Ruth is a story of faithful love in the midst of loss. As Naomi and Ruth return to Bethlehem, ordinary acts of loyalty, generosity, courage, and integrity become part of a larger story of redemption.
This chapter-by-chapter study invites us to recognize God’s care, consider how we treat people who are vulnerable, and follow Jesus Christ through dependable love in everyday life.
Chapter Index
Explore the Chapters
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Ruth 1 — Faithful Love in a Season of Loss
Understanding the Scriptures Ruth 1 begins during the troubled period of the judges. A famine causes Elimelech and Naomi to leave Bethlehem with their two sons and settle in Moab. While there, Elimelech dies. The sons marry Moabite women, Ruth and Orpah, but approximately ten years later both sons also die.
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Ruth 2 — Finding Grace in the Field
Understanding the Scriptures Ruth 2 begins with Naomi and Ruth facing the practical reality of survival. Ruth asks permission to glean—to gather grain left behind by harvesters for people who were poor or socially vulnerable. She goes to work and “happens” to enter a field belonging to Boaz, a relative of Naomi’s late husband.
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Ruth 3 — Courage, Integrity, and Waiting for Redemption
Understanding the Scriptures Ruth 3 begins with Naomi seeking long-term security for Ruth. The barley harvest has provided immediate food, but Naomi recognizes that Ruth still needs a stable future. Knowing that Boaz is a family redeemer, Naomi develops a plan for Ruth to approach him privately at the threshing floor.
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Ruth 4 — Redemption That Restores a Future
Understanding the Scriptures Ruth 4 begins with Boaz going to the city gate, where legal and community matters were settled. When the nearer family redeemer passes by, Boaz invites him to sit with ten elders and explains the situation involving Naomi’s land and Ruth.