Ruth Study Guide

This study guide synthesizes lessons on the book of Ruth that I led (along with Carson Wong) for Maranatha Grace Church in March 2021. I share these thoughts and reflections for those who want to study and think about Ruth on their own or in a group Bible study. I encourage you to take a quick look at my comments on how and why we should study the Bible before proceeding.

I also encourage you to study the book of Ruth before and while you read this study guide. The process of study is simple but important. Try studying Ruth yourself by making Observations, asking Questions, and considering Meaning. Then compare your understanding with what Carson and I drew out (along with observations from folks in the class). 

This guide is divided by the four chapters of the book. So, read Ruth chapter 1 and jot down Observations, Questions, and potential Meanings before proceeding.

Chapter 1

Observations on Ch. 1:1-5

• Famine in Bethlehem region
• Naomi’s husband and two sons die
• Circumstances: likely destitute
• There are no children (a bit odd for two couples not to have any children in a ten year period)
  • Connection to Hannah, Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel - childlessness was not good
  • Sign of God’s displeasure or even punishment - Naomi saying: ‘call me Mara’ and ‘the Lord has afflicted me’
  • Visible and cultural sign of emptiness

Observations on Ch. 1:6-18

• Daughters-in-law were living with Naomi; probably caring for her
• They set out with her to Israel
• Naomi clearly loves them and wants them to be blessed with a husband: “The Lord grant that you may find rest…”
  • They wept when she asked them to turn back
• Naomi 
  • Left Israel in what was likely well known disobedience
  • Husband and sons die with no children
  • She can’t offer her daughters-in-law new husbands
  • She is widowed and destitute and likely bitter
    • “The hand of the Lord has gone out against me.”
    • “I went away full, and the Lord has brought me back empty.”
    • “The Lord has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me”
  • Bitterness in how the Lord has dealt with her
• Ruth commits to stay with her whatever may come

Questions

• What can we surmise about people’s ages?
  • Naomi’s boys were probably not of age when they left Bethlehem (unmarried, still with parents)
  • The wives, Ruth and Orpah, are also probably young (culture back then). They are probably still in their twenties, even after being married ten years (see what Naomi says to them)
• Who were the Ephrathites?
  • Seemed to be another name for the Bethlehem area “Ephratha” and so these were the people who lived in and around Bethlehem.
• Where is Bethlehem and where is Moab?
  • Bethlehem is in southern Israel - Moab was to the east
• Why is Naomi bitter and why does she think the Lord has done this?
• Why does Ruth stay with her?
• What is the context for this book?
  • It occurred during Judges 
  • What was the time of Judges like? There was a lot of wickedness. Every man did as he saw fit in his own eyes. There were really clear and obvious cycles of rebellion, punishment (by foreign occupation), and then God’s salvation of Israel through various judges.
    • “Do not work in another field lest you be assaulted” 
    • This also fits under the Mosaic Covenant - Deuteronomy 28
      • Blessing for obedience
      • Curses for disobedience
      • including famine (Deut 28:16-18) and exile (Deut 29:27-28)
    • Summarized in Deut 30:16:

16 If you obey the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you today, by loving the LORD your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. 17 But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, 18 I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess.

• Ruth was written down well after the events conveyed had occurred, probably by Samuel (chapter 4 talks about the custom “in those days” as in days in the past)
  

Meaning

• There seems to be no hope in chapter 1. 
  • Naomi left Bethlehem with husband and sons because of the barrenness of the land. She returns empty and barren with only her widowed and childless daughter-in-law.
  • She tells people to call her Mara because her life is bitter
  • She believes that even the Lord is against her, probably because it was not right for her and her family to leave Bethlehem during the famine to dwell outside of Israel (Moab) and to even marry their sons to Moabite women.
  • We can see in Naomi’s talk that she thinks the Lord is punishing her. In their culture (and ours) many people thought that their trials and problems were a sign of God’s displeasure and/or a punishment for their sins - and not without reason given the Mosaic Covenant. But we also should remember that God is gracious and does not deal with us as our sins deserve. He disciplines, chastens, and rebukes the one he loves.
    • John 9:1-3 is important to keep in mind too: 

“As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.”)

Now read through chapter 2 making observations, asking questions, and discerning meaning.

Chapter 2

Observations

• Boaz enters the scene. He is:
  • Wealthy (Owns fields, has male and female servants)
  • Older (In chapter 3 - “you have not gone after younger men”)
  • God-fearing (He greets his workers: “The Lord be with you!”)
  • Generous
    • Ruth can drink the water drawn by his young men
    • He invites her to join their meal and keep the leftovers
    • Has his men leave extra sheaves for her to gather from
    • Offers protection
• Ruth is 
  • Humble - “not one of your servants” - connected to Matthew 15:21-28:

“21 And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” 23 But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 And he answered, “It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.”

• Consider similarities with the “Faith of a Canaanite Woman.”
  • Both women who are not Jews
  • Both presumably poor and vulnerable
  • Both have faith and are rewarded/dealt kindly with by God
  • Both are deeply humble
• Diligent - “working early with only a short rest”
• Loyal and compassionate - caring for Naomi (her reputation is know)
• Naomi sees the Lord’s faithfulness and his activity in blessing Ruth (and herself)
  • “May he be blessed by the Lord, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead.”

Questions

• Why is Ruth going out to glean?
  • To gather food and provide for herself and for Naomi
• What are the rules, customs, and laws governing harvest, gleaning, and the poor?
  • There are actually many relevant biblical laws and commandments:
    • God’s commands Israel to care for the poor/sojourner (Leviticus 19:9-10):

“ “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. 10 And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God.”

• God commands Israel to leave some crop for the poor (Leviticus 23:22):
  

“And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, nor shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God.”

• God connects these provisions to their slavery (Deuteronomy 24:18-22)
  

 “You shall not pervert the justice due to the sojourner or to the fatherless, or take a widow's garment in pledge, 18 but you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this.
19 “When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. 20 When you beat your olive trees, you shall not go over them again. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow. 21 When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not strip it afterward. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow. 22 You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I command you to do this.”

Meaning / Application

• Shows us God’s character: provision for the weak and neglected
• Trusting God’s provision without being close-fisted
• Ruth is a model of how we ought to live - humble, quiet, diligent, faithful

Read through chapter 3 making observations, asking questions, and discerning meaning.

Chapter 3

Observations

• Naomi has a plan to find “rest” for Ruth, “that it may be well with you.”
• Ruth is dressing herself up, like for a wedding (or like a prostitute?).
• She is going to the threshing floor where Boaz was winnowing barley -it’s the end of the harvest and threshing floors at this time usually involved a lot of drinking and carousing (remember, this is the time of the judges too). She is to seek out Boaz alone, “uncover his feet,” and lie there.

Questions

• What does Naomi tell Ruth to do?
  • Wash and anoint herself and put on nice clothes
  • Go to Boaz’ threshing floor, uncover his feet, and lie down there
• Why?
  • Ah, why...To find rest for Ruth. But how?
• Naomi expects something to happen if Ruth follows her advice. What is it?
• Why hasn’t Boaz acted to redeem Ruth and Naomi earlier?
• Why does Ruth go through these rituals to get Boaz to act?
• What does dressing up, going to the threshing floor, and “uncovering” Boaz’ feet mean?
  • Some suggest this is euphemism for offering herself to Boaz for sex. There are different reasons for this. One of the weaker reasons is that the Hebrew word for “feet” has sexual connotations. There really isn’t much evidence of that.
  • Another reason some suggest this is a sexual encounter has to do with the context - party/drunkenness/dressing up/lying near Boaz intentionally trying to get him to notice her.
  • Also for context, the means of redemption at that time by the kinsman-redeemer was marriage of the widow of child-bearing years. So marriage, and sex, and having offspring are implicit in this interaction. Some have said that it would not be that unusual, or even wrong, in that culture for the man to consummate the marriage de facto while making it official after the fact.
  • However, all of this requires reading a lot into the story and ignoring other clear evidence to the contrary. None of these characters are going to recommend or do tawdry things at this point - Naomi wants Ruth to have rest. Ruth wants to care for Naomi and do what is right. Boaz is a noble God-fearing man.
  • Furthermore, the text itself gives us many reasons to doubt this. 1) Ruth doesn’t wake Boaz up to have sex - he wakes up on his own. 2) Not only is the idea that “feet” has a sexual connotation extremely thin, we can also see that Ruth laid down at his feet - meaning his literal feet. 3) Boaz knows he is not the closest redeemer, and so would not engage in the de facto consummation of marriage with the legal status in doubt - which is what most of chapter four is about! 
• How does Boaz respond to Ruth’s overture?
  • “I will do for you all that you ask”
• He gives her an abundance of grain as a sign of his love and his commitment to finding out if he can redeem her.
  • “The man will not rest but will settle the matter today.”

Application

• The integrity and character of Boaz should inspire us be “above reproach”
• Boaz’s initiative can also be a model for us. Do not hesitate or delay in doing what is right.
• Ruth demonstrates both courage and humility in this chapter when she obeys Naomi.
  • Her actions were not without significant risk of harm or exploitation
  • Her actions involved some element of sacrifice in not getting a younger husband
  • But God blesses her abundantly for being faithful and for honoring her mother.

Read through chapter 4 making observations, asking questions, and discerning meaning.

Chapter 4

Observations

• Boaz and another are “Kinsmen-Redeemers”
• Elders’ Blessings
  • Make the woman like Rachel and Leah - who together built up the house of Israel, for Ruth to likewise build up Boaz’s house
  • Act worthily and be renowned
  • The word “renowned” roughly translates to: “get power/recognition by training worthy sons and daughters”
  • So the blessing is: “Through your marriage to Ruth, make thyself a well-established name by having worthy sons who will make your name renowned”
  • House of Perez, son of Judah and Tamar… an example of God using a foreign woman to continue the lineage of Israel. The elders in the square recognize this and bless Ruth similarly, to have a son that will continue this lineage
    • The blessing is answered in the next paragraph, “The Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son”
    • It is further fulfilled, literally, through Christ who is the new Adam and builds the Spiritual Israel

Questions

• What is a Kinsman-Redeemer?
• Nearest adult male blood relative who serves as an advocate for any vulnerable or unfortunate clan member in order to maintain clan wholeness, well-being, or peace.
  • Functions of the kinsman-redeemer
  • To redeem impoverished clan relatives who were forced to sell themselves into servitude
  • To act as a blood redeemer - to avenge the killing of a clan relative
  • To act as a recipient of money paid as restitution for a wrong committed against a clan relative now deceased
  • To assist a clan relative in lawsuits so that justice is done
  • To redeem property once owned by an impoverished clan relative but sold out of economic necessity
  • To redeem the wife of the deceased, to raise up the name of the deceased, i.e. son, upon his property
  • To redeem or restore clan widow facing old age alone without anyone to care for 
    • Unless you are a brother, taking over this role is voluntary… while the kinsman-redeemer has the responsibility to perform this duty, he is not obligated to do so
    • The act of redeeming by the kinsman-redeemer points to the activity of the kinsman-redeemer points to God’s redemption of Israelites from Egypt 
    • Restoration of Lineage via Levirate Marriage (Deuteronomy 25:5-6):

“If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go into her and take her as his wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. And the first son whom she bears shall succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel.”

• What is this law about? Why is it necessary?
  • So the dead brother’s name may not be blotted out of Israel
    • Why is this important? 
    • It’s not for sentimental value… since later Obed is referred to as a son of Boaz, not Mahlon (also Gen 38, Judah/Tamar/Perez)
  • Property inheritance is at the root of levirate marriage, so the inheritance stays with the family and clan
    • Why is this a great sacrifice on the part of the redeemer?
  • He has to pay something to redeem the land, but the land belongs to the first son that is born to Ruth
  • This initial payment “jeopardizes” the redeemer’s inheritance, this is the cost
  • For he might just let the deceased remain without sons and take over the inheritance for himself and his sons.
• What is going on with the redemption of property? (Leviticus 25:23-25):

“The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine. For you are strangers and sojourners with me. And in all the country you possess, you shall allow a redemption of the land.
If your brother becomes poor and sells part of his property, then his nearest redeemer shall come and redeem what his brother has sold.”

• What is God saying about lands and properties here?
  • All are his
  • Israelites are strangers, sojourners - God gave this law to the Israelites to remind them of their status in these lands
• Why did the unnamed redeemer choose not to redeem the land from Naomi?
  • The unnamed kinsman-redeemer here can do one of three things
    • Go through with it, redeem land and marry Ruth
    • Redeem land and not marry Ruth, and risk his reputation in the community
    • He can cede his rights as a redeemer to Boaz, who’s next in line
  • Since the land belonged to Elimelech is owned by a third party, Naomi is offering the redeemer the rights to redeem the land
  • But acting as a kinsman-redeemer also means there are other duties as well, such as marrying Ruth and caring for Naomi, but the unnamed redeemer didn’t want to do this
  • None of this is required, but Boaz is appealing to the spirit of the law
• Why did the women of the neighborhood say “A son has been born to Naomi”?
  • Obed is God’s provision to Naomi as a kinsman-redeemer - “He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age”, through Obed, wholeness is restored to the family. He will support her in her old age

Application
What does this story mean for us, as Christians? How does this story fit into God’s redemptive history?

• It’s a story of restoration, a story of God extending love, forgiveness, and provision
• From reproach to restoration, emptiness to full, childlessness to child, bitterness to joy
• God uses Boaz to restore Naomi’s family, but that is only a picture of the ultimate restoration God brings to nature and to all who repent and believe in Christ’s work on their behalf
• It is no accident that this story is part of King David’s, and ultimately Jesus’, lineage
• Boaz is a type of Jesus, being the ultimate kinsman-redeemer
• Blessings come when being people act honorably, all 3 characters, Naomi, Boaz, and Ruth acted honorably

How are we to be like Naomi, or Boaz, or Ruth?

• Naomi
  • It’s not too late to return to the Lord
  • Recognizes God as sovereign and as active in the world. She attributed both the good and the bad to His will
  • She never abandoned or rejected God completely
  • A lesson: she missed God provision to her via Ruth because she is fixated on her hardship. Focusing on our trials and distress can blind us to God’s very present provision and kindnesses to us.
• Ruth
  • Loyal, compassionate, diligent, obedient - received honor, blessing, and praise for her character
  • Humble disposition - many times Ruth refers to herself as Boaz’s servant
  • She puts others above herself
  • 1 Peter 3:3-4  Do not let your adorning be external, the braiding of hair, the wearing of gold, or putting on of clothing, but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.
• Boaz
  • Integrity, honorable, “do the right thing” decisive
  • Generous - gleaning, trusting in God’s provision, model God’s generosity to all of us

The last chapter resolves the dilemma from the beginning of the book, the question of finding a home and a husband for Naomi (and by extension Ruth). While Naomi wished she could have another son for Ruth to marry, she knows that she won’t. Yet in the end it is Ruth who gives Naomi a son and a hope. And of course it is ultimately the Lord at work behind this: “the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son.” The women of the town knew this too when they said: “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! He shall be a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.”