The Story of Ruth is a biblical narrative found in the Old Testament of the Bible, specifically in the Book of Ruth. It is a short book containing only four chapters, but it holds significant cultural and spiritual value. The story takes place during the time of the judges in ancient Israel and is centered around the lives of three main characters: Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz.
Here’s a summary of the story:
Chapter 1: Naomi’s Family in Moab The story begins with a famine in the land of Israel, specifically in Bethlehem. A man named Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, leave Bethlehem and migrate to the neighboring country of Moab in search of food. Tragically, Elimelech dies, and both Mahlon and Chilion marry Moabite women named Orpah and Ruth. After about ten years, Mahlon and Chilion also died, leaving Naomi widowed and childless.
Chapter 2: Ruth Meets Boaz Hearing that the famine has ended in Bethlehem, Naomi decides to return home. She encourages Orpah and Ruth to stay in Moab and remarry, but Ruth refuses to leave Naomi and insists on accompanying her. They both arrive in Bethlehem, where they are greeted by the locals. Ruth, being a Moabite, is an outsider, but she is determined to support her mother-in-law.
Ruth goes to glean in the fields, which means she collects leftover grain from the harvested fields. By chance, she ends up in the fields of a wealthy man named Boaz, who is a relative of Elimelech. Boaz is kind to Ruth and instructs his workers to intentionally leave behind extra grain for her to collect.
Chapter 3: Ruth’s Plan and Boaz’s Redemption Naomi comes up with a plan to secure a better future for Ruth. She advises Ruth to go to Boaz at night, uncover his feet while he is sleeping, and lie down. This is a symbolic gesture indicating Ruth’s willingness to marry Boaz and become his wife. Boaz awakens to find Ruth at his feet and acknowledges her loyalty and virtue. However, there is another relative who is a closer kinsman-redeemer, someone with the legal right to marry Ruth and redeem Elimelech’s land.
Chapter 4: Redemption and Blessings Boaz takes action to ensure that he can marry Ruth. He goes to the city gate, where legal matters were traditionally settled, and speaks to the closer kinsman-redeemer. This relative initially agrees to redeem Elimelech’s land but changes his mind when he realizes it would complicate his own inheritance. Boaz then formally redeems the land and marries Ruth. They have a son named Obed, who becomes the grandfather of King David, a significant figure in biblical history.
The Book of Ruth concludes with a genealogy that traces the lineage from Perez (son of Judah) down to David, emphasizing how Ruth, a Moabite woman, became an integral part of the lineage leading to King David and eventually Jesus Christ.
The story of Ruth is often interpreted as a demonstration of faith, loyalty, kindness, and God’s providence. It highlights how God can work through ordinary people to accomplish His plans and purposes.
