Ruth (biblical figure)

After the death of all the male members of her family (her husband, her father-in-law, and her brother-in-law), she stayed with her mother-in-law, Naomi, and moved to Judah with her, where Ruth won the love and protection of a wealthy relative, Boaz, through her kindness.

She is one of five women mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus found in the Gospel of Matthew, alongside Tamar, Rahab, the "wife of Uriah" (Bathsheba), and Mary.

Because of this crisis, Elimelech, a man from Bethlehem in Judah, moved to Moab with his wife, Naomi, and his two sons, Mahlon and Chilion.

Boaz, a relative of Elimelech, lived nearby, and Ruth decided to go to his field and glean after his reapers.

At mealtime, Boaz invited Ruth to eat with him, and then instructed his male reapers to not reproach or rebuke her, and even to pull out some barley from their bundles and leave it for her to glean.

"And he [Boaz] said, 'May you be blessed of the Lord, my daughter; your latest act of kindness is greater than the first, not to follow the young men, whether poor or rich.'"

[8] Tamar Meir of the Jewish Women's Archive writes that Ruth and David being descended from these two men is seen as a "reward" for them.

At the crucial moment, however, "Ruth abandons the attempt at seduction and instead requests a permanent, legal union with Boaz.

"[10] Ruth is one of five women mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus found in the Gospel of Matthew, alongside Tamar, Rahab, the "wife of Uriah" (Bathsheba), and Mary.

[2] Katharine Doob Sakenfeld argues that Ruth is a model of loving-kindness (hesed): she acts in ways that promote the well-being of others.

[11] She chose to glean, despite the danger she faced in the field (Ruth 2:15) and the lower social status of the job.

Francesco Quaresmi in the early 17th century reported that Turks and Orientals generally believed the structure contained the tombs of Jesse and Ruth.

[17] Haim Horwitz in his 1835 book on Israeli holy sites Love of Jerusalem[18] discusses the oral tradition that the tomb houses Ruth's grave as well as Jesse's, who is mentioned in earlier writings.

Menachem Mendel of Kamenitz[19] wrote in 1839, "Also in the vineyard was a shelter with two graves: one of Jesse, father of David, and one of Ruth, the Moabite.

[22] In English literature, John Keats in "Ode to a Nightingale" references Ruth as isolated and grief-stricken when laboring in exile: "Perhaps the self-same song that found a path/Through the sad heart of Ruth, when, sick for home,/She stood in tears amid the alien corn;"[23]