The story of Ruth is an amazing example of how God takes seemingly hopeless situations and brings about fruitfulness.
I pray this Bible Study provides you with a better understanding of the book of Ruth.
Let’s dive in to see the ways in which God works all things out for our good and for His glory.
It may be a short book in the Bible but this post is long, so I’ve included a table of contents, therefore you can work through this study one chapter a day if you want.
Meaning of Names:
Naomi – pleasantness
Ruth – companion, friend
Elimelech – my God is king
Bethlehem – house of bread
If you haven’t read Ruth yet I encourage you to do so first. Then read through this post for a deeper understanding of the book.
One of the many resources I used while studying myself was this video which gives a quick overview of the whole story. Overview: Ruth – YouTube
chapter 1
Elimelech's family goes to Moab
There was a famine in the land of Bethlehem.
When things are tough we can sometimes justify wrong choices because of difficult circumstances. We aren’t told the exact reason Eleimlech moves his family to Moab. Was it fear that God would not provide during the famine? Did he feel led to go?
Elimelech moves his wife and two sons from Bethlehem, Judah to the country of Moab. After some time, Naomi’s husband Elimelech dies, and her sons marry Moabite women. One is named Orpah and the other Ruth. See Ruth 1:1-5.
Moabites:
- Israel’s enemies
- Pagan culture
- Descendants of Lot
- Known for prostitution and child sacrifice
- The Israelites were discouraged from marrying Moabites because of their worship of false gods and other practices.
Fruitlessness in Moab
After about ten years Naomi’s two sons Mahlon and Chilion die.
Naomi has lost her husband and her two sons, leaving her without a way to continue the family line.
She hears that the Lord has visited His people and has given them bread, so she decides it is time to head back to Jerusalem. See Ruth 1:6.
3 childless widows
Naomi and her daughters-in-law begin to make their way out of Moab when Naomi advises Ruth and Orpah to return to their mothers house. But they wanted to go with her.
Naomi pleads the case that she has nothing to offer them.
She could not offer them a son to take as a husband. See Ruth 1:8-10.
"Then they lifted up their voices and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.'' (Ruth 1:14)
Orpah takes Naomi’s advice and goes back to her people, but Ruth clings to Naomi.
" But Ruth said, 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. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the LORD do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” And when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more."(Ruth1:15-18)
Ruth committed her life to Naomi and more importantly the God of Israel.
It would have been easier for Ruth to go back to the life she was used to, but she chose to leave her old life behind to be loyal to her mother-in-law and to God.
Naomi and Ruth arrive in Bethlehem
When they arrive in Bethlehem the people question if this is Naomi. The people didn’t recognize her. Naomi’s life in Moab must have taken a toll on her appearance.
"But she said to them do not call me Naomi, call me Mara, for the almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full and , and the Lord has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has testified against me , and the Almighty has afflicted me?" (Ruth 1:20-21)
Remember Naomi means “pleasantness” but Mara in Hebrew means “bitter”.
Chapter 2
Barley Harvest
Ruth and Naomi arrive to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley Harvest. Which is good news because they need food.
"So Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi , "Please let me go to the field, and glean heads of grain after him in whose sight I may find favor.'' And she said to her, "Go, my daughter." Then she left, and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers. And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech." (Ruth 2:2-3)
Leviticus 19:9-10 commanded farmers to not reap all their harvest, but to leave some grain behind for the poor to come and collect for themselves.
This was a way for orphans, sojourners, and widows to be fed, but they had to work for it.
Let's meet Boaz
The scripture tells us Boaz was “a man of great wealth.”
He stayed in Bethlehem through the famine and God provided.
In the beginning of chapter two we get a glimpse of the way others treated him. Boaz was not just a man of great wealth, but he was also respected by his workers.
Ruth meets Boaz
Ruth was gleaning in the field when Boaz saw her for the first time. He asked his servant who she was.
" So the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered and said, "It is the young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. And she said, 'Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.' So she came and has continued from morning until now, though she rested a little in the house." (Ruth 2:6-7)
Ruth found favor in Boaz’s eyes. He wanted her to stay and glean in his field, to stick close to his “young woman”, and to drink from the vessels of water his men collect. See chapter 2:8-10.
Ruth falls on her face and asks why she, a foreigner, has found favor in his eyes.
" And Boaz answered her, " It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before. The Lord repay your work, and a full reward be given to you by the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge." (Ruth 2:11-12)
It took a huge leap of faith for Ruth to come to Bethlehem and Boaz notices and acknowledges Ruth’s good character.
Boaz later call Ruth “a woman of noble character” this same term is used to describe a woman in Proverbs 31.
We can see from Ruth’s actions that she has several characteristics of a proverbs 31 woman. She is devoted to her family, diligent in her work, dependent on God etc.
God provides food
Being childless widows Naomi and Ruth have two main needs, food and a kinsman-redeemer (we’ll get to that later).
Boaz has Ruth eat with him and the reapers. See chapter 2:14.
"And when she rose up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men saying, "Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. Also let grain from the bundles fall purposely for her; leave it that she may glean, and do not rebuke her." (2:15-16)
They have just met, but Boaz shows great kindness and generosity toward the young Moabite woman. He lets Ruth glean in his field, drink from the water vessels, glean from the already collected bundles of grain, instructs his workers to purposely drop bundles for her to gather, and invites her to share a meal!
When Ruth returns to Naomi after a days work, she has over half a bushel of barley, which would have weighed around 30-40 pounds. That was enough grain to feed them for weeks.
She even has some leftovers for Naomi from the meal she shared with Boaz and his workers.
God provided abundantly for their need of food.
Kinsman-Redeemer
"And her mother-in-law said to her, "Where have you gleaned today? And where did you work? Blessed be the one who took notice of you." So she told her mother-in-law who whom she had worked, and said "the man's name with whom I worked today is Boaz" (Ruth 2:19)
Naomi is so glad to hear that Ruth has met Boaz, and even exclaims that he is their kinsman-redeemer.
During that time the cultural practice when a woman was left a widow, was for the family redeemer to take the widow as his wife, and continue the family line.
"Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, Blessed be he of the Lord ,who has not forsaken his kindness to the living and the dead !"and Naomi said to her "this man is a relation of ours, one of our close relatives." (Ruth 2:20)
We see a shift in Naomi’s outlook now. In chapter one she was empty and bitter. Now Naomi sees that God is providing.
chapter 3
Ruth's redemption assured
Naomi suggests that Ruth appeals to Boaz for marriage.
" Therefore wash yourself and anoint yourself, put on your best garments and go down to the threshing floor, but do not make yourselves known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. " Then it shall be, when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies; and and you shall go in , uncover his feet, and lie down; and he will tell you what you should do." (3:3-4)
The act of Ruth laying down and uncovering Boaz’s feet was a sign of total submission. She does as her mother-in-law says.
Boaz agrees
"now it happened at midnight that the man was startled, and turned himself; and there, a woman was lying at his feet. and he said, "Who are you?" so she answered, "I am Ruth, your maidservant. Take me under your wing, for you are a close relative." (3:8-9)
It’s late, Boaz is sleeping in his field to protect his crops from thieves. He is startled to find someone at his feet. It’s Ruth and she proposes marriage to him.
Then he said, " Blessed are you of the Lord, my daughter! For you have shown more kindness at the end than at the beginning, in that you did not go after young men whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter , do not fear. I will do for you all that you request, for all the people of of my town know that you are a virtuous woman." (3:10-11)
Boaz was much older than Ruth, he was around 45-55 years old.
Woman during these times married in their teens, and we saw that Ruth’s first marriage lasted ten years, which likely made her 24-29 during this time.
Boaz sees that she has not gone after young men but has come to him.
We see in Ruth 3:11 that she has a reputation of being “a virtuous woman” .
It’s likely when Ruth first arrived to Bethlehem that she had a bad reputation, because of where she had come from, and the fact that she was a childless widow. She showed people with her actions that she is in fact a virtuous woman.
A closer relative
Boaz agrees however, there is a relative closer to Naomi’s family. If this other relative is unwilling or unable to fulfill the role of kinsman-redeemer Boaz agrees to redeem Ruth. See chapter 3:12-13
Chapter 4
In the beginning of Ruth chapter 4 Boaz goes to the closer relative and first asks if he will redeem Nomi’s land. The close relative agrees to redeem the land, but when Boaz mentions he would also have to take Ruth the Moabite as his wife, the close relative is unwilling to do so.
And the close relative said, " I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I ruin my own inheritance. You redeem my right of redemption for yourself, for I cannot redeem it." (Ruth 4:6)
Boaz marries Ruth
"So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife; and when he went in to her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son." (4:13)
Their son was named Obed, and Obed was the father of Jesse. And Jesse was the father of David. This means Ruth and Boaz are a part of the lineage of Jesus!
In fact, it was because of Ruth and Boaz that Joseph and Mary had to go to Bethlehem for the census.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem because of Ruth and Boaz.
God had His hand in their lives all along.
conclusion
The time Naomi’s family spent in Moab was fruitless and filled with loss.
The faithfulness of Ruth was life altering. She was faithful to Naomi and to God and God used her for His glory.
I pray that this study helped you better understand this book of the Bible, and the ways in which God works things out for our good.
xx Kristen
