The book of Ruth showed the Israelites the blessings that obedience could bring. It showed them the loving, faithful nature of their God.
#1 - TITLE
The book of Ruth named after one of the three principal characters. This book appears in the LXX and Vulgate after the book of Judges, because of the opening words: “In those days when the judges ruled” (Ruth 1:1).
In the Hebrew Bible Ruth falls among the writings – that is after the former and the latter prophets.
It originally had no connection with the book of Judges.
#2 - AUTHORSHIP
No author is named for the book, so it remains anonymous. Jewish tradition attributes the work to Samuel, but this unlikely since David appears in Ruth 4:17, 22 and Samuel died prior to David’s coronation as king.
#3 - CONTENT
Although the book describes the common people in common settings, they were being guided by the mysterious hand of God.
Throughout the book the providence of God was highlighted who was using their uncommon faith to prepare the way for Israel’s greatest king David (4:22).
The name of God occurs 23 times in the 85 verses of Ruth. No event in the life of God’s people is insignificant, because he is constantly involved.Tip #4 - Mix it up
#5 - LITERARY FORM
In its form, it is an entertaining and instructive short story, based on an old narrative.
The book is rich in dialogue and has all the literary trappings of a dramatic play.
#6 - MAJOR THEMES
The Kinsman-Redeemer
The levirate system is expounded in the legal literature of Israel in Deuteronomy 25:5-10. Under this law, if a man died without having a son, his brother was obligated to bear a son by his widow. That son would be considered the heir to the dead brother’s household.
This was combined with land redemption rights to provide the legal; setting for the book of Ruth.
The term “go’el” is taken from the land redemption law. According to this law, land sold by a person could be brought back by a relative so as to keep the land in the family.
The go’el provided the means by which jeopardized covenant blessings could be regained and thus served as an appropriate metaphor for God’s grace.
Hesed
The term Hesed envelops all the far reaching implications of YHWH’s loyalty to his covenant.
Hesed means “loving kindness” in which God demonstrated his covenant loyalty.
Ruth is a book of hesed on both the human and the divine levels. The most explicit statement of this is found in Ruth’s stirring expression of commitment to Naomi (1:16-17); Boaz’s hesed (2:20) and Lord’s hesed is introduced in 1: 8-9 as the factor that eventually leads to the successful remarriage of Ruth.
#6 - OUTLINE
Ruth 1:1-25 – the return of Naomi and Ruth to Bethlehem
Ruth 2:1-23 – Ruth gleans in the field of Boaz
Ruth 3: 1-18 – Ruth seeks Boaz as her kindred-redeemer
Ruth 4: 1-22 – the marriage of Boaz and Ruth
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