The story of Ruth

INTRODUCTION TO THE BIBLE

By Josette Flamand

The book of Ruth tells about a family from Judah that went to a neighboring country, Moab, to escape famine. A famine is a time when food is scarce because of a lack of rain or because of war. The family included a father, mother, and two sons, who married women from Moab. There was plenty of food in Moab, but the people there did not know God. Instead, they worshiped idols. After a number of years, the father and sons died, and the mother, Naomi, was left alone in this foreign country with her two daughters-in-law.

When Naomi heard that the famine in Judah was over, she decided to go back home. Her two daughters-in-law wanted to keep on taking care of her. But Naomi, who wished to see them happy, told them that they should go back to their own parents. One of the young women agreed to go back home, but the other one, Ruth, insisted on staying with Naomi.

She loved her mother-in-law and may have learned from her how to know and love God. She told Naomi, "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" (Ruth 1:16).

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