Redeeming Grace: Ruth's Story (Daughters of the Promised Land, 3, Band 3) - Softcover

Smith, Jill Eileen

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0800720369 ISBN 13: 9780800720360

Verlag: Revell, 2017

Inhaltsangabe

When Ruth risks all and leaves her land behind for a chance at a new life, will she be able to convince Boaz to risk his heart and redeem her from her desperate state?

Über diesen Titel

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Jill Eileen Smith is the bestselling author of The Crimson Cord, The Prophetess, The Wives of King David series, the Wives of the Patriarchs series, and the ebook novellas The Desert Princess, The Shepherdess, and Daughter of the Nile. Her research into the lives of biblical women has taken her from the Bible to Israel, and she particularly enjoys learning how women lived in Old Testament times. Jill lives with her family in southeast Michigan. Learn more at www.jilleileensmith.com.

Von der hinteren Coverseite

One devoted woman is about to discover the power of love

When famine visits Bethlehem, some hold out hope for rain, while Naomi and her family make a long journey to Moab in search of greener pastures. The harvest there is plentiful, and for a time it appears the Lord is blessing them. But when calamities strike, one after another, Naomi is left alone in a foreign land with only her widowed daughters-in-law for comfort.

Downhearted and destitute, Naomi is determined to return to Bethlehem alone. But her daughter-in-law Ruth refuses to leave her side. Despite the fact that she and Naomi will almost certainly live out their days in widowhood and poverty, Ruth holds out hope for a better future . . . and maybe even a second chance at love.


Praise for the Daughters of the Promised Land series

"Impeccable research and vivid prose."--Library Journal

"Smith has made Rahab's dramatic tale newly affecting."--Booklist

"Both a well-drawn love story as well as the wistful imaginings of early Israel."--Publishers Weekly


Jill Eileen Smith is the author of the bestselling Wives of King David series, The Crimson Cord, and The Prophetess, as well as the Wives of the Patriarchs and the Loves of King Solomon series. Her research has taken her from the Bible to Israel, and she particularly enjoys learning how women lived in Old Testament times. She lives with her family in southeast Michigan.

Jill loves to hear from her readers. Contact her at www.jilleileensmith.com, or follow her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jilleileensmith or Twitter @JillEileenSmith.

Auszug. © Genehmigter Nachdruck. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

Redeeming Grace

Ruth's Story

By Jill Eileen Smith

Baker Publishing Group

Copyright © 2017 Jill Eileen Smith
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-0-8007-2036-0

CHAPTER 1

1297 BC

Naomi lifted the hem of her robe as her feet fairly flew down Bethlehem's streets toward the outskirts of town. Neta, second wife of her brother-in-law Melek, trailed two steps behind. The sun beat high overhead, its rays licking the sweat along her brow. Some of the townswomen who were not inside their homes resting at this hour hurried to catch up with her.

"What is it?" one of them shouted, breathless.

"Please, Naomi, slow down." The voices included Neta's, and Naomi realized the woman could not run nearly as fast as she, especially when something urgent beckoned. Memories of childhood races with her brothers surfaced, but she stopped the smile such thoughts always evoked. This was not a time to smile.

She slowed her steps and glanced behind her. "Boaz's wife Adi is in trouble." She turned and kept running, shouting as she went. "I'm going to see if I can help."

The heat made breathing difficult but she pressed on. Surely Gilah and Liora and the midwife should have delivered Adi of the child by now. Surely Neta was wrong.

But the fear in her gut would not abate.

She came to the edge of the village where Boaz's house spread along the wall that bordered his vast fields — fields inherited from his highly respected father, Salmon, the spy who had helped capture Jericho.

As Naomi stopped before the great doors and rapped on the wood, memory surfaced again of Boaz's parents, Salmon and Rahab. Neta drew up beside her, her breath coming fast.

Please, Adonai, blessed be Your name. Let Adi live. How Boaz doted on this wife who had remained barren for so long, had waited even when his sisters Gilah and Liora suggested he take a second wife. And now ... surely the Creator would not give the woman life in her womb only to steal hers in return?

The door opened before Naomi could ponder that thought, and the two women were ushered into the cool interior of the limestone house. She wiped the sweat from her brow, not allowing the servant even a moment to wash their feet.

"Take me to her," she commanded, forcing the rising panic to remain hidden. The servant led them down a long hallway to a room Naomi recognized as having once belonged to Rahab. The memories rushed through her again — so many days of helping care for Rahab during her failing health and so soon after Boaz had lost his father ... Please, Adonai, don't put Boaz through such grief again. Though she had been a young, inexperienced bride herself at the time, she came. Elimelech was Salmon's cousin, after all, and family came first, no matter how awkward she felt or how useless she seemed. Anyone could carry water or grind flour or bake bread.

Perhaps she would find that was all she could do now for Adi or her child, but one look into the darkened room stopped her short. The acrid scent of blood and sweat assaulted her. Female servants stood immobile along the wall while Gilah and Liora helped a weak, fragile Adi to her bed. The midwife stood in a corner, holding an unmoving bundle.

Naomi blinked, adjusting to the lack of bright sunlight, her heart constricting, blood draining from her limbs. Neta touched her arm as the two took in the scene. Adi's body grew limp, and it took both of Boaz's sisters to settle her among the cushions.

"It's all right, Adi," Gilah said softly. "Come. Let us clean you up and you can rest."

Naomi glanced at the midwife, then grabbed a stack of blankets and carried them to the courtyard to heat them over the fire. Once the blankets were warmed, she hurried into the room again and handed them to Neta. "Make sure she is warm enough." She whirled about and faced the useless servants. "Find some broth — surely there is some left from last night's stew — and bring it quickly." They hurried to obey while she turned her attention to Adi. She touched Gilah's arm. "Was it a hard labor?"

Gilah nodded but did not speak. One look at the woman told Naomi all she needed to know. She motioned Gilah out of the way and quickly examined Adi. She had been through this with several of the women of the village, some of whom had died in childbirth. She could not let that happen to her husband's cousin's wife.

"There now, my child. Rest. All will be well." Naomi accepted a warm compress from Liora and put it on Adi's forehead. Suddenly, she could take the dark no longer. "Pull the curtains aside," she demanded as she continued to press the cloth over Adi's face, gently smoothing it. The light would encourage the woman to live, whereas the darkness tended to pull the soul toward despair. Adi did not need to add darkness to her loss.

Moments later servants entered with the broth. Naomi took the piece of flatbread and dipped it in the bowl. "Open your mouth, Adi. You must eat, even if it is only a few drops." She coaxed the slight girl, who obeyed in silence, until at last Adi shook her head, unwilling to open her mouth anymore.

"My baby," she whispered, her eyes turned toward the window where the midwife bent over the child, wrapping him for burial.

"A boy," Naomi said, cupping Adi's face. "Adonai Elohim, blessed be He, has taken him to Himself." It was not something a woman in such a weakened condition should have to hear, but the truth could not be avoided.

Tears slipped over Adi's cheeks, wetting Naomi's hand. "I want to hold him."

"You will be unclean." Gilah, always one to pick at every letter of the law, spoke from the foot of the bed.

"She is already unclean with the birth." Naomi forced back the irritation Gilah's words evoked. "Bring the child here."

The midwife gave Naomi a quizzical look, but she brought the wrapped babe to Adi and lowered her arms to show the mother a perfectly shaped infant.

Adi lifted weak hands, and Naomi helped her settle the child against her chest. Weeping filled the room, Adi's voice a deep, guttural sound.

"It is time to send for Boaz," Naomi said to a servant standing idle. "Tell Reuven to find him. He will want to see his son, and we must prepare for the burial before nightfall, which will come too soon." She faced Liora. "Where are the ointments to treat the cloths?"

"They are in the cooking rooms." Liora slipped away while Adi rocked back and forth, her groans turning to deep sobs.

"Should I get Melek?" Neta leaned close to Naomi, her eyes wide with near terror at the utter sorrow coming from Adi. She looked like a bird about to give flight.

"You!" Naomi called to the departing servant. "When you have found Reuven, go yourself and get Elimelech and Melek." She patted Neta's arm. "The men will come." Despite her relation to Melek, she had never cared for Elimelech's brother, but his presence at the burial could not be helped. "In the meantime," she said, facing Neta, "go and gather the women of the town. They will want to organize the trip to the cave."

Naomi glanced back at Adi, who clutched the child to her chest, eyes closed, her cries filling the bedchamber.

Naomi stood and backed away. She leaned close to Gilah's ear. "She is not strong enough to walk to the cave. How will we get her to release the child?"

"Boaz will be able to convince her," Gilah whispered. "She always listens to him." An action Naomi knew Gilah scorned, for everyone was aware that Boaz's older sister controlled her husband at every turn.

"Let us hope so." Naomi did not doubt Adi's submission, but where this long-awaited...

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: Revell
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2017
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 0800720369
• ISBN 13: 9780800720360
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Anzahl der Seiten: 368
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
• Verantwortliche Person: alles-meine.de GmbH; 4935210000000; rene@alles-meine.de; ; Am Spitzberg 1; Bannewitz; Sachsen; 1728; Deutschland