Ruth the Moabitess | Women of the Bible

Key Scriptures: Ruth 1:1–18; Ruth 2–4; Matthew 1:5

Ruth was a Moabite woman who became the daughter-in-law of Naomi. Her story is one of loyalty, faith, humility, redemption, and the providence of God. Although Ruth was born outside Israel, she made a life-changing decision to leave her homeland and identify herself with Naomi, the people of Israel, and most importantly, the LORD God of Israel.

Her Name

The name Ruth is commonly associated with the idea of friendship or companionship. This meaning beautifully reflects the loyalty and devotion that characterized her relationship with Naomi.

Ruth and Naomi

Naomi had traveled with her husband, Elimelech, and their two sons from Bethlehem into the country of Moab because of famine. While living there, Naomi's husband died. Her sons later married Moabite women, Ruth and Orpah, but after about ten years, both sons also died.

Naomi was left without her husband and her two sons.

When Naomi heard that “the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread” (Ruth 1:6 KJV), she decided to return to Judah.

Naomi urged Ruth and Orpah to return to their mothers' homes and begin their lives again. Orpah eventually returned to her people, but Ruth refused to leave Naomi.

Ruth declared:

“Intreat 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 ought but death part thee and me.”
— Ruth 1:16–17 KJV

These words reveal something deeper than Ruth's love for her mother-in-law. Ruth was making a declaration concerning her people, her future, and her God.

Ruth Chose More Than Naomi

Some people follow after wealth, position, recognition, or personal advantage. Ruth had no promise of any of these things.

Naomi was returning to Bethlehem as a grieving widow. She could not promise Ruth another husband, riches, social standing, or an easy life. From a natural perspective, Ruth had very little to gain by following her.

Yet Ruth went.

Why?

Ruth had seen something in Naomi's life that caused her to make Naomi's God her God.

Ruth did not merely say, “I will follow you.” She said:

“Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.”

This was a defining moment in Ruth's life. She left Moab behind and entered a new life among the people of Israel.

God Had a Plan for Ruth

Ruth could not have known everything awaiting her in Bethlehem.

She arrived as a Moabite widow with no husband and little earthly security. Yet God was already working through circumstances Ruth could not see.

To provide food for herself and Naomi, Ruth went into the fields to glean behind the reapers. Scripture tells us that “her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz” (Ruth 2:3 KJV).

From Ruth's perspective, she simply went to work.

But what appeared ordinary became part of God's providential plan.

Boaz noticed Ruth. He had already heard about her faithfulness to Naomi and how she had left her father, mother, and homeland to live among a people she had not previously known.

Boaz told her:

“The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.”
— Ruth 2:12 KJV

That statement beautifully summarizes Ruth's spiritual journey.

Ruth had come to trust under the wings of the LORD God of Israel.

Ruth and Boaz

Boaz eventually became Ruth's kinsman-redeemer and husband.

Their marriage produced a son named Obed.

Scripture records:

“So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son.”
— Ruth 4:13 KJV

Naomi, who had returned to Bethlehem grieving and feeling empty, now held Ruth's child in her arms.

The women proclaimed:

“There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.”
— Ruth 4:17 KJV

Ruth became the great-grandmother of King David.

But her story reaches even farther.

Matthew 1:5 records Ruth in the genealogy leading to Jesus Christ.

The Moabite widow who left her homeland and placed her trust in the God of Israel became part of the lineage through which the Messiah came into the world.

What Women Can Learn from Ruth

Ruth teaches us that our past does not determine the limit of what God can do with our future.

She began her story as a widow in Moab. She entered Bethlehem as a foreign woman with very little material security. Yet she walked in loyalty, humility, diligence, and faith.

Ruth did not know the end of her story when she told Naomi, “thy God [shall be] my God.”

She simply made the decision to follow.

God took Ruth from Moab to Bethlehem, from widowhood to marriage, from gleaning in the field to becoming the wife of Boaz, and from obscurity into the genealogy of Jesus Christ.

Personal Application

There may be seasons when following God requires leaving something familiar behind without knowing exactly what lies ahead.

Ruth reminds us that faith does not always begin with knowing the entire plan. Sometimes faith begins with a decision:

Your God will be my God.

Ruth followed the God of Israel before she knew about Boaz.

She followed before she knew she would have a son.

She followed before she knew Obed would father Jesse.

She followed before she knew Jesse would father David.

And she certainly could not have known that generations later her name would appear in the genealogy of Jesus Christ.

Ruth could not see the generations ahead of her, but God could.

Her story teaches us to trust the God who already knows the end from the beginning.