Lesson 20: All the City … Doth Know That Thou Art a Virtuous Woman

The Purpose of our lesson this week is to encourage class members to emulate the righteous qualities of Ruth, Naomi, and Hannah.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland,of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gave a talk titled, "Real Friendship" in 1988. He spoke of "A sweet friendship outlined in the Old Testament is that of Naomi, the Israelite, and Ruth, her Moabite daughter-in-law.

In the days of famine Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and their two sons had left Bethlehem in the land of Judea and had gone into the gentile country of Moab for a period of 10 years, obtaining food and refuge in that place. When her husband and sons had died, Naomi determined to return to Judea, hearing that the Lord had lifted the famine there and blessed the people with food. To her two Moabite daughters-in-law, she said, “Go, return each to [your] mother’s house: the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead [their husbands], and with me” (Ruth 1:8).

Weeping at the thought of leaving these daughters-in-law behind, Naomi kissed them and bid them farewell. When the girls protested, asking to go with her, Naomi encouraged them to stay with their own parents and relatives in Moab in the only home land they had ever known. Perhaps here they would marry again, have children, and once more be happy.

One daughter-in-law, Orpah, wept, kissed Naomi good-bye, and returned to her Moabite family.
But Ruth refused to go—she “clave unto” her mother-in-law. Naomi tried earnestly to get her to follow Orpah, “Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law” (Ruth 1:15).

But Ruth said with equal urgency, “Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:

“Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me” (Ruth 1:16–17).

When Naomi sensed the true depth of Ruth’s love and loyalty, she consented and the two made their way back to Bethlehem. There, through the mediating role of Naomi, Ruth met Boaz, “a mighty man of wealth” (Ruth 2:1), and they married. From this union came a son named Obed, who fathered a son named Jesse, who fathered a son named David, the greatest king in Israel’s history. Thus Ruth’s love for and loyalty to Naomi not only brought gospel blessings to Ruth, but ultimately blessed the entire Israelite nation."

Hannah
Elkanah lived in Israel during the time of the judges. Hannah, one of Elkanah’s wives, did not have any children. Each year when Elkanah took his family to the tabernacle, Hannah prayed and asked God to bless her with a child. Finally, Hannah promised the Lord that if he would bless her with a son, she would give that son back to serve the Lord all his life.

The next year, Hannah had a son and named him Samuel. When Samuel was a young child, Hannah took him to the tabernacle and had him stay there and live with the high priest Eli. Samuel grew up in the tabernacle.

One night, as Samuel was going to sleep, he heard a voice call his name.

He thought that it was Eli. He jumped out of bed and ran to see what Eli wanted. Eli told Samuel that he had not called him and told him to go back to bed. This happened three times. Finally Eli realized that it was the Lord that was calling Samuel. He told Samuel that the next time the voice called he should say, “Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth.” Samuel did so. It was then, in his youth, that Samuel received the first of many revelations he received throughout his life. Samuel became a great Old Testament prophet.

Study the following scriptures:

a. Ruth 1–2. After her husband dies, Ruth goes to Bethlehem with her mother-in-law, Naomi. In Bethlehem, Ruth works in the fields of Boaz, who treats her kindly.

b. Ruth 3–4. Ruth lies at the feet of Boaz, and he promises to marry her. They marry and have a child.

c. 1 Samuel 1; 2:1–2, 20–21. Hannah is blessed with a son, whom she lends to the Lord as she promised. She is later blessed with more children.

• What did Ruth give up by going to Bethlehem with Naomi? What did Ruth gain by going with Naomi? (The gospel of Jesus Christ; see Ruth 1:16.) What can we learn from Ruth about making sacrifices for the gospel?

• How do you think Hannah felt about giving Samuel to the service of the Lord? What does the Lord ask us to give him? What should our attitude be about giving to him?

• What righteous qualities did Ruth, Naomi, and Hannah exemplify?

We can emulate the righteous qualities demonstrated by Ruth, Naomi, and Hannah. By developing these qualities we will undoubtedly draw closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ and will have greater peace and happiness.