Bible Book Number 8​—Ruth

Writer: Samuel

Place Written: Israel

Writing Completed: c. 1090 B.C.E.

Time Covered: 11 years of judges’ rule

1. (a) Why is the book of Ruth more than just a love story? (b) What special mention is given Ruth in the Bible?

THE book of Ruth is a delightful drama that blossoms into the beautiful love story of Boaz and Ruth. However, it is no mere love idyll. Its purpose is not to entertain. The book highlights Jehovah’s purpose to produce a Kingdom heir, and it exalts His loving-kindness. (Ruth 1:8; 2:20; 3:10) The expansive quality of Jehovah’s love is seen in his selecting a Moabitess, a former worshiper of the pagan god Chemosh, who converted to the true religion, to become an ancestress of Jesus Christ. Ruth is one of four women mentioned by name in the genealogy from Abraham to Jesus. (Matt. 1:3, 5, 16) Ruth, along with Esther, is one of the two women after whom Bible books are named.

2. When did the events of Ruth take place, when was the book written, and by whom?

² “Now it came about in the days when the judges administered justice . . . ” With these opening words, the book of Ruth launches into its thrilling narrative. From these words it is understood that the book itself was written later, in the time of the kings of Israel. However, the events related in the book covered a period of about 11 years in the time of the judges. Though the name of the writer is not stated, very likely it was Samuel, who also appears to have written Judges and who was the outstanding faithful figure at the start of the period of the kings. Since the closing verses indicate that David was already becoming prominent, this would place the writing at about 1090 B.C.E. Samuel, who was well acquainted with Jehovah’s promise of “a lion” from the tribe of Judah, and who had been used by Jehovah in anointing David of that tribe to be king in Israel, would be deeply interested in making a record of the genealogy down to David.​—Gen. 49:9, 10; 1 Sam. 16:1, 13; Ruth 1:1; 2:4; 4:13, 18-22.

3. What facts confirm the canonicity of Ruth?

³ The canonical authority of Ruth has never been challenged. Sufficient confirmation of it was given when Jehovah inspired the listing of Ruth in the genealogy of Jesus at Matthew 1:5. Ruth has always been recognized by the Jews as part of the Hebrew canon. It is not surprising, then, that fragments of the book have been found among the other canonical books in the Dead Sea Scrolls that were discovered starting in 1947. Moreover, Ruth harmonizes completely with Jehovah’s Kingdom purposes as well as with the requirements of the Law of Moses. Though marriage with idol-worshiping Canaanites and Moabites was forbidden to the Israelites, this did not exclude foreigners such as Ruth who embraced Jehovah’s worship. In the book of Ruth, the law on repurchase and brother-in-law marriage is observed in all its detail.​—Deut. 7:1-4; 23:3, 4; 25:5-10.

CONTENTS OF RUTH

4. What decision faces Ruth, and what does her choice indicate as to her form of worship?

⁴ Ruth’s decision to stick with Naomi (1:1-22). The story opens during a season of famine in Israel. A man of Bethlehem, Elimelech, crosses the Jordan with his wife, Naomi, and two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, to settle for a time in the land of Moab. There the sons marry Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. Tragedy breaks the family circle, first in the death of the father, and later in the death of his two sons. Three childless, widowed women are left, with no seed to Elimelech. Hearing that Jehovah has again turned his attention to Israel by giving his people bread, Naomi decides to journey back to her native Judah. The daughters-in-law set out with her. Naomi pleads with them to return to Moab, petitioning Jehovah’s loving-kindness in providing them with husbands from their own people. Finally Orpah “returned to her people and her gods,” but Ruth, sincere and strong in her conversion to the worship of Jehovah, sticks with Naomi. Her decision is beautifully expressed in the words: “Where you go I shall go, and where you spend the night I shall spend the night. Your people will be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I shall die, and there is where I shall be buried. May Jehovah do so to me and add to it if anything but death should make a separation between me and you.” (1:15-17) However, the widowed and childless Naomi, whose name means  “My Pleasantness,” suggests for herself the name Mara, meaning “Bitter.”

5. What fine qualities does Ruth display, and how does Boaz encourage her?

⁵ Ruth gleans in the field of Boaz (2:1-23). On arrival in Bethlehem, Ruth obtains Naomi’s permission to glean in the barley harvest. Boaz, the owner of the field, an elderly Jew and near kinsman of her father-in-law, Elimelech, notices her. Though God’s law grants her gleaner’s rights, Ruth shows meekness by asking permission to work in the field. (Lev. 19:9, 10) This is readily granted, and Boaz tells her to glean only in his field with his young women. Saying that he has heard of her loyal conduct toward Naomi, he encourages her with the words: “May Jehovah reward the way you act, and may there come to be a perfect wage for you from Jehovah the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge.” (Ruth 2:12) That evening Ruth generously shares the fruits of her labor with Naomi and explains that her success in gleaning is due to the goodwill of Boaz. Naomi sees in this the hand of Jehovah, saying: “Blessed be he of Jehovah, who has not left his loving-kindness toward the living and the dead. . . . The man is related to us. He is one of our repurchasers.” (2:20) Yes, Boaz is a near relative, who can legally raise up offspring for Naomi in the name of the dead Elimelech. Ruth continues to glean in the fields of Boaz until the barley harvest and the wheat harvest come to an end.

6. How does Ruth request marriage by repurchase, and what response does Boaz make?

⁶ Boaz, as repurchaser, marries Ruth (3:1–4:22). Having grown too old herself for bearing offspring, Naomi now instructs Ruth to substitute for her in marriage by repurchase. At such an important season, it was customary for the landowner personally to supervise the winnowing out of the grain, which was done in the evening in order to catch the breezes that blew after a hot day. Boaz would be sleeping at the threshing floor, and that is where Ruth finds him. She comes quietly to him, uncovers him at his feet, and lies down. On his awaking at midnight, she identifies herself and, in compliance with the customary procedure followed by women when claiming the right to brother-in-law marriage, requests that he spread his skirt over her. * Boaz declares, “Blessed may you be of Jehovah, my daughter,” and commends her for not going after the young men out of passion or greed. Far from being one who would make a proposal of impure relationship, Ruth makes a reputation as “an excellent woman.” (3:10, 11) However, as he now tells her, there is another repurchaser more closely related than himself; he will consult with this one in the morning. Ruth keeps lying at his feet until early morning. Then he presents her with a gift of grain, and she returns to Naomi, who anxiously inquires about the outcome.

7. How does Boaz negotiate the marriage, and what blessing results?

⁷ Boaz goes up early to the city gate to seek the repurchaser. Taking ten of the older men of the city as witnesses, he gives this next of kin first opportunity to purchase all that had belonged to Elimelech. Will he do this? His immediate answer is yes when it appears that he can increase his wealth. However, when he learns of the requirement that he perform brother-in-law marriage with Ruth, he becomes fearful for his own inheritance and then legally signifies his refusal by drawing off his sandal. In the Bible record he remains nameless, receiving only dishonorable mention as “So-and-so.” Before the same witnesses, Boaz then purchases Ruth as his wife. Is this for any selfish reason? No, but that “the name of the dead man may not be cut off.” (4:1, 10) All the onlookers ask Jehovah’s blessing on this loving arrangement, and wonderful indeed does that blessing prove to be! Ruth bears a son to Boaz in his old age, and Naomi becomes nurse to the child. He is called “a son . . . to Naomi” and is named Obed.​—4:17.

8. What further indicates that the production of the Seed of promise is by Jehovah’s arrangement?

⁸ The closing verses of Ruth give the genealogy from Perez, through Boaz, to David. Some critics have argued that not all the generations are listed, as the time span is too great for so few persons. Is this true? Or was each one blessed with great longevity and with a son in his old age? The latter conclusion could be the correct one, emphasizing that the production of the promised Seed is by Jehovah’s arrangement and undeserved kindness, and not by the natural power of man. On other occasions Jehovah exercised his power in a similar way, as with the births of Isaac, Samuel, and John the Baptizer.​—Gen. 21:1-5; 1 Sam. 1:1-20; Luke 1:5-24, 57-66.

WHY BENEFICIAL

9. In what respects are the principal persons in the drama of Ruth fine examples for us today?

⁹ This delightful record is certainly beneficial, helping lovers of righteousness to build strong faith. All the principals in this exciting drama showed outstanding faith in Jehovah, and they “had witness borne to them through their faith.” (Heb. 11:39) They became fine examples for us today. Naomi exhibited deep confidence in the loving-kindness of Jehovah. (Ruth 1:8; 2:20) Ruth  willingly left her homeland to pursue the worship of Jehovah; she proved herself to be loyal and submissive, as well as a willing worker. It was Boaz’ keen appreciation of Jehovah’s law and his humble acquiescence in doing Jehovah’s will, as well as his love for the faithful Naomi and the industrious Ruth, that led him to perform his privilege of marriage by repurchase.

10. Why should the record in Ruth strengthen our confidence in the Kingdom promises?

¹⁰ Jehovah’s provision of marriage, and in this instance marriage by repurchase, was used to his honor. Jehovah was the Arranger of the marriage of Boaz and Ruth, and he blessed it according to his loving-kindness; he used it as a means of preserving unbroken the royal line of Judah leading to David and finally to the Greater David, Jesus Christ. Jehovah’s watchful care in producing the Kingdom Heir according to his legal provision should strengthen our assurance and make us look forward with confidence to the fulfillment of all the Kingdom promises. It should stimulate us to be busy in the modern-day harvest work, confident of a perfect wage from Jehovah, the God of spiritual Israel, under whose ‘wings we have come to seek refuge’ and whose Kingdom purposes are advancing so gloriously to their complete fulfillment. (2:12) The book of Ruth is another essential link in the record leading up to that Kingdom!

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