One-sentence summary:
A Moabite widow’s loyalty to her Israelite mother-in-law leads to her marriage to Boaz, securing her place in the lineage of King David and ultimately the Messiah.
Key themes & takeaways:
- Loyalty and Love — Ruth’s devotion to Naomi (“Your people will be my people, and your God my God”) is a model of covenant faithfulness.
- God’s Providence in Ordinary Life — Even in mundane events like gleaning grain, God is working out a bigger plan.
- Kinsman-Redeemer — Boaz fulfills the legal role of redeemer, symbolizing God’s redemption of His people.
- Gentiles in God’s Plan — Ruth, a foreigner, is woven into the messianic line, showing God’s plan includes all nations.
- Hope in Hard Times — The story takes place during the dark period of Judges, yet it shines with hope and restoration.
Historical/cultural context:
Ruth’s genealogy at the end ties her to David, and through him to Jesus (Matthew 1).
Likely set in the late Judges era (1100s BC).
The “kinsman-redeemer” practice protected family land and lineage — crucial in Israel’s tribal system.