The Story

In the days of the judges, there was a famine in the land of Israel — no rain, no crops, no bread. A man named Elimelech took his wife Naomi and their two sons from Bethlehem to live in the country of Moab, hoping to find food. But sorrow followed them: Elimelech died, and in time his two sons died too, leaving Naomi alone in a strange land with only her two daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, women of Moab.

Then Naomi heard good news: the LORD had visited His people in Israel and given them bread again. She set out on the long road home, and the two young women started with her. On the way, Naomi urged them to go back to their own families — she had nothing left to give them. Orpah kissed her and went back, weeping. "but Ruth clave unto her" — Ruth held on tight and would not let go. And then Ruth spoke the beautiful words of our memory verse: wherever Naomi went, Ruth would go; where Naomi lived, Ruth would live; Naomi's people would be her people, and Naomi's God would be her God — even to death. So the two women walked on to Bethlehem, arriving just as the barley harvest was beginning.

They were poor, so Ruth went out to glean — to gather the ears of barley the reapers left behind. The field she came to belonged to Boaz, a rich and godly kinsman of Naomi's husband. Boaz had heard all about Ruth, and he was very kind: she must glean only in his fields, eat with his workers, and his men left extra handfuls for her on purpose. He blessed her with a lovely thought: she had come "under whose wings thou art come to trust" — come under God's wings for shelter, like a baby bird. That evening Ruth carried home a big measure of barley, and Naomi's heart rose with hope: Boaz was one of their near kinsmen, who could redeem them.

Following Naomi's counsel, Ruth went to Boaz and asked him to do a kinsman's part for them — in her words, "spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman", asking him to marry her and care for them both. Boaz, an honourable man, praised her kindness: "all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman". The very next day he settled it honourably at the city gate with the one kinsman who was nearer still; when that man could not redeem them, Boaz did — and Ruth became his wife.

Then God gave them a baby boy! The women of Bethlehem crowded round Naomi with joy: "Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman". Naomi took the baby in her arms, and they named him Obed. And here is the wonder at the end of the story: Obed grew up, and "he is the father of Jesse, the father of David" — King David's grandfather! So Ruth, the poor girl from far-off Moab who loved and stayed loyal, was given a family, a home, and a place in the family line of David — and of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.