This book is about a non-Israelite woman named Ruth. It tells how she came to join the people of Yahweh. The book also explains how Ruth became an ancestor of King David.
The story of Ruth is set during the time when there were "judges" in Israel. These were leaders whom God chose to help the Israelites defeat their enemies. They also helped the people by deciding disputes among them. And, they helped them make important decisions. Many of these leaders served the entire people of Israel, but some of these leaders seem to have served only certain tribes.
In a period when Israel is often unfaithful to Yahweh, Yahweh finds a woman from Moab who shows great faith in him. The Israelites' frequent lack of faith in Yahweh is contrasted with the faith of one of their enemies. (See: [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/unfaithful]])
Israelites practiced what is called "levirate marriage." This was a custom for the closest male relative to provide for a childless widow by marrying her. Any children born to them were to be regarded as children of the dead man. They did this so that dead man would still have descendants. If the closest relative did not marry the woman, another relative could.
A person's close relative or relatives were expected to act as "kinsmen-redeemers" for him or her. They were responsible to provide for a relative in need. In other situations, they were also responsible for taking revenge on anyone who dared to injure or kill one of their relatives. In the Book of Ruth, Boaz is one such kinsman-redeemer.
Gleaning occurred when very poor people were allowed to follow after the men who harvested a field. These "gleaners" picked up sheaves of grain that the harvesters missed or dropped by accident. In this way, poor people were able to find some food for themselves. Ruth became a gleaner in a field belonging to Boaz.
Covenant faith or covenant loyalty is when a person does what he said he would do according to a covenant he has with someone else. God promised that he would love and be faithful to the Israelites. The Israelites were to do the same toward him and toward each other.
In the Book of Ruth, the obligations of kinsmen-redeemers to their relatives are shown to be part of the obligations in God's covenant with Israel. The story of Boaz, Ruth and Naomi gives good examples to all of Israel of the good effects of covenant faithfulness. (See: rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/covenantfaith)
City gates in the time of Boaz were natural meeting places for the city elders. Elders were honored men who decided business matters and legal matters together. The city walls were large, perhaps two to three meters in width. Therefore the gateway opening provided a comfortable and shady area for public meetings. For this reason, Boaz and the other elders sat in the gateway.
The book of Ruth transitions often to new topics or new parts of the story. The ULB uses various words to indicate these transitions, such as "so," "then" and "now." Translators should use the ways most natural in their own languages to signal these developments in the narrative.
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