Ngesikhathi kunendlala kwa-Israyeli, uNawomi umfazi omu-Israyeli wafudukela enarheni yakwaMowabi nendodakhe, namadodanakhe amabili. Nakukhamba isikhathi, indoda kaNawomi yahlongakala. Amadodanakhe atjhada uRute no-Oripa, abafazaba ngebakwaMowabi. Ngokudanisako, amadodana kaNawomi nawo ahlongakala.

UNawomi nakezwa bona indlala iphelile kwa-Israyeli, waqunta ukubuyela ekhaya. URute no-Oripa bakhamba naye, kodwana kuthe nabasendleleni, uNawomi wathi kibo: ‘Nibe bafazi abahle emadodanenami, naba bomakoti abahle nakimi. Ngifuna nina nobabili nitjhade godu. Yeke khambani nibuyele ekhaya kwaMowabi.’ Abafazi bathi kuye: ‘Siyakuthanda! Asifuni ukukutjhiya.’ UNawomi bekasolo abatjela ukuthi bakhambe. Emaswapheleni, u-Oripa wabuyela emuva, kodwana uRute wahlala. UNawomi wathi kuye: ‘U-Oripa ubuyela emuva ebantwini bekhenu nakibozimu bekhenu. Khamba naye.’ Kodwana uRute wathi: ‘Angekhe ngikutjhiye. Abantu bekhenu bazakuba babantu bami, noZimakho uzokuba nguZimami.’ Ucabanga bona uNawomi wazizwa njani uRute nakatjho njalo?

URute noNawomi bafika kwa-Israyeli kusikhathi sokuvuna ibhali. Ngelinye ilanga uRute wakhamba wayokuburuja iinsalela zekoroyi emasimini wendoda ekuthiwa nguBhowazi, indodana kaRarhabu. UBhowazi wezwa ukuthi uRute ngewakwaMowabi begodu bekahlala noNawomi kamnandi nangokuthula. Watjela iinsebenzi zakhe bona zitjhiye iinsalela ezinengana khona noRute azakudobhadobha.

Ngobusukobo, uNawomi wabuza uRute wathi: ‘Ngewakabani amasimu  ebewusebenza kiwo namhlanjesi?’ URute wathi: ‘Ngewenye indoda ibizo layo nguBhowazi.’ UNawomi wathi kuye: ‘UBhowazi sihlobo sendodami. Raga nokusebenza emasiminakhe nabanye abafazi. Uzokuvikeleka lapho.’

URute waragela phambili nokusebenza emasimini kaBhowazi bekwaba kulapho isikhathi sokuvuna siphela khona. UBhowazi wayelela ukuthi uRute usebenza ngokuzikhandla nokuthi ukhuthele. Ngeenkhathezo, indoda nayingahlongakala ingakabi namadodana, isihlobo sayo besitjhada nomfelokazi loyo. Yeke, uBhowazi watjhada noRute. Baba nendodana bayithiya bona ngu-Obede, ngokukhamba kwesikhathi waba ngubamkhulu weKosi uDavida. Abangani bakaNawomi bebathabile. Bathi kuye: ‘Kokuthoma, uJehova ukuphe uRute, begodu bekamuhle kuwe, njenganje ukunikele umzukulu. Akadunyiswe uJehova.’