During a terrible famine, a man of Bethlehem named Elimelech goes to live in the land of Moab, taking with him his wife, Naomi, and their two sons. The sons marry among the Moabites; but both Elimelech and his sons die in Moab. Naomi sorrowfully prepares to return alone to Bethlehem, telling her daughters-in-law to go home to their own parents.
But one of the young women, whose name is Ruth, says, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God; Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me.1:16–17
When the two women come to Bethlehem, Ruth goes out into the fields and says to the men, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves. . . .2:7
It happens that the field in which she gleans belongs to Boaz, a rich relative of Ruth’s dead father-in-law, Elimelech. Boaz notices Ruth; he sees to it that she is well and generously treated. Ruth bows before him, saying, Why have I found grace in thine eyes . . . seeing I am a stranger?2:10 He tells her that he knows of her goodness to her mother-in-law: how she left her own people to come here with Naomi to live among strangers. He gives her six measures of barley, saying, Go not empty unto thy mother-in-law.3:17
On her return home, Ruth learns from Naomi that this powerful man is their near kinsman.
As Naomi’s next of kin, Boaz has the right to buy, if he will, the land that belonged to her husband. He redeems this right. And with the purchase of the land he also claims the right to marry the young widow.
So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife . . . and she bare a son.4:13
And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.4:16 To Naomi it is as if she has a son in place of the two who lie dead in Moab.
From Ruth and Boaz is directly descended king David: for their son, named Obed, becomes the father of Jesse and the grandfather of David—who will one day be king of Judah and of all Israel.