The Book of Ruth

The book of Ruth as a stand-alone entity is dominated by the theme of disinterested compassion. Ruth, whose identity is alien to Israel, nevertheless undergoes hardship and loss in the service of an Israelite, and she is eventually rewarded for that. The book of Ruth is something of a success story and advertisement for virtue. Equally, this text is a kind of introduction to the pivotal story of King David. David is a central figure in Jewish history, one of the few biblical figures whose historicity can be confirmed by non-biblical records; David's birth is thought to have been roughly coeval with the origins of Roman settlement (Campbell 502). Ruth was his great-grandmother, and it is easy to see why the family provenance of the future king of the Jews, who would exercise dominion over non-Jewish peoples as well as Jews, would be so necessary to establish as a feature of textual authority.

The book of Ruth can also be characterized as a mechanism of connection betwee

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as their wives. Elimelech and the sons died, leaving Naomi with two daughters-in-law. Determined to return to Judah, Naomi urges both of them to look for new husbands, but only one takes that advice. Ruth famously declares, "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" (Ruth 1:16). The statement is significant for the acceptance of the Jews' God, hence culture and norms. When Naomi and Ruth return to claim Elimelech's inheritance, Ruth becomes the object of a kinsman's affections. After a negotiation with his older brother, who has first pick of bride and lands to go with them. After a protracted negotiation and all manner of symbolic rituals associated with passing of title from one brother to another, Ruth becomes wife of Boaz, mother of Obed, who begets Jesse, who begets David. And we are off to the Saul, Jonathan, David, and the host of kingdom-of-Israel narratives that begin with 1 Samuel. According to Darr, what the book of Ruth "means" has been interpreted differently by different commentators. Citing the tragic fate of Elimelech and his two sons that opens the story, rabbinic
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Approximate Word count = 1561
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)

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