Introduction to Ruth

This is the introduction I wrote for my Ugandan friends:

Ruth. Ruth was a Moabite woman who, after the death of her Judean husband, chooses to return to Judah with her mother-in-law Naomi. Her faithfulness to her mother-in-law gets the attention of Boaz, a relative of Naomi’s late husband. Boaz marries Ruth and through this marriage, she becomes the great grandmother of King David (Ruth and Boaz’s son is Obed, who is the father of Jesse, who is the father of David.) This book was written during the time of the late judges and serves as a bridge between the time of the judges and the time of the kings. The author is unknown.

This very short book can be outlined as follows:

·        Ruth 1              Ruth and Naomi

·        Ruth 2:1-4:17  Ruth and Boaz

·        Ruth 4:18-22   David’s genealogy from Perez.

            A vital lesson from Ruth is that loyalty and faithfulness are rewarded by God.