20 Interesting Facts about Ruth in The Bible

20 Interesting Facts about Ruth in The Bible

Ruth’s story in the bible is reflected in the book of Ruth which is the eighth book from Genesis. The book is a story of Ruth and how she decided to follow her mother-in-law after her husband Mahlon died. Even as much as the mother-in-law tried to bless her to go back to her family and get married again since she was still young, she was focused on following her mother-in-law Noami. In addition, the words of Ruth to her mother-in-law Naomi have been the encouragement to many Christian couples Ruth1:16-17 “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried.”  She was not turning back!

Once they arrived in Israel at Bethlehem, the whole town was startled because they did not understand why Noami was back and without her husband or sons (Mahlon and Kilion) and why the Moabite girl was with her! Naomi’s husband came from a family that was well-to-do. Her relatives included a rich man known as Boaz who had fields of wheat. They went to ask for help from him and this man ended up marrying Ruth as advised by Naomi. Her life was well and she also helped her mother-in-law Naomi forthwith.

1. Ruth followed her Mother-In-Law Naomi

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She was married to one of the sons of Elimelech together with his wife Naomi. Elimelech died and later his sons also died as recorded in the bible the book of Ruth chapter 1.  When the sons died, Naomi went back to Israel, where she had come from before she was married. She asked her daughters-in-law Ruth and Orpah to go back to their homes. Orpah did but Ruth chose to follow her mother-in-law even when Noami tried convincing her that she would not have any more sons to marry than as she was old. Ruth, who was married by one of her sons Mahlon, was focused on following Noami as echoed in her words in Ruth 1:16-17 “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried.” 

2. She is Quoted in Many Marriages

In Christian circles, most of the wedding quotes reflect on Ruth’s words to her mother-in-law Noami Ruth 1:16-17 “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried.” In most cases in Kenyan Christian culture, the words are printed on wedding invitation cards. During the wedding, most of the speakers cite the bible verse to encourage the bride to ensure her marriage is sustainable just like Ruth maintained her marriage even after the death of her husband by following Naomi.

3. Ruth Greatly Supported Naomi

The bible verse in Ruth chapter two talks about how the two women arrived in Bethlehem but did not have any income. Ruth suggested to Naomi that she could go and work in the fields probably she would find favor with anyone. 

4. Naomi Blessed Ruth’s Work

Ruth 2: 3 Naomi gave permission to Ruth to go and work in the fields. It is seen as a verse that started opening the door for Ruth to work by gleaning in the fields behind the harvesters. By good luck, she was working in Boaz’s fields which was from the clan of her father-in-law Elimelech.

5. Ruth Meets Boaz

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When Boaz was introduced to Boaz by the harvesters, he offered her to stay and also asked her to drink from the water jars the mean had filled just at any time she was thirsty. Ruth was a very respectful woman, at the words of Boaz she bowed down (Ruth 2:10) with her face to the ground. This was a surprise to her as she was a foreigner.

6. She was Favored by Boaz

Ruth 2:5-6, Boaz arrived in his fields and found a woman who was gleaning behind the harvesters. He asked who the woman was and the harvesters replied that she was the Moabitess who returned to Israel with Naomi. In the conversation, Ruth overheard and pleaded with Boaz to let her glean. The Harvesters gave a good report to Boaz that she had worked the whole day with only a short rest.

7. Ruth’s Work Impressed Boaz

In the bible Ruth 2: 8, Boaz told Ruth very encouraging words “My daughter, listen to me. Don’t go and glean in another field and don’t go away from here. Stay here with my servants girl”. This verse exposition is that Boaz was very kind to Ruth having known that she is from his family. Ruth was obedient and followed Boaz’s instructions. 

8. Ruth was Loved for Followed Noami

Boaz was very happy that Ruth did not go back to her people but chose to follow Naomi. In fact, in Ruth 2: 11, he explained how pleased he was when he heard that Ruth left her father and mother and her homeland just for the seek of Naomi taking into account that the land was foreign to her.

9. Boaz blessed the Work of Ruth

Boaz said these words to Ruth when he realized that she had sacrificed to stay with Noami after the death of her husband and her father-in-law Elimelech. He said, “May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge”. 

10. Boaz gave Ruth special Treatment

Ruth 2: 13, Ruth was happy that Boaz gave her favour. The verse says “May I continue to find favor in your eyes, my Lord”. She was indicating that she was not Boaz’s one of the servant girls yet he gave her the honor to ask her to work with them. She continued to say “You have given me comfort and have spoken kindly to your servant-though I do not have the standing of one of your servants’ girls”. This statement shows that Ruth was highly favored by Boaz. Having to be included in the list of the servants he already had was a great favor.

11. Ruth was Given Food for Naomi

When she joined Boaz’s servant girls to glean in the fields, he asked her to go close to him and there he offered her roasted grain (Ruth 2:14). In addition, she had enough and had leftovers. it was a big honor for her to have been offered to dip bread in wine vinegar which was lunch for Boaz. As the owner of the fields, this was extraordinary. 

12. Ruth was Hard Working

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Ruth 2:15-16 posits that Boaz after offering Ruth lunch, ordered his men not to embarrass Ruth when she gathered among the sheaves. He went further to ask them to pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up without any rebuke.

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13. Ruth Discovers she is Related to Boaz

Ruth was in Boaz’s fields gleaning the whole day. By evening, she has gathered about an ephah when she threshed the barley (Ruth 2:17). In Chapter 2 verse 18 gives a recount of how Ruth carried the barley back to her Naomi. She even brought back the remains of the lunch she was offered by Boaz. During this time, Naomi explained to Ruth how related she was to Boaz.

14. Ruth is Advised by Naomi

Ruth chapter 2 and verse 23, Naomi advised Ruth to continue gleaning in Boaz’s fields and that she should keep working with the servants firls of Boaz because then she was out of danger. Ruth was in the fields until the wheat and barley were finished and all this time, she stayed with her mother-in-law, Naomi.

15. Ruth considers Marrying Boaz

Chapter 3 of the book of Ruth verses 1 and 2 is about Noami suggesting to Ruth that she should actually get a man to marry her. In addition, Naomi advised on where Boaz would be that evening and advised Ruth to go meet him as he was to be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. She advised Ruth that she should perfume herself and be smart with her best clothes. She was given ideas on how she was to ensure she was not noticed by anyone as she made her way to Boaz. The words in Ruth 3: 4, Noami blesses Ruth and tells her to go lie at his feet and that Boaz will tell Ruth what to do.

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16. Ruth Slept by Boaz’s Feet

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At the threshing floor as Boaz was asleep, Ruth 3: 5 to 9 posits that Ruth went and did as her mother-in-law had advised her. Ruth approached the place where he went to sleep when he had finished eating and drinking and he was in high spirits. She lay down at his feet. In addition, in the middle of the night, Boaz realized there was something and turned just to realize that there was a woman lying at his feet. Boaz realizing it was Ruth at his feet, requested her to stay for the night but promised to consult the elders in regard to her being his wife

17. Boaz Redeems Ruth

Boaz took ten elders of the town and recounted what had happened the previous night. He explained how Ruth got to the feet of the place where he slept in the fields and what he promised her. The man who was supposed to redeem Naomi since her husband had died. Her sons too had died and so the man to redeem her estate was also to redeem the women, hence, the redeemer turned the redemption down and Boaz agreed to redeem the estate together with Ruth who was Mahlon’s wife. Mahlon was one of Naomi’s sons.

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18. Ruth is Married to Boaz

The ten elders gathered by Boaz blessed him to have Ruth as his wife. They recited the blessings in the first book in the bible Genesis and said (Ruth4:11-12) “May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you have to stand in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. Through the offsprings, the Lord gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah”.

19. Ruth is Blessed with a Son

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Ruth 4:13 through 15 shows that Ruth was blessed with a son and she said to Naomi her mother-in-law “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a kinsman-redeemer”. The two women were happy to have a son who was a great blessing to them after their husbands had died and they seemed to have no hope but the marriage of Ruth to Boaz and the subsequent birth of a son brought great joy and hope for a generation. Additionally, Ruth’s son was taken care of by Naomi, and the neighbors were thrilled by the child Naomi was looking after Ruth’s son name was Obed.

20. Ruth is Included in the Geneology of David

Ruth was a blessing and she was in the genealogy of David when she gave birth to Obed. According to the bible Ruth 4:17 through 22, the bible reflects how Obed, Ruth’s son within the lineup of the kingship of Israel. The verses state that Obed was the father of Jesse, the father of David which dates back to the family of Perez.

Therefore, the Moabite woman, Ruth was in the genealogy of David because of her patience and love for her mother-in-law Noami whose husband was an Israelite from Bethlehem. Ruth taught us the importance of love and devotion. Her marriage to Boaz with a blessing to her mother-in-law and the whole lineage of David after she was blessed with a son who was named Obed by Naomi. The two women loved each other and also cared for one another, a lesson that every woman needs to learn from Ruth.

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