The Book of Ruth

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THE BOOK OF RUTH The Book of Ruth offers a fascinating short story about a non Jewish woman who married into Jewish family and became an ancestor of David and Jesus The Book of Ruth is one of the Bibles shortest books, telling its story in only 4 chapers. It’s main character is a Moabite woman named Ruth, the daughter in law of a Jewish widow named Naomi. It’s an intimate family tale of misfortune, crafty use of kinship ties and ultimately, loyalty. During a famine a man named Elimelech took his wife Naomi and their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, east from their home in Bethlehem in Judea to a country called Moab. After their father’s death, the son’s married Moabite women named Orpah and Ruth. They lived together for about 10 years until both Mahlon and Chilion died, leaving their mother Naomi to live with her daughters-in-law. Hearing that the famine was over in Judah, Naomi decided to return to her home, and she urged her daughters-in-law to return to their own mothers in Moab. After much dispute, Orpah acceded to her mother-in-laws wishes and left her, weeping. But the bible says Ruth “clung to” Naomi and uttered now famous words “where you go I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God” (Ruth 1:16). Once they reached Bethlehem, Naomi and Ruth seek food by gleaning grain from the field of a Kinsman of Naomi’s named Boaz. As they do so, Boaz sees Ruth gleaning, so he introduces himself and tells her that his workers will protect her and share their provisions with her. Ruth thanks Boaz; but then she questions why she, a foreighner should receive such kindness. Boaz replies that he has learned of Ruth faithfulness to her mother-in-law, and then he prays the God of Israel to bless Ruth for her loyalty. Hearing of Boaz’s interest in Ruth, Naomi then contrives to get Ruth married to Boaz by invoking
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