The story of Ruth occurred during the time of the judges ca. 1370 to 1041BC. By working backward from the date of David’s reign (approx. 1011–971 BC), the time period of Ruth would most likely be during the judgeship of Jair, ca. 1126–1105 B.C.
The story of Ruth covers about 11–12 years: 1) 10 years in Moab (1:1–18); 2) several months (mid-April to mid-June) in Boaz’s field (1:19–2:23); 3) 1 day in Bethlehem and 1 night at the threshing floor (3:1–18); and 4) about 1 year in Bethlehem (4:1–22).
Jump to: Background; ** Maps; ** Encyclopedias; ** Key Words; ** Commentaries; ** Articles; ** GotQuestions ** Next **
Basics
- Setting: read in the light of judges: God is faithful in the midst of Israel’s apostasy
- Genre: Short story; short prose narrative; limited number of characters; one central figure; limited chain of events over a limited time; nature of characters is revealed, not developed.
- Purpose: To record the divine intervention that protected the family of Naomi; to show how a nation at risk will be preserved by YHWH’s initiatives; to show how a foreigner becomes part of the covenant; to provide the ancestry of David.
- Main Themes: redemption; YHWH’s covenant faithfulness and love (e.g. the name of God appears 23 times in 85 verses).
Content:
- The Lord’s faithfulness – Ruth 1:8-9
- Ruth’s faith in the Lord – Ruth 1:16-18; Ruth 2:10-12
- The turning point: the Lord’s kindness – Ruth 2:20
- Redemption of the land & levirate marriage
- The ancestry of David – Ruth 4:13-22
Genre: Understanding Narrative
Background & Outlines
Chart: Bible History at a glance
Blue Letter Bible: Old Testament Timeline
Biblehub: Ruth Timeline
BIblehub: Judges Timeline
Biblehub: Ruth Overview
Bible Atlas: Moab
Bible Atlas: Bethlehem
Ray C Stedman: Overview of the Book
John MacArthur: Author, Date, Background
NIV: Introduction to Ruth
ESV: Introduction to Ruth
ESV: Family of Ruth
Charles Swindoll: Ruth (chart)
Maps
Tyndale: Map of Divided Kingdom which shows Moab
ESV: Map of Sojourn from Bethlehem to Moab
Blue Letter Bible: Timeline from Creation to 4thC AD
Maps from Holman Bible Atlas
The Tribal Allotments of Israel
The Division of the Land Among the Tribes
Levitical Cities and Cities of Refuge (1)
ESV Maps
Dictionaries & Encyclopedias
American Tract Society: Ruth
Easton’s Bible Dictionary : Ruth
Easton’s Bible Dictionary: Ruth, Book of
Fausset Bible Dictionary: Ruth
Holman Bible Dictionary: Ruth
Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible: Ruth
Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible: Ruth, Book of
Hastings’ Dictionary of the NT: Ruth
Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia: Ruth
McClintock and Strong: Ruth; Ruth, book of
The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia: Ruth, Book of
Commentaries
Best Commentaries on Ruth – Tim Challies
Top 5 Commentaries on the Book of Ruth by Keith Mathison
Best Commentary on Ruth – Best Commentaries Reviews
Calvin’s Commentary on the Bible:
Matthew Henry: Ruth
Albert Barnes Notes: Ruth
Reformation Study Bible Notes: Ruth
Geneva Study Bible: Ruth
Precept Austin Commentaries & Sermons: Ruth
Key Words
redeem (11X/3V) – Strong’s H1350 in Ruth 3:13; Rth 4:4; Rth 4:6;
redeemer (1X) Ruth 4:14;
relative (6X) Ruth 3:9; Rth 3:12; Rth 4:1; Rth 4:3; Rth 4:6; Rth 4:8
relative (1X) – Strong’s H7138 in Rth 2:20
Precepts Austin: Kinsman Redeemer
Journal Articles
An Adjusted Symmetrical Structuring Of Ruth – A Boyd Luter
The Book of Ruth and Hope in Hard Times – Timothy Paul Erdel
Literary Structure in the Book of Ruth – Reg Grant
Naomi in the Book of Ruth in Light of the Mosaic Covenant – Charles Baylis
Goel in Ancient Israel: Theological Reflections on an Israelite Institution – R L Hubbard
Living A New Life: Old Testament Teaching About Conversion – William D. Barrick
The Purpose Of The Book Of Ruth – Louis B. Wolfenson
The Chiastic Structure of Ruth 2 – A Boyd Luter and Richard Rigsby
An Adjusted Symmetrical Structuring of Ruth – A Boyd Luter and Richard Rigsby
Ruth “Quoque” —A Coquette? (Ruth 4:5) – Murray D. Gow
New Life Amid the Alien Corn: The Book of Ruth – Michael E. W. Thompson
The Goel in Ruth 4:14, 15 – Julius A Bewer
Literary Structure and Theology in the Book of Ruth – Leif Hongisto
GotQuestions.org
Why did Ruth and Orpah make different decisions?
Why was Ruth so loyal to Naomi?
What is the story of Ruth and Boaz?
What did it mean to spread the corner of your garment over someone?
Why did the first kinsman redeemer refuse to marry Ruth?
Next: 1&2 Samuel
Previous: Judges
Series: Resources by Book
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