Kwathi kulendlala elizweni lako-Israyeli, owesifazana okuthiwa nguNawomi wasuka waya eMowabi elomkakhe lamadodana akhe amabili. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi umkaNawomi wafa. Amadodana akhe atshada labesifazana abangamaMowabi okwakuthiwa nguRuthe lo-Opha. Kodwa amadodana kaNawomi lawo afa.

UNawomi wabuyela ko-Israyeli lapho esizwa ukuthi indlala isiphelile. URuthe lo-Opha bahamba laye kodwa bathi besendleleni uNawomi wathi kubo: ‘Belilomusa kimi lasemadodaneni ami kodwa buyelani eMowabi ukuze liphinde litshade.’ Bona baphendula bathi: ‘Siyakuthanda futhi asisoze sikutshiye.’ UNawomi wayelokhu ebatshela ukuthi babuyele. U-Opha wacina ebuyela kodwa uRuthe kabuyelanga. UNawomi wathi kuye: ‘U-Opha usebuyela ebantwini bakini lakubonkulunkulu benu, lawe buyela.’ Kodwa uRuthe waphendula wathi: ‘Angisoze ngikutshiye, abantu bakini bazakuba ngabantu bakithi loNkulunkulu wakho uzakuba nguNkulunkulu wami.’ Ucabanga ukuthi uNawomi wezwa njani ngesikhathi uRuthe esitsho njalo?

URuthe loNawomi bafika ko-Israyeli ngesikhathi kuvunwa ibhali. URuthe wahamba wayabutha ibhali ensimini yendodana kaRahabi okwakuthiwa nguBhowazi. UBhowazi wezwa ukuthi uRuthe wayengowesizwe sakoMowabi lokuthi wayengazange amtshiye uNawomi. Watshela izisebenzi zakhe ukuthi zitshiye ibhali enengana ukuze uRuthe athole okokudobha.

 Sekuntambama uNawomi wabuza uRuthe wathi: ‘Udobhe kuyiphi insimu namuhla?’ URuthe wathi: ‘Ngidobhe ensimini yendoda okuthiwa nguBhowazi.’ UNawomi wathi kuye: ‘UBhowazi yisihlobo sethu, qhubeka udobha ensimini yakhe lamantombazana akhe. Akulamuntu ozakuhlupha.’

URuthe waqhubeka esebenza ensimini kaBhowazi kwaze kwaphela isikhathi sokuvuna. UBhowazi wananzelela ukuthi uRuthe wayekhuthele futhi engowesifazana olungileyo. Ngalezonsuku kwakusithi indoda ingafa ingelabantwana abangabafana, isihlobo sayo sasithatha umkayo. Yikho uBhowazi watshada loRuthe. Babalomntwana okuthiwa ngu-Obhedi. U-Obhedi waba ngukhulu kaDavida. Abangane bakaNawomi bathaba kakhulu baze bathi: ‘UJehova wakupha umalokazana olungileyo futhi khathesi usekuphe umzukulu. Kadunyiswe uJehova.’