In brief
Ruth is a young woman of Moab who marries a son of Naomi, who came from Bethlehem. Widowed, she chooses to follow her mother-in-law to Judah and to make the God of Israel her God. She gleans in the fields of Boaz, a relative of Naomi who is a kinsman-redeemer, then marries him. Their son Obed will be the grandfather of David. She is remembered as a loyal foreigner, welcomed by God and brought into the line of the Messiah.
What does the name Ruth mean?
The meaning of the name Ruth is uncertain: it is sometimes linked to a Hebrew word suggesting friendship or companion, but scholars remain cautious. The Bible does not explain it. It presents her as “Ruth the Moabitess” (Ruth 1:22).
The story of Ruth
A Family Exiled to Moab
Ruth 1:1-5In the days of the judges, a famine drives Elimelech of Bethlehem to go to Moab with his wife Naomi and their two sons. Elimelech dies, and his sons marry Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. After about ten years, Mahlon and Chilion die too. Naomi is left bereft of her sons and her husband, with her two daughters-in-law.
“Your God My God”
Ruth 1:6-22Naomi hears that Yahweh has visited his people and decides to return. She urges her daughters-in-law to go back to their homes. Orpah leaves, but Ruth clings to Naomi and says that her people will be her people and her God her God. They arrive in Bethlehem at the start of the harvest, and Naomi says she should now be called Mara, because the Almighty has dealt bitterly with her.
Gleaning in Boaz’s Field
Ruth 2:1-23Ruth asks to glean behind the reapers and ends up in the field of Boaz. He tells her to stay close to his servant girls and assures her of protection. He has heard what she did for her mother-in-law and blesses her coming under the wings of Yahweh. Ruth goes home with an ephah of barley, and Naomi recognizes in Boaz a near kinsman.
At the Threshing Floor, a Request for Redemption
Ruth 3:1-18Naomi advises Ruth to go to the threshing floor where Boaz will sleep. Ruth does so and says to him, “spread the corner of your garment over your servant; for you are a near kinsman.” Boaz blesses her and tells her that all the people at the gate know she is a worthy woman. He admits, however, that there is a closer relative, and promises to settle the matter.
The Redemption and the Birth of Obed
Ruth 4:1-17Boaz lays out the matter at the city gate before ten elders. The closer relative gives up his right of redemption. Boaz acquires Naomi’s field and takes Ruth as his wife to raise up the name of the dead man. They have a son, Obed, whom the women of Bethlehem celebrate. He will be the father of Jesse, the father of David.
What Ruth teaches us
- Faithfulness in small daily choices can change an entire story, as Ruth’s loyalty to Naomi did.
- God welcomes foreigners: a Moabite woman enters the line of David and of Jesus (Matthew 1:5).
- Choosing the God of Israel means choosing his people, his places and his way of life, with no turning back.
- God provides in ordinary things: a field, a harvest and a kinsman-redeemer become instruments of his plan.
- Boaz, through his redemption, points to Christ, who redeems and cares for those who have nothing left.
Key verses
“Where you go, I will go; and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God.” This is Ruth’s declaration of loyalty, a commitment to Naomi and to the God of Israel.
Boaz tells Ruth that a full reward will be given her from Yahweh, “under whose wings you have come to take refuge.” God rewards the one who seeks refuge in him.
The neighbors name the child Obed. “He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.” This ending reveals that Ruth’s faithfulness leads to the line of King David, and so to that of Jesus.
Sermons about Ruth
- Ruth: A Small Faithful Choice That Changed HistoryA message for children: Ruth performed no great miracle, but one small and faithful choice, with her words to Naomi, changed history.
- Ruth: Gleaning by Faith When You Can't See a ThingA sermon on Ruth gleaning in the fields of Boaz, and on the faith that keeps moving forward even when you can no longer see anything.
- Boaz Pictures Christ: The Redeemer the Law Could Never BeA message on Boaz, Ruth’s redeemer, who points to Christ, the redeemer that the law could not be.
Frequently asked questions
Why did God choose Ruth, a Moabite?
The Bible does not say that God chose her for a particular quality. It shows a foreigner who freely chooses Yahweh and takes refuge under his wings (Ruth 2:12). God brings her into the people of Israel and into the line of David, then of Jesus, as Matthew 1:5 recalls.
What does the name Ruth mean?
The meaning of the name Ruth is uncertain. It is sometimes linked to a Hebrew word suggesting a companion or friendship, but scholars remain cautious. The Bible does not explain her name. It simply calls her “Ruth the Moabitess,” a reminder of her foreign origin (Ruth 1:22).
Where can I find Ruth’s story in the Bible?
Her story fills the whole book of Ruth, which has four chapters and is set in the days of the judges. She also appears in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1:5: “Boaz became the father of Obed by Ruth.” This link shows the role of this Moabite woman in the history of salvation.