Ruth

The Book of Ruth, found in the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible, is a short narrative that tells the story of a Moabite woman named Ruth and her journey of faithfulness, loyalty, and redemption. The book consists of four chapters and takes place during the time of the judges in ancient Israel.

The story begins with a famine in the land of Bethlehem, causing a man named Elimelech to move his wife, Naomi, and their two sons to the neighboring country of Moab. While in Moab, Elimelech dies, and Naomi’s sons marry Moabite women, one of whom is Ruth. Tragically, both sons also pass away, leaving Naomi and her daughters-in-law widowed.

Naomi, feeling the weight of her losses, decides to return to Bethlehem. She encourages her daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, to stay in Moab and find new husbands. Orpah eventually decides to stay, but Ruth remains steadfastly loyal to Naomi, proclaiming one of the most well-known lines from the book: “Whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God” (Ruth 1:16, KJV).

Upon their arrival in Bethlehem, Ruth sets out to support herself and Naomi by gleaning in the fields, which is the practice of gathering leftover grain after the harvest. She happens to glean in the fields owned by Boaz, a relative of Elimelech. Boaz shows kindness to Ruth and protects her while she works. Naomi recognizes the potential for redemption through Boaz, who is a close relative and thus has the right to redeem their family’s land and marry Ruth.

Naomi instructs Ruth to visit Boaz at night and lay at his feet, a symbolic act of submission and request for redemption. Boaz, impressed by Ruth’s faithfulness and purity, agrees to redeem the land and marry her. They eventually have a son named Obed, who becomes the grandfather of King David.

The book concludes with a genealogy tracing the lineage from Perez, the son of Judah, down to David, further highlighting the significance of Ruth’s story in the larger biblical narrative.

The Book of Ruth is often celebrated for its themes of loyalty, faith, and God’s providential care. It portrays Ruth as an example of faithfulness and demonstrates how God can work through ordinary individuals to accomplish His purposes.