ways can we apply the lessons learned from Naomi and Ruth's relationship to our own familial dynamics or friendships?