Philippe R. Sterling¹

Pastor
Vista Ridge Bible Fellowship
Lewisville, TX

I. INTRODUCTION

This article aims to unfold the theological message of the Book of Ruth by means of a broad literary study of its narrative, rooted in exegesis. The composition includes a literary analysis of the narrative, a comparison with literary parallels in Scripture, and an exposition of the theological message.

II. LITERARY ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK OF RUTH

The literary analysis of the book of Ruth is comprised of a synthetic exegetical summary of its narrative, a detailed literary exposition of its narrative, and a layout of its overall literary structure.

A. Synthetic Exegetical Summary

1. Introduction (1:1-6).

a. In a time of famine during the period of the Judges, Elimelech and his family migrate from Bethlehem to Moab (1-2).

b. Elimelech dies and his two sons marry Ruth and Orpah, Moabite women. Then the sons also die, leaving their mother, Naomi, bereft of her whole family (3-5).

c. Naomi decides to return from Moab because she hears that Yahweh has provided food for His people (6).

2. First Episode (1:7-22).

a. Naomi, accompanied by her two daughters-in-law, departs from Moab to return to Judah (7).

b. Naomi dissuades Orpah from going with her but fails to dissuade Ruth, who declares her loyalty to Naomi, her people, and her God, then continues with her to Bethlehem (8-19a).

1) Naomi counsels Ruth and Orpah to return home and prays that Yahweh will deal with them in loyal-love and grant them rest in marriage. However, they express their desire to remain with her (8-10).

2) Naomi justifies her counseling them to return by citing both her inability to provide them with husbands and her bitter situation caused by Yahweh. As a result, Orpah leaves, but Ruth clings to Naomi (11-14).

3) Naomi advises Ruth to follow Orpah, but Ruth declares her loyalty to Naomi, her people, and her God, then journeys with her back to Bethlehem (15-19a). Having pointed out Orpah’s return to her own people and gods, Naomi advises Ruth to return with Orpah (15). Ruth tells Naomi to cease urging her to leave because she is determined—until death—to identify with Naomi, her people, and her God (16-17). Seeing Ruth’s determination, Naomi accepts her decision, and together they journey on to Bethlehem (18-19a).

c. Having arrived in Bethlehem, stirring up the city with her return, Naomi speaks to the women of the city, ascribing to Yahweh the responsibility for her bitter situation (19b-21).

d. The author provides a summation of Ruth 1 and a transition to chapter 2: Naomi and Ruth the Moabitess return to Bethlehem from Moab at the beginning of the barley harvest (22).

3. Second Episode (2:1-23).

a. Ruth obtains Naomi’s permission to glean and providentially comes to the field of Boaz, a worthy relative of Naomi. Parenthesis: Naomi has a kinsman by the name of Boaz, a man of noble character from the family of Elimelech (1).

1) Ruth obtains permission from Naomi to go glean in a field (2).

2) Ruth providentially comes to the field belonging to Boaz, the kinsman of Elimelech (3).

b. Boaz extends protection and provision to Ruth because of her devotion to Naomi, with the result that she accepts his favor and completes her gleaning (4-18a).

1) Having come from Bethlehem and exchanged blessings with his reapers, Boaz questions his overseer about Ruth and learns that she is the Moabite girl who returned with Naomi and that she has been gleaning all morning (4-7).

2) Boaz extends protection and provision to Ruth because of her devotion to Naomi, with the result that she graciously accepts his favor (8-14).

3) Boaz instructs Ruth to remain in his field with his workers and to refresh herself from his vessels of water. Overwhelmed by his kindness, she asks why she has found such favor, since she is a stranger (8-10). Boaz justifies his kindness to Ruth by citing her faithfulness to Naomi, then blesses her. As a result, she graciously accepts his favor (11-13). At mealtime, Boaz continues to show kindness to Ruth by giving her more food than she is able to eat (14).

4) Boaz instructs his reapers not to molest Ruth and to leave extra gleanings for her. She gleans until evening, beats out an epha of barley, then returns to the city (15-18a).

c. Ruth cites Boaz’s kindness to Naomi and herself. Naomi, discerning Yahweh’s providence, counsels her to continue gleaning in Boaz’s field with his maids (18b-22).

1) Naomi, seeing what Ruth gleaned, asks where she worked. Ruth reports that she worked with Boaz (18b-19).

2) Naomi praises Yahweh for his loyal-love and tells Ruth that Boaz is a close relative. Ruth responds by reporting his instruction for her to join his servants until they finish the barley harvest (20-21).

3) Naomi counsels Ruth to stay in Boaz’s field and to go out with his maids (22).

d. Epilogue. Ruth gleans until the end of the barley and wheat harvests and lives with her mother-in-law (23).

4. Third Episode (3:1-18).

Ruth goes to the threshing floor and follows Naomi’s plan for claiming Boaz as kinsman-redeemer by looking her best, uncovering Boaz’s feet, and then lying down (1-6).

a. Because Ruth is a woman of noble character, Boaz responds to her claiming him as kinsman-redeemer by vowing to redeem her if a closer relative does not. In the morning, he fills her cloak with barley before returning to the city (7-15).

1) Ruth follows Naomi’s instructions. When Boaz awakens and asks her to identify herself, she does so, then claims him as kinsman-redeemer by requesting that he cover her with his robe (7-9).

2) Boaz blesses Ruth for her act of loyal-love in choosing him over younger men. Because Ruth is a woman of noble character, he pledges to secure her redemption, provided that a closer relative does not. He instructs her to lie down until morning (10-13).

3) Ruth lies at Boaz’s feet until morning, then rises early. Boaz instructs the threshers not to let it be known that Ruth has been there, fills her cloak with six measures of barley, then leaves for the city (14-15).

b. Ruth reports to Naomi all that Boaz said and did. Naomi advises her to wait until Boaz settles the matter that day (16-18).

5. Fourth Episode (4:1-12).

a. The close relative surrenders his right of redemption to Boaz after he is told that in redeeming the field of Elimelech, he would also have to acquire Ruth the Moabitess as his wife (1-8).

1) Boaz goes to the city gate and sets the stage for the redemption procedure by inviting the close relative and the elders of the city to sit down (1-2).

2) Boaz informs the close relative of his right to redeem the field of Elimelech, and the relative agrees to do so (3-4).

3) Boaz then informs the close relative of the accompanying responsibility to acquire Ruth the Moabitess as wife in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance. Upon learning this, the relative surrenders his right of redemption to Boaz for fear of jeopardizing his own inheritance (5-6).

Parenthesis: The procedural custom for confirming a transaction of redemption and exchange was that one party removed his sandal and gave it to another (7).

4) The close relative removes his sandal after advising Boaz to buy the land (8).

b. Boaz publicly redeems all that belonged to Elimelech and acquires Ruth as his wife in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance (9-10).

c. The people and the elders of the city witness the transaction and bless the couple by praying for fertility, prosperity, and perpetuity of name (11-12).

6. Conclusion (4:13-17a).

a. Boaz and Ruth consummate their marriage, and Yahweh enables her to conceive so that she gives birth to a son (13).

b. The women of the city praise Yahweh for blessing Naomi. They name the child, whom she adopts, Obed (14-17a).

1) The women of the city praise Yahweh for His provision of a redeemer for Naomi through the faithfulness of Ruth (14-15).

2) Naomi adopts the child (16).

3) The women of the city name the child Obed (17a).

7. Genealogy.

The genealogy of Perez is traced to David; Boaz and Obed are listed in the seventh and eighth generations, respectively. (4:17b-22).

8. Message.

God providentially worked through the faithful acts of Ruth and Boaz in order to restore Naomi to fullness and to bring about the birth of Obed, the grandfather of David.

B. Literary Exposition of the Narrative

The literary exposition defines where each unit of the text begins and ends, discerns the configuration of its component parts, develops the plot and characters, and delineates the theological ideas and connotations uncovered. The exposition will proceed section by section through the Book of Ruth.²

1. Introduction: Elimelech and His Family in Moab (1:1-6).

The opening unit in third-person narration presents the characters, specifies their relationships, and describes their situation. This information prepares for the dialogue that will follow between Naomi and her daughters-in-law. It connects to the last unit of the book through a number of inclusios³ and has narrative affinities with patriarchal accounts in Genesis. The motifs are, for the most part, bleak (e.g., famine; sojourning outside the land; intermarriage with Moabites; three deaths). But there is a positive statement of God’s providence in giving food to His people.

The unit is made up of three sections. We can label verses 1 and 2 as sojourn, verses 3-5 as calamity, and verse 6 as return. Verses 1 and 2 have narrative affinities with the patriarchal famine/sojourn accounts of Gen 12:10 and 26:1: there was a famine in the land and so-and-so went to sojourn in such-and-such place. Verses 3-5 tell of the deaths of Elimelech and his two sons while in Moab, leaving Naomi bereft of her entire family. Verse 6 concludes the unit and provides a link with the next section via the word return.

The unit introduces the theme of Yahweh’s intervention. No reason is given for the famine and deaths, but the turnaround is attributed to Yahweh. Though used many times in the book’s dialogues, the divine name Yahweh is mentioned only twice in the narration (1:6; 4:13). Yahweh intervenes by ending the famine and by providing an heir.

The unit frames the book with chapter four through a number of inclusios. A ten-year period is cited in 1:1-6, while ten elders and ten generations are cited in 4:1-22. The story begins with a death and ends with a birth. There are references to historical eras: the story opens with the Judges and Elimelech—whose name means my God is king—and closes with David, the king appointed by God (1 Sam 16), providing a transition from the era of the Judges to the dynastic monarchy.

Elimelech, Naomi, and their two sons left Bethlehem because of famine; the bereaved Naomi and her two daughters-in-law now return to Judah because Yahweh has given food to His people. The key theological idea is Yahweh’s intervening by giving food to His people (1:6). The report comes to Naomi in terms of Yahweh’s action.⁴

2. Episode 1: Naomi and Ruth Return to Bethlehem (1:7-22).

In this episode, third-person narration gives place almost entirely to dialogue. Two scenes make up the discourse. The first is a farewell scene culminating in the departure of Orpah and the return of Naomi and Ruth to Bethlehem. The second scene describes their arrival in Bethlehem, with Naomi’s lamenting the tragedy that has come upon her.

a. Naomi, Ruth, and Orpah set out for Judah (1:7).

The episode links to the introduction through the repetition of the word return. She “arose…that she might return” in verse 6. They “went out…to return” in verse 7. The themes of famine and harvest also connect the first episode to the introduction.

The ideas of going and coming enclose the episode, which is dominated by a homecoming motif.

b. Scene 1, a roadside in Moab: Orpah returns home, but Ruth returns with Naomi (1:8-19a).

Three sets of speeches make up the farewell scene, which best divides into two sections. The first leads to Orpah’s departure. The second describes Ruth’s determination to stay with Naomi, leading to their return to Bethlehem. Naomi’s and Ruth’s invocations of Yahweh provide an inclusio to the three sets of speeches. Verse 8 cites Naomi’s invocation of blessing on her daughters-in-law for their loyal-love. Verse 17 cites Ruth’s invocation of Yahweh in an oath. The three sets of speeches are climaxed by the narrator’s comments, which emphasize the poignancy of Naomi’s plea and Ruth’s determination. The scene reveals a repeated alternation of advice and reception:

1a advice to leave (8, 9a)
1b refusal of Ruth and Orpah (9b, 10)

2a advice to leave (11-13)
2b refusal of Ruth (14)

3a advice to leave (15)
3b resolve of Ruth (16-18)

Though made up of two sets of speeches, verses 8-14 should be regarded as one unit. Two narrative reports follow Naomi’s two speeches (1:9a, 14), which are chiastic both in part and in whole:

a b c
A Then she kissed them
B and they lifted up their voice and wept
B’ and they lifted up their voice and wept again

c’ b’ a’
A’ and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law

c” b” a”
but Ruth clung to her

The chiasm of 1:9-14 skillfully rounds off Naomi’s persuading Orpah to return. The placement of Ruth’s action accentuates the contrast between her and Orpah. Orpah returns, whereas Ruth remains and demonstrates her loyalty and devotion to Naomi. Ruth and Orpah first appear similar: they are both Moabite wives of Naomi’s sons, both childless widows, and both loyal to Naomi. The difference between them appears gradually, making a dramatic impact.

Naomi’s first speech of dissuasion shows this structure:

A go, return each of you to her mother’s house
B may Yahweh deal in loyal-love with you
C as you have dealt with the dead and with me
B’ Yahweh grant that you may find security
A’ each in the house of her husband

Naomi invokes the loyal-love (ḥesed)⁵ of Yahweh. At the heart of her speech, both in structure and content, are these Moabite women who are models of loyal-love. She puts forward the past loyalty of human beings as the basis for invoking the loyal-love of Yahweh. Naomi prays specifically that they find security. Significantly, in 3:1 it will be Naomi who seeks rest for Ruth. Prayer is one of the key devices by which the author develops a providence theology. The devout prayer in verse 9 for a home will become a reality in 3:1, when Naomi assumes her role of responsibility after discerning Yahweh’s ḥesed.

Naomi’s second speech of dissuasion (11-13) has three refrains, each containing the term my daughters: (1) return my daughters; (2) return my daughters, go; (3) no, my daughters. Naomi’s insistence intensifies as she moves from refrain to refrain. Three times she counsels them to turn back, each time citing a reason. The first two reasons are presented in the form of rhetorical questions that mention her inability to provide them with husbands. This foreshadows the resolution of the problem through Ruth’s marriage to Boaz. The third reason is a declaration of God’s opposition to her. She laments that Yahweh has turned against her. Theologically, this reveals once more that events do not happen by chance; God is sovereign and arranges life’s circumstances.

The second section (1:15-19a) is made up of a seven-link chain of verbs of motion:

your sister-in-law has returned
return after her
do not urge me to return
where you go
I will go
she saw she was determined to go with her
they went until they came

There are three occurrences of return, three of go, and one of came. The linking chain of verbs of motion ends with the new verb came. This effectively knits the section together and brings it to a climax.

In each of the dialogues, Naomi makes a reference to deity (8-9, 13, 15). Her arguments make use of national, personal, and religious motives. She makes use of the national motive in her first speech that urges the women to return. In their first refusal, the women indicate their determination to return to Naomi’s people. In her second speech, Naomi ignores the national motive and focuses on the personal one of childlessness and marriage. This argument convinces Orpah. With Ruth, she again takes up the national motive and adds a religious one. Ruth’s reply is that she identifies totally with Naomi’s people and God. She even implicitly responds to the personal argument by saying that they will share identical fates.

Ruth’s speech (16, 17) gives the motivation for her decision to accompany Naomi and displays the following structure:

Ruth’s supplication to Naomi:

1. where you may go, I want to go
2. where you may stay, I want to stay
3. your people, my people
4. your God, my God
5. where you may die, I want to die
6. and there I want to be buried

In this list, 1-2 and 5-6 form the framework for 3-4. The central position of 3-4 accentuates Ruth’s total identification with Naomi’s nationality and faith. Following Ruth’s declaration of motivation is an oath that invokes Yahweh, suggesting that Ruth is joining the people whose God is Yahweh. Together, the oath and the six motivations accentuate the extraordinary faithfulness of Ruth.⁶

c. Scene 2, a street in Bethlehem: Naomi and Ruth arrive in Bethlehem (1:19b-22).

The arrival scene describes the reaction of the women of Bethlehem to Naomi’s return and, through Naomi’s words, underscores, the tragedy that has befallen her. The scene links with 1:7-19a through the repetition of they came to Bethlehem (19a, b). The unit, as a whole, is also enclosed by the repetition of they came to Bethlehem (19b, 22).

The band of Bethlehemite women functions as a feminine chorus, a group of interested spectators who sympathize with Naomi’s misfortunes. The narrator uses the encounter as an opportunity to give expression to the spiritual sentiment evoked by the narrative’s action. This feminine chorus will return at the story’s conclusion, when the women comment on the course of events.

Naomi’s response to the curious women is a theological interpretation of her condition. Her name Naomi, which means pleasant, is inappropriate. Mara, which means bitter, is a more appropriate description of her plight. Yahweh is pitted against her. A chiastic structure explains the bitterness in her life as a divine curse:

A for Shaddai has dealt very bitterly with me
B I went out full but Yahweh has brought me back empty
B’ why do you call me Naomi, since Yahweh has witnessed against me
A’ and Shaddai has afflicted me

The two middle lines reiterate Naomi’s calamity as they contrast fullness and sweetness with emptiness and affliction. In Genesis, Shaddai promised fertility and the preservation of life (Gen 17:1; 28:2-3; 35:11; 4:4; 49:25), but to Naomi, Shaddai has brought death.

Naomi’s words form a legal complaint against Yahweh, who appears as her antagonist. She places her suffering in the pattern of God’s providence. The narrator will again pick up the word empty very effectively at 3:17, where the resolution of her plight commences. Ironically, as Naomi complains about her emptiness, Ruth—the one who will later give birth to a son for her—stands there unnoticed.

The key word repeated in this episode is return. It carries the movement and tension of the episode, which reaches its culmination in verse 22. Significantly, the episode ends by emphasizing that both Naomi and Ruth returned from the land of Moab.

The final sentence of chapter one summarizes the first episode, provides a ray of hope, and supplies a link to the next episode: “and they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.” The famine of verse 1 has been changed to the harvest of verse 22. God has given His people bread. Perhaps He will also change the bitter to sweet (cf. Exod 15:22-25) and the empty to full.

3. Episode 2: Ruth Finds Favor in the Field of Boaz (2:1-23).

Three interconnected scenes make up the second episode. The first (1-3) and the last (18-22), which involve Ruth and Naomi, frame the principal scene (4-17), which involves Ruth and Boaz. The first is introductory, preparing for the events of the principal scene.

The opening unit links to the close of the last episode through the references to harvest and harvesters, Ruth the Moabitess and Naomi, the fields of Moab and the field of Boaz. The fields of Moab were a place of tragedy. The field of Boaz will be a place of blessing.

Chapter 1 ends with anticipation. Chapter 2 appears to end without expectation. Like the first chapter, there is a summary statement that points to the next episode—when harvest is over, threshing begins (23).

The episode’s structure displays a symmetrical pattern with a focal point in the middle:

Editorial comment (1)

A Ruth and Naomi (2-3)
B Boaz and the harvesters (4-7)
C Boaz and Ruth (8-14)
B’ Boaz and the harvesters (15-16)
A’ Naomi and Ruth (19-22)

Editorial comment (23)

The meeting between Boaz and Ruth, being centrally situated in the structure and being the most extended section, forms the episode’s focal point. There is a frequent and rapid change of participants. Emphasis is placed on human emotions and relationships.

a. Parenthesis: The narrator introduces Boaz (2:1).

The episode opens by introducing Boaz in a parenthetical clause that arouses interest and suggests importance. Three brief phrases identify him. First, he is a kinsman of Naomi. The crucial importance of this family link will soon be seen. Second, he is an ’îš gibbōr ḥayil, a mighty man of character. This phrase is an idiom that can have a military, economic, or moral connotation;⁷ his subsequent actions will reveal which meaning applies to Boaz. In 3:11 Boaz calls Ruth a woman of character (ḥayil) on the basis of her actions. These two people of character are brought together. Third, Boaz is of the family of Elimelech.

b. Scene 1, house in Bethlehem: Ruth sets out to glean (2-3).

In the dialogue with Naomi (2) Ruth takes the initiative, but her actions depend upon Naomi’s approval. Ruth’s speech consists of two requests directed to Naomi. The second specifies the first and deals with permission to go to the field to glean, just as the Mosaic Law stipulated that the poor, the stranger, the widow, and the orphan be allowed to do (Lev 23:22; Deut 24:19-22). The imperative go places the emphasis first on Naomi’s approval, and then on Ruth’s action resulting from the approval, thereby stressing her loyalty to Naomi.

Ruth uses the phrase find favor. This brings to mind the find rest of 1:9 and suggests that the one in whose eyes she will find favor is also the one in whose house she will find rest. “To find favor in the eyes of” is a common idiom. It generally has to do with the attitude of good will and generosity on the part of those who have the ability to do a favor (Num 32:5; 1 Sam 20:3).⁸ The expression appears three times in this episode (2, 10, 13), each time with a slightly different effect. Here, it indicates that Ruth intends to request permission to glean.

Ruth goes by her own choice, but another dimension is going to impact the situation. The narrator describes this dimension: “She happens to come to the field of Boaz.” The expression suggests chance while also hinting that the event is caused. Naomi makes the connection in 2:20 when she states that Ruth’s meeting with Boaz was an expression of God’s loyal-love to them. It echoes Abraham’s servant’s prayer for divine intervention in the choice of a wife for Isaac (Gen 24:12). This reinforces the theological theme of the gracious providence of God. What is coincidence in human terms is providence in divine terms. The first meeting between Ruth and Boaz will happen because of a choice and because of “chance.” In the next scene the first thing that happens is the appearance of Boaz.

c. Scene 2, Boaz’s field near Bethlehem: Ruth meets Boaz (2:4-18a).

The second scene links with the end of the first scene by the repetition of Boaz’s name. Ruth chances upon his field and, coincidentally, Boaz arrives. This is “coincidence” on top of “coincidence.” Paul Humbert interprets it well: “Providence betrays its interventions by discreet and multiple signs.”⁹ The clauses “Boaz came from Bethlehem” (4) and “she went into the city” (18a) enclose the scene. Six sets of speeches make up the scene. In the first, Boaz and his reapers exchange divine blessings. Porten observes that not only does the divine hover over events (3), but He is on the lips of great and small alike.¹⁰ The second set of speeches occurs between Boaz and his overseer and gives information about Ruth. The next three sets are between Ruth and Boaz. The concluding dialogue is between Boaz and his workers.

In the dialogue with his overseer, Boaz receives information about Ruth (5-7). He spots the female stranger and asks who she is. The overseer identifies Ruth and gives information that moves the story forward. He echoes the language of 1:22 by replying that Ruth is the Moabite girl who returned with Naomi from Moab, and he informs Boaz of how diligently she has been working.

The focal point of the scene is the encounter between Boaz and Ruth (8-14). Expectation of this event was created in 2:1 where Boaz is introduced as a man of substance who is a relative of Naomi, carried further in 2:3 where it is said that Ruth came by chance to his field, and in 2:4-6 where Boaz receives information about her. Having that information, Boaz speaks to Ruth.

The first exchange between Ruth and Boaz consists of his instructions to her, and her deferential response. By means of rhetorical questions that assume a positive answer, as well as by means of negative and positive commands, he extends exceptional kindness, protection, and privileges to Ruth. His speech is composed of three parts: the first tells her not to go to another field; the second tells her to stay in his field and glean with his girls; the third assures her of his protection and his provision for her thirst. The command to cling to his girls echoes 1:14 where Ruth had clung to Naomi. Boaz’s concern elicits a threefold reaction from Ruth: she falls on her face, bows to the ground, and asks why she has found such favor since she is a stranger. Why has Boaz regarded this stranger?

Rauber observes that the stranger is one of the most important images in the OT.¹¹ It brings to mind Abraham and the patriarchs (Gen 21:1). It recalls Moses’ words at the birth of his son (Exod 2:22). It brings out the connection between the Israelites’ experience in Egypt and social obligation (Exod 22:11; Lev 25:23). Ruth’s action of breaking with her past in order to serve the God of Israel echoes the commitment of Abraham. The author’s technique here is to explore within this account the potent memory of a major theme in OT history. Boaz’s blessing in the next set of speeches will also echo God’s blessing of Abraham in Genesis 12. Ruth’s faith implicitly compares with Abraham’s.

The second set of speeches between Ruth and Boaz is composed of his answer to her question and her gracious acceptance of his favor. Boaz’s response includes an explanation and a blessing. He has heard of her loyalty to Naomi and of her extraordinary faith in leaving her land to come to an unknown people. Ruth, like Abraham, left the land of her birth and her people to go to a strange land. As God bestowed a blessing on Abraham because of his faith, so now Boaz bestows a blessing on Ruth. The break with the past receives the promise of blessing for the future. Boaz expresses his wish that Yahweh—under whose wings Ruth has come to take refuge—would complete her reward.¹²

In 3:9, Ruth will ask Boaz to spread his wing over her. Boaz’s blessing, like that of Naomi, will become a reality when he himself accepts the responsibility of protecting Ruth. The theological implication is that to pray or to bless includes having willingness to be the agent of bringing that prayer or blessing to realization. Boaz’s words bring comfort to Ruth. Her answer parallels her previous response. The phrase find favor in the eyes of forms the conclusion to her replies. Ruth accepts the favor shown to her, thus bringing to an end the tension created in 2:2 and amplified in 2:10. The kindness of Boaz and the humility of Ruth emerge as key elements of their character.

The last exchange with Ruth further heightens the kindness of Boaz. At mealtime, he addresses three invitations to her: come near, eat, dip. He proves to be one who gives far more than is required. Ruth seats herself next to the harvesters and, in response to Boaz’s three invitations, performs three acts: “she ate, was satisfied, and kept some over.” Her response is to eat, not to speak. She is a more-than-ordinary recipient. Not only does Boaz share food with her and even serve her, but he ensures special treatment for her from his harvesters.

Following the exchanges between Ruth and Boaz, the narrative turns to the dialogue between Boaz and his young men. He instructs them not to bother her and to leave her extra stalks of grain. He proves to be the means of protection and provision for Ruth.

After the commands of Boaz, the narrator puts the emphasis on the actions of Ruth. She uses to the fullest the kindness shown her, then returns to the city. What Ruth determined to do in setting forth to glean, she has done.

d. Scene 3, house in Bethlehem: Ruth reports to Naomi (2:18b-22).

The third scene completes the episode’s circular design. Ruth began the day by speaking to Naomi; Naomi now concludes it by speaking to Ruth. Their interactions frame the events in the field. In the first scene, Ruth took the initiative. Now it is Naomi who begins. She initiates and concludes the dialogue. There are three sets of exchanges between them.

The plentiful supply of grain that Ruth brings prompts a question and a blessing from an astonished Naomi. The question is posed using synonymous parallelism and is capped with a blessing. Naomi echoes Ruth’s words in 2:10 by using the term pay attention to in the blessing. Ruth had asked Boaz why he paid attention to a stranger like her and Naomi, not knowing Boaz’s identity, says, “May he who paid attention to you be blessed.” Ruth’s response is slowed for dramatic effect. The narrator presents her response first through indirect and then through direct speech. Her answer builds up to the climax in which Boaz is identified by name.

The name Boaz causes a turnaround in Naomi’s perspective. Discerning the providence of Yahweh, she blesses a second time the now-identified benefactor and informs Ruth that he is one of their family’s redeemers (goel).¹³ It is clear that Yahweh has not forsaken His loyal-love to them. He has initiated the sequence of events by which their problem will be resolved. There is suspense in this sentence structure, just as there was in Ruth’s response. The identification of Boaz as a goel is delayed until the end. This revelation opens the possibility of Levirate marriage. Naomi’s emptiness is beginning to be transformed. With her acknowledgement, Naomi includes Ruth in the family. The narrator, however, stresses Ruth’s alien status by calling her a Moabitess. Naomi’s observation prompts Ruth to cite Boaz’s instructions for her to remain with his servants until the end of the harvest. Naomi answers with words similar to those of Boaz, telling Ruth that it is good for her to go out with his girls so as not to be molested in another field. It appears that Boaz and Naomi unite as an older generation concerned with a young woman’s safety.

The ending of this episode parallels that of the first, though with a significant difference. While Naomi finishes the conversation in both, in the first she saw herself as alone and bitter, but she now sees Yahweh’s loyal-love coming through human agents. She introduces the motif of the redeeming kinsman.

e. Epilogue.

The last word does not belong to Naomi, but to the narrator. Ruth stays with Boaz’s maids and lives with her mother-in-law, once more showing her loyalty. This epilogue links with the previous scene through a chiasm:

A mother-in-law (18b)
B gleaned (18b)
B’ to glean (23a)
A’ mother-in-law (23b)

The emphasis on Ruth’s gleaning underscores her loyalty to Naomi. The first episode concluded with the beginning of the barley harvest, this one with the end. The future is uncertain, but after harvest comes threshing. Thus, the narrator implies the transition to the next episode.

4. Episode 3: Boaz Pledges to Redeem Ruth (3:1-18).

The third episode is parallel in structure to the second. There are three interconnected scenes; the first and last, involving Ruth and Naomi, frame the principal scene, which involves Boaz and Ruth. The focus of the episode is once again on the encounter between Boaz and Ruth.

Scene 1 – House in Bethlehem: Naomi proposes a plan (3:1-6)
Scene 2 – Boaz’s threshing floor: Boaz pledges redemption (3:7-15)
Scene 3 – House in Bethlehem: Ruth reports to Naomi (3:16-18)

5. Episode 4: Boaz Accomplishes Redemption at the Gate (4:1-12).

The near relative declines to acquire Ruth (1-8)

Boaz acquires Ruth (9, 10)

The people give their blessing (11, 12)

6. Conclusion: A Son Is Born to Naomi (4:13-17a).

Private Union: Boaz weds Ruth, and Yahweh enables her to have a son (13).

Public Celebration: The women of the city praise Yahweh for His blessing to Naomi and name the child, whom she adopts, Obed (14-17a).

7. The Genealogy of Perez (4:17b-22): The son born to Boaz and Ruth is in the line of King David.

8. The Literary Structure of the Narrative: Symmetric Structure and Theological Implications.

The literary structure of the Book of Ruth has theological implications. It acts as a vehicle to express the theological themes of human responsibility and divine providence. The structure accomplishes this by counterbalancing and juxtaposing the main elements of the story. Ruth and Boaz occupy important analogous positions. They are both contrasted to individuals who fail to carry out their responsibilities of kinship (1:8-18; 4:1b-8). They both prove to be people of noble character by acting responsibly and righteously (2:1-23; 3:1-18).

The theme of God’s providential work is brought out by contrasting Naomi’s afflictions with her blessings (1:19b-21; 4:14-17a). The two outer sections bring out the national setting and significance of the story (1:1-6; 4:17b-22). As two people of noble character act responsibly, God acts providentially to resolve Naomi’s plight and to fulfill His will for the nation in preparing for the birth of David, the future king. Even amidst the apostate period of the Judges, God blesses—and mediates blessing through—individual believers when they trust Him and commit themselves to Him. The central theological concept is the loyal-love of God and of faithful believers.

III. LITERARY PARALLELS TO THE BOOK OF RUTH

The Book of Ruth is a historical and theological short story set in the time of the Judges. It shows God—in order to bring about a special birth in the genealogical line of Judah—working behind the scenes in the lives of those who live righteously and responsibly before Him. It emphasizes the hidden aspect of the activity of God and the responsibility of God’s people to live in loyal-love and to cooperate with Him in working out the experience of blessing. Through the use of patriarchal allusions and the concluding genealogy, the book presents the progress of covenant history from Abraham to David. God providentially brought about the birth of His chosen king for Israel.

IV. THEOLOGICAL MESSAGE OF THE BOOK OF RUTH

The book of Ruth records God’s preparation for a special birth in the line of Judah. God providentially guided in establishing for Israel a ruling house whose eternal throne would be guaranteed in the Davidic Covenant that culminated in Jesus Christ. The genealogy of Jesus Christ found in Matthew 1 incorporates the genealogy found in the Book of Ruth and makes special mention of Ruth, as well as of Tamar—another OT woman in Christ’s ancestry. Matthew begins his genealogy with the heading, “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham.” His purpose is to emphasize that Jesus has His genealogical roots in Abraham and that He has come as a Davidic king in response to the promises made to the patriarchs. The Book of Ruth establishes the continuity between Abraham and David.

The Book of Ruth provides relevant life principles for God’s people in every age. Here are a few:

• Those who live righteously and responsibly before God may fully trust Him to lead them throughout their lives in the fulfillment of His purpose for them.
• Believers can endure difficult things knowing that in the end God will provide the fullness and completion they so desire.
• Believers should live their lives responsibly by serving the needs of others.
• Believers should be willing to be God’s agents in bringing their prayers for others to fruition.
• Until they are received to glory, believers may not know the long-range effects of their faithfulness.

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¹ The material for this article is adapted from Philippe R. Sterling, Unpublished Th.M. thesis, “The Contribution of Rhetorical Art to the Message of the Book of Ruth,” Dallas Theological Seminary, 1985.

² Among the great number of literary and rhetorical studies on Ruth, the following have been the most helpful: David Atkinson, The Wings of Refuge: The Message of Ruth (Downer’s Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1983); Cyril J. Barber, Ruth: An Expositional Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1983); S. Bar-Efrat, “Some Observations on the Analysis of Structure in Biblical Narrative,” Vetus Testamentum 30 (1980): 154-173; Adele Berlin, “Poetics in the Book of Ruth” in Poetics and Interpretation of Biblical Narrative (Sheffield: The Almond Press, 1983): 83-110; S. Bertman, “Symmetrical Design in the Book of Ruth,” The Journal of Biblical Literature 84 (1965): 165-168; E. F. Campbell Jr., “The Hebrew Short Story: A Study of Ruth,” in A Light unto My Path: Old Testament Studies in Honor of Jacob Myers (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1974), 83-101; E. F. Campbell Jr, Ruth: A New Translation with Introduction, Notes and Commentary (New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1975); J. de Waard and E. A. Nida, A Translator’s Handbook on the Book of Ruth (London: United Bible Societies, 1973); Barbara Green, “The Plot of the Biblical Story of Ruth,” Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 23 (1983): 55-68; Ronald M. Hals, The Theology of the Book of Ruth (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1969); Paul Humbert, “Art et leçon de l’histoire de Ruth,” in Opuscules d’un Hebraisant, (Neuchatel: Université de Neuchatel, 1958), 83-110; Oscar Loretz, “The Theme of the Ruth Story,” Catholic Biblical Quarterly 22 (1960): 391-99; J. C. de Moor, “The Poetry of the Book of Ruth,” Orientalia 53 (1984: 262-83; Jacob M. Myers, The Linguistics and Literary Form of the Book of Ruth (Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1955); Bezalel Porten, “The Scroll of Ruth: A Rhetorical Study,” Gratz College Annual of Jewish Studies 7 (1978): 23-49; W. S. Prinsloo, “The Theology of the Book of Ruth,” Vetus Testamentum 30 (1980): 330-41; Yehuda T. Radday, “Chiasmus in Hebrew Biblical Narrative,” in Chiasmus in Antiquity, ed. John W. Welch (Hildersheim: Gerstenberg Verlag, 1981): 50-117; D. F. Rauber, “Literary Values in the Bible: The Book of Ruth,” Journal of Biblical Literature 89 (1970): 27-37; Kiyoshi K. Sacon, “The Book of Ruth—Its Literary Structure and Theme,” Annual of the Japanese Biblical Institute 4 (1978): 3-22; Jack Sasson, Ruth: A New Translation with a Philogical Commentary and a Formalist-Folklorist Interpretation (Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press, 1979); Phyllis Trible, “Two Women in a Man’s World: A Reading of the Book of Ruth,” Soundings 59 (1976):251-79.

³ In the literary study of the Bible, an inclusio is a structural device which creates a bracket or frame by placing a similar word, phrase, or concept at the beginning and end of a section.

⁴ Yahweh visits His people in either judgment (Exod 20:5, 32:34; Lev 18:25; Deut 5:9) or blessing (Gen 50:24; Exod 4:31; 1 Sam 2:21).

⁵ Paul Humbert considered ḥesed to be the key to this whole story (p. 86). It occurs three times in the book (1:8; 2:20; 3:10). This is the great word at the center of God’s covenant relationship with His people. For example, Deut 7:9 connects God’s keeping of His covenant with His ḥesed. Nelson Glueck concludes, in his classic study of the word, that it can be rendered as loyalty, mutual aid, or reciprocal love (p. 102). Katherine Sakenfeld updates Glueck’s study and generally summarizes the meaning of the word as deliverance or protection as a responsible keeping of faith with another with whom one is in a relationship (p. 233). Their studies show that ḥesed can represent both human and divine conduct. In this passage, the two spheres are related. Ruth and Orpah conducted themselves in accordance with their family obligations. Naomi prays that Yahweh would do for them what she is unable to do—deliver them from adverse circumstances by providing them with husbands. The human ḥesed was the ground for invoking the divine ḥesed. Nelson Glueck, Ḥesed in the Bible (Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College Press, 1967); Katherine Sakenfeld, The Meaning of Ḥesed in the Hebrew Bible: A New Inquiry (Missoula, Montana: Scholars Press, 1978).

⁶ Ruth’s statement does not indicate a Lordship commitment in order to gain eternal life. Her statement may be akin to the declaration a believer might make at baptism concerning following Christ in discipleship and identifying with His people. Ruth may have come to faith in Yahweh earlier through the witness of Naomi concerning God’s promise to Abraham of a seed through whom all the families of the earth will be blessed. The Apostle Paul verified in Rom 4:1-8 (quoting Gen 15:6 and Ps 32:2) that both Abraham and David (Ruth’s great-grandson) were declared righteous before God by faith and not by works. Like them, Ruth would have believed the promise of God, and He would have it reckoned to her as righteousness. The genealogical line that leads to the Messiah, who promises eternal life to everyone who simply believes in Him for it, passes through Ruth and Boaz (Matt 1:5). The loyal-love Ruth demonstrates can be compared to the brotherly kindness and love that caps the qualities that Peter instructs believers to supply upon the foundation of faith in 2 Pet 1:4-11.

⁷ See Judg 6:12 and 2 Kgs 5:1 for the military connotation; 2 Kgs 15:20 for the economic connotation; and 1 Kgs 1:52 for the moral connotation. Boaz could be a man of valor, a man of wealth, a man of character, or all three.

⁸ For an extended discussion of the expression, see William L. Reed, “Some implications of ḥên for Old Testament Religion,” Journal of Biblical Literature 73 (1954): 36-41.

⁹ Humbert, “Art,” 91 (translation from French mine).

¹⁰ Porten, “The Scroll of Ruth,” 33.

¹¹ Rauber, “Literary Values,” 31-32.

¹² Boaz’s usage of the image of wings carries an implication of covenant loyalty. It reflects such usages as Deut 32:11, where the wings of the eagle symbolize God’s care for His people, and Ps 91:4, where Yahweh provides refuge under His wings for His covenant people.

¹³ The word goel is used in connection with human activity and metaphorically of divine activity. On the human side it is a term of civil and family law (Leviticus 25), of cultic law (Leviticus 27), and of criminal law (Numbers 35). On the divine side it is used in connection with God’s redeeming acts (Exod 6:6; Ps 74:2; Isa 43:1). The passages in Ruth have to do with human activity in the realm of civil and family law. The goel is the kinsman who redeems the property or person of a relative. The usage in Ruth combines the duty of Levirate marriage with that of redemption.