Category: Ruth Commentary List

1:1-22 TEN YEARS OF HARDSHIP IN MOAB When a severe famine struck Israel, Elimelech took his wife Naomi and their two sons across the Jordan and south to the land of Moab, in the hope of finding a living there. But...

2:1-4:22 START OF A NEW LIFE IN ISRAEL Ruth works in the field of Boaz (2:1-23) Back in Israel it soon became clear that God was in control of affairs in the lives of the two widows. According to Israelite law,...

Naomi’s plan (3:1-18) By the time reaping was over, the widows had put aside enough grain to last them till the next summer. But Naomi was concerned for Ruth’s future, and suggested that she marry (3:1).   One difficulty was that...

Boaz marries Ruth (4:1-22) Feeling the effects of the poverty of widowhood, Naomi decided to sell her late husband’s land. To prevent the land from passing out of the family, she had to ensure that it was bought (or redeemed) by...