• Elimelech and Naomi live in Bethlehem with their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion.
• There was a famine in the land of Israel, so they all went to live in the land of Moab.
• Mahlon and Chilion both married Moabite wives – Orpah and Ruth.
• The men in the family all die, and when she hears that the famine is over, Naomi prepares to return to Bethlehem.
• Orpah stays in Moab, but Ruth goes with Naomi.
• They arrive in Bethlehem at harvest time, and Ruth goes to work gleaning in the fields of Boaz, a relative of Naomi.
• Naomi suggests that Ruth ask Boaz to “redeem” her, i.e. to marry her in accordance with the Jewish law following the death of her husband to preserve the family line.
• Boaz agrees to this, and officially redeems Naomi’s land and also takes Ruth as his wife.
• Ruth and Boaz become the great-grandparents of King David.

What can we learn from this story?

Ruth shows true love and devotion to her mother-in-law and to the God of her mother-in-law.

“Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.  Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” (Ruth 1:16-17)

• We can learn that respect and love are fundamental principles in our relationships with other believers, our families, and God.

The Gentiles are saved through the grace of God.

• God’s message went initially to the Jews through his law.
• By grace, the Gentiles (non-Jews) are accepted into his plan of salvation.
• Boaz is an echo of Christ, redeeming the poor and needy foreigner and showering her with blessings.

There is true rest with God.

• Ruth found her rest and redemption after on a difficult journey into a strange land where her personal savior redeemed her.
• The same is true for us on our spiritual walk following Jesus on the walk to God’s kingdom.

What place does this book have in the Bible?

• We are shown links between the period of the Judges and the life of David, who became a King of Israel.
• We learn that key Gentile characters are included in the genealogy of Jesus.
• We learn of the sanctity of love and marriage.

Next time: Bitesize book of 1 Samuel!

The Book of Ruth Bible Quiz

Have fun!