page_title: Ruth (biblical figure)
section_title: Book of Ruth
hierarchical_section_title: Ruth (biblical figure) / Book of Ruth
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Rembrandt, Boas und Ruth, Feder- und Pinselzeichnung, 17,8 x 16,9 cm, um 1637-40. Berlin, Kupferstichkabinett der Staatlichen Museen
context_page_description: Ruth is the person after whom the Book of Ruth is named. In the narrative, she is not an Israelite but rather is from Moab; she marries an Israelite. Both her husband and her father-in-law die, and she helps her mother-in-law, Naomi, find protection. The two of them travel to Bethlehem together, where Ruth wins the love of Boaz through her kindness.
  She is one of five women mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus found in the Gospel of Matthew, alongside Tamar, Rahab, the "wife of Uriah", and Mary.
context_section_description: Elimelech, a man of Bethlehem-Judah, with his wife, Naomi, and his two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, went in time of famine and sojourned in the land of Moab. There Elimelech died, and the two sons married, Mahlon taking Ruth as his wife, and Chilion taking Orpah—both women of Moab, where both sons likewise died. Naomi heard that the famine in Judah had passed, and determined to return home. Ruth, in spite of the dissuasion of Naomi, accompanied her mother-in-law to Bethlehem. The two women arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest in a state of dire poverty. Elimelech had an inheritance of land among his brethren, but Naomi will be compelled to sell it unless she can find a Goel, that is, a kinsman of Elimelech who could assert Elimelech's inheritance rights.
  Elimelech had a prosperous relative in Bethlehem whose name was Boaz, and who, like others, was engaged in the harvest. Naomi sent Ruth to glean in his fields, and, after he had spoken kindly to her and shown her some favors, she, still acting upon the advice of her mother-in-law, approached Boaz at night and put herself in his power. Boaz was attracted to her, but informed her that there was a kinsman nearer than he who had the first right to redeem the estate of Elimelech and that it would be necessary for this kinsman to renounce his right before Boaz could proceed in the matter. Accordingly he called this kinsman to the gate of the city before the elders and told him of Ruth's situation and his right to redeem the estate and to marry Ruth. The kinsman declared that he did not desire to do so and drew off his shoe in token that he had renounced his rights in favor of Boaz. Boaz bought the estate from Naomi and married Ruth. Ruth and Boaz became the parents of Obed, who became the father of Jesse, the father of David.
caption: Boaz and Ruth by Rembrandt
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