Book of Ruth

Ruth is, in secular literary terms, a pastoral romance, where the poor but good widow Ruth, and her equally-poor-and-widowed mother-in-law, Naomi triumph over all and become part of the Royal House of David. It's the best short story from antiquity.

Naomi had two sons by her husband Elimelech, Mahlon and Chilion. The family had emigrated to Moab (modern Jordan). Naomi's husband, and then her sons died, without issue; she was left with two childless daughters-in-law. Naomi set off for home into the land of Canaan (this was not yet the Kingdom of Israel).

She managed to send Orpah (Oprah Winfrey's mispelled first name) back to her home, but Ruth insisted on joining Naomi. At this point, the poetic and theological majesty of the book is made: Ruth 1:15-16:

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.

This is the hymn of the convert, the psalm to the rights of the convert.

So Ruth trudged back to suburban Jerusalem with her mother-in-law, to Bethlehem. Her mother-in-law, Naomi, was recognized with some cheer, but Naomi was bitter, as a woman with no living descendants, and only a widowed daughter-in-law as a companion.

In Chapter 2, we have the barley harvest, where Naomi has warmed up to her daughter-in-law, and gives her some advice. Naomi was related to Boaz, a man without a wife. When Ruth suggests she exercise her right to glean the after-pickings in the fields, Naomi encourages her, and gives practical advice on how to seduce Boaz.

Boaz is entranced by Ruth, and gives Ruth advice on how to cheat on the harvest. Boaz is also in love with how Ruth has been good to Naomi. Boaz does some ethnic things, and at the end, Ruth marries him, with Naomi occupying a priveliged space in the family.