Ruth
Old Testament • Book #8
A beautiful story of loyalty, redemption, and the ancestry of King David.
"It happened in the days when the judges judged, that there was a famine in the land. A certain man of Bethlehem Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons."
— Ruth 1:1
About the Book of Ruth
Ruth is a beautiful short story of loyalty, love, and redemption set during the time of Judges. Ruth, a Moabite widow, chooses to stay with her Israelite mother-in-law Naomi and follow her God. Through her faithfulness, she meets Boaz, a kinsman-redeemer who marries her. Ruth becomes the great-grandmother of King David — and an ancestor of Jesus. This story shows that God's love extends to all people.
Background
- Author
- Unknown (possibly Samuel)
- Date Written
- ~1000 BC
- Genre
- Historical Narrative
Key Themes in Ruth
- ▸Loyalty and devotion
- ▸God's providence
- ▸Redemption through a kinsman
- ▸God's love for all nations
- ▸Faithfulness in hardship
Famous Verses from Ruth
“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
“The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.”
— Ruth 2:12
“I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.”
— Ruth 3:9
“Blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman.”
— Ruth 4:14
“Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.”
— Ruth 1:20-21
Chapters in Ruth
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