Ruth • The Need for a Redeemer

A: “Ephratha”—the root for “Ephrathite”—was the original name of Bethlehem going back to the time of Abraham. It has a powerful place in Jewish history even before becoming part of Israel proper and would in turn emphasize to Jewish readers the extraordinary depth of this tragedy in losing so precious a heritage as this family had brought for centuries until this abrupt ending. ................
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