RUTH

A Moabitess, who having returned with her mother-in-law Naomi to Judea, probably about the time of Gideon, soon afterwards married Boaz, a kinsman of Naomi. From this marriage descended David, and through him our Saviour Jesus Christ, Mt 1:5. THE BOOK OF RUTH contains this history, told in a most simple and affecting manner. The object of the writer, no doubt, was to trace the genealogy of king David. At the outset, he says that these events took place when the judges ruled in Israel-an intimation that in the time of the writer they had ceased to rule. At the close of the book the name of David is introduced; which shows that it was not written before his day, B. C. 1060. This book is inserted in our Bibles after the book of Judges, as a sort of sequel to it. Many of the ancient fathers made but one book of Judges and Ruth. The story of Ruth exhibits the frank and simple manners of the times, and the courtesy and charity of the Hebrew laws; gives an intimation of the future extension of the gospel to the Gentiles; and illustrates God’s providential care of families, and the blessings which flow from filial piety and faith in God.

---

Ruth. Ruth
A friend, a Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, whose father, Elimelech, had settled in the land of Moab. On the death of Elimelech and Mahlon, Naomi came with Ruth, her daughter-in-law, who refused to leave her, to Bethlehem, the old home from which Elimelech had migrated. There she had a rich relative, Boaz, to whom Ruth was eventually married. She became the mother of Obed, the grandfather of David. Thus Ruth, a Gentile, is among the maternal progenitors of our Lord (Matt. 1:5). The story of “the gleaner Ruth illustrates the friendly relations between the good Boaz and his reapers, the Jewish land system, the method of transferring property from one person to another, the working of the Mosaic law for the relief of distressed and ruined families; but, above all, handing down the unselfishness, the brave love, the unshaken trustfulness of her who, though not of the chosen race, was, like the Canaanitess Tamar (Gen. 38:29; Matt. 1:3) and the Canaanitess Rahab (Matt. 1:5), privileged to become the ancestress of David, and so of ‘great David’s greater Son’” (Ruth 4:18-22).

---

Ruth. drunk; satisfied

---

RUTH. → The daughter-in-law of Naomi Ru 1:4 → Her devotion to Naomi Ru 1:16,17; with 1:6-18 → Goes to Bethlehem Ru 1:19,22 → Gleaned in the field of Boaz Ru 2:3 → Receives kindness from Boaz Ru 2:4-17; 3:15 → Under Naomi' s instructions claims from Boaz the duty of a kinsman Ru 3:1-9 → Marries Boaz Ru 4:9-13 → Becomes an ancestor of Jesus Ru 4:13,21,22

---

"The Woman of Constancy", Characteristics of --Filial Love, constancy, piety Ru 1:16 --Industry Ru 2:6,7,23 --Filial obedience Ru 3:5 --A Spotless name Ru 3:11 --SEE Notable Women, WOMEN

---

ruth. Ruth, n. pity, tenderness, mercy, sadness, sorrow

---

Ruth (rṳth), n. [[From Rue, v.: cf. Icel. hryggð, hrygð.]] 1. 1. Sorrow for the misery of another; pity; tenderness. “They weep for ruth.” Chaucer. “Have ruth of the poor.” Piers Plowman.
To stir up gentle ruth, Both for her noble blood, and for her tender youth. Spenser. 2. 2. That which causes pity or compassion; misery; distress; a pitiful sight.
It had been hard this ruth for to see. Chaucer. With wretched miseries and woeful ruth. Spenser.