Summary+of+the+Book+of+Ruth

Summary and Key Messages.
The book of Ruth takes place in a time of Jewish history when the judges ruled over Israel from 1370 to 1010 BC. The story tells of Naomi, wife of Elimelech, of the tribe of Judah. Elimelech moved his family from the Promised Land to Moab during a severe famine. Naomi stayed in land of Moab for 10 years. Elimelech dies, and the sons marry two Moabite women: Mahlon marries Ruth and Chilion marries Orpah. After her two sons die, Naomi decides to return to her hometown of Bethlehem, impoverished. She tells her daughters-in-law to return to their own mothers, and remarry. Her Moabite daughter-in-law, Ruth insist on following Naomi, proclaiming, "Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me." (Ruth 1:16–17)

The two women return to Bethlehem. It is the time of the barley harvest, and in order to support her mother-in-law and herself, Ruth goes to the fields to glean. She happens to be gleaning in the field of a wealthy kinsman named Boaz. The field she goes to belongs to a man named Boaz, who is kind to her because he has heard of her loyalty to her mother-in-law. Ruth tells her mother-in-law of Boaz's kindness, and she gleans in his field through the remainder of the harvest season. Boaz is a close relative of Naomi's husband's family. He is therefore obliged by the Levirate law to marry Mahlon's widow, Ruth, in order to carry on his family line (“redeem” her). Naomi sends Ruth to the threshing floor at night and tells her to "uncover the feet" of the sleeping Boaz. Ruth does so; Boaz awakes and asks, "Who are you?" Ruth identifies herself, then asks Boaz to spread his cloak over her. The phrase "spread your cloak" was a woman's way of asking for marriage. For a man to spread his cloak over a woman showed acquisition of that woman. Boaz states he is willing to "redeem" Ruth via marriage, but informs Ruth that there is another male relative who has the first right of redemption. The other male relative is unwilling to jeopardize the inheritance of his own estate by marrying Ruth, and so relinquishes his right of redemption. They transfer the property and redeem it by the nearer kinsman taking off his sandal and handing it over to Boaz, thus allowing Boaz to marry Ruth. ( Ruth 4:7-18) They have a son named Obed (who by Levirate customs is also considered a son or heir to Elimelech (and Naomi). He is to become the Grandfather of King David.

Chittster, J. (2000). The Story of Ruth: Twelve Moments in Every Woman’s Life. Cambridge, U.K: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

Coogan, M., & Metzger, B. (1993). The Oxford Companion to the Bible. New York: Oxford University Press.

The Catholic Youth Bible:International Edition. (2004). Winona, USA: St. Mary's Press.