Hidden in the Old Testament is a four-chapter masterpiece that reads like a novel yet carries the weight of prophecy. The Book of Ruth tells the true story of a Moabite widow, her heartbroken mother-in-law, and a godly farmer whose kindness changed history forever.
This is more than a beautiful love story. It’s a living picture of God’s redemption, an outsider’s journey into the family of God, and a direct bloodline to King David and Jesus Christ.
When and Where the Story Takes Place
The events happened “in the days when the judges ruled” (Ruth 1:1) — roughly 1200–1100 BC.
Israel had no king, spiritual chaos reigned, and famine struck Bethlehem in Judah — the future “House of Bread” and birthplace of Jesus.
A Jewish family fled east across the Dead Sea to Moab, Israel’s historic enemy. What started as a survival move became the opening scene of one of Scripture’s greatest redemption stories.
The Tragedy: Three Widows and an Empty Future
Elimelech and Naomi leave Bethlehem with their sons Mahlon and Kilion.
In Moab:
- Elimelech dies.
- The sons marry Moabite women — Orpah and Ruth.
- Ten years later, both sons die.
Naomi is now childless, penniless, and over 50 in a culture where widows without sons had almost no future.
When she hears the Lord has ended the famine in Judah, she decides to go home.
Ruth’s Vow: One of the Most Famous Speeches in the Bible
Naomi tells her daughters-in-law to stay in Moab and remarry. Orpah cries, kisses her goodbye, and returns to her people and gods.
Ruth clings to Naomi and delivers the words that still echo in weddings and funerals today:
“Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you.
For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge.
Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” (Ruth 1:16–17 ESV)
Ruth, a Gentile, chooses the God of Israel with no promise of security, marriage, or children. Pure covenant loyalty (hesed) in action.
Back in Bethlehem: Two Poor Widows and a New Beginning
They arrive at the start of the barley harvest — perfect timing only God could orchestrate.
Ruth immediately volunteers to glean (pick up leftover grain) in the fields — a legal provision for the poor (Leviticus 19:9–10), but dangerous for a young foreign widow.
“As it turned out” (Ruth 2:3), she gleans in a field owned by Boaz — a wealthy, godly relative of Naomi’s late husband.
Who Was Boaz in the Bible?
- A successful landowner and farmer in Bethlehem
- A close relative of Elimelech (making him a potential “kinsman-redeemer”)
- Known for integrity — he greets workers with “The LORD be with you!”
- Older than Ruth, single (or possibly widowed), and immediately struck by her reputation
When Boaz learns Ruth gave up everything for Naomi and the God of Israel, he protects her, feeds her, and secretly tells his workers to drop extra grain for her.
The Threshing Floor: Naomi’s Bold (and Perfectly Proper) Plan
Harvest ends. Naomi knows Ruth needs a permanent protector.
She instructs Ruth to:
- Wash and anoint herself
- Put on her best cloak
- Go quietly to the threshing floor at night
- Uncover Boaz’s feet and lie down (a culturally accepted way of requesting redemption and marriage)
Boaz wakes at midnight, sees Ruth, and hears her request:
“Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer” (Ruth 3:9).
His response? Joy. He calls her a “woman of excellence” and promises to settle it legally at dawn.
The City Gate Drama: Redemption Secured
There was actually a closer relative who had first rights to buy Naomi’s land and marry Ruth.
Boaz meets him publicly at the city gate (the ancient courthouse) with ten elders as witnesses.
The closer kinsman wants the land — until he learns marrying Ruth means raising children in her dead husband’s name (preserving Mahlon’s line). He refuses.
Boaz then joyfully declares he will redeem everything:
- The land
- Naomi’s family name
- Ruth as his wife
The elders bless the marriage with a prayer that unknowingly becomes prophecy:
“May your house be like the house of Perez… and may your name be renowned in Israel!” (Ruth 4:11–12)
The Shocking Genealogy That Points to Jesus
Boaz and Ruth have a son named Obed.
Obed → Jesse → David.
Ruth the Moabite — a former outsider — becomes the great-grandmother of Israel’s greatest king and an ancestor of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:5).
| Person | Relation to Jesus |
|---|---|
| Ruth | Great-grandmother of David |
| Boaz | Great-grandfather of David |
| Obed | Grandfather of David |
| Jesse | Father of David |
| David | Ancestor of Jesus |
| Jesus | The Lion of the Tribe of Judah |
7 Powerful Lessons from Ruth, Naomi & Boaz
| Lesson | Scripture Example | Application Today |
|---|---|---|
| God’s providence | “As it turned out…” (2:3) | He directs our steps even when we can’t see |
| Loyal love (hesed) | Ruth’s vow (1:16–17) | Love that costs something is real love |
| Redemption | Boaz as kinsman-redeemer | Jesus paid the ultimate price for us |
| Outsiders welcomed | Moabite Ruth in David’s line | Salvation is for every nation |
| Kindness changes lives | Boaz’s protection and generosity | One act of grace can alter a destiny |
| Obedience in small things | Ruth gleaning faithfully | Faithfulness in little leads to much |
| Bitter can become sweet | Naomi from “Mara” to holding Obed | God restores what loss took away |
Timeline of the Book of Ruth (Quick Reference)
| Event | Chapter & Verse |
|---|---|
| Famine forces family to Moab | Ruth 1:1–5 |
| Ruth’s vow of loyalty | Ruth 1:16–17 |
| Return to Bethlehem | Ruth 1:19–22 |
| Ruth gleans in Boaz’s field | Ruth 2 |
| Midnight proposal on threshing floor | Ruth 3 |
| Legal redemption at the city gate | Ruth 4:1–12 |
| Birth of Obed & genealogy to David | Ruth 4:13–22 |
The Story of Ruth, Naomi & Boaz | A Powerful Animated Bible Story of Faith, Love and Redemption
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Was Ruth and Boaz’s relationship romantic or just duty?
Both. Boaz was clearly delighted (Ruth 3:10), and the text celebrates genuine love alongside legal duty.
2. Why was Ruth called a Moabite so often?
To emphasize God’s grace — Moabites were excluded from the assembly (Deut 23:3), yet Ruth became David’s ancestor.
3. How old was Boaz compared to Ruth?
The Bible doesn’t say exactly, but Boaz calls Ruth “my daughter” (2:8, 3:10–11), suggesting he was significantly older — likely 40s–50s while Ruth was in her 20s.
4. Is the Book of Ruth historically accurate?
Yes. Names, customs, legal practices (levirate marriage, land redemption), and genealogy perfectly match late Bronze/early Iron Age Israel.
5. Where is the Book of Ruth in the Bible?
Between Judges and 1 Samuel in Christian Bibles. In Jewish tradition, it’s among the Writings and read every Shavuot (Pentecost).
6. Did Naomi ever smile again?
Yes! The women say, “A son has been born to Naomi!” (4:17). She becomes Obed’s nurse and is restored from bitterness to joy.
7. Why is Ruth read at Pentecost?
Ruth accepted the God of Israel and entered the harvest — a perfect picture of Gentiles entering the church at Pentecost.
Final Word: Your Story Can Still Be Redeemed
Naomi left full and returned empty.
Ruth left everything familiar for an unknown God.
Boaz used his wealth and position to lift others up.
Together, their ordinary faithfulness became part of the greatest story ever told — the coming of the Messiah.
No matter how bitter your chapter feels right now, remember Ruth.
God is the ultimate Kinsman-Redeemer, and He is still writing beautiful endings.
