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Character Study: Ruth Part 1 – Ruth’s Devotion to Naomi Ruth 1 & 2
Because of a famine in Canaan, Elimelech and his wife Naomi took their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, and moved to Moab. Shortly thereafter, Elimelech died, leaving Naomi a widow. (1:1-3)
Both of Naomi’s sons married Moabite women. Mahlon married Ruth and Chilion married Orpah. About ten years later, both Mahlon and his brother Chilion died. Ruth and Orpah, along with their mother-in-law Naomi, were all widows. (1:4-5) Once settled in Bethlehem, Ruth went to work in the field of a wealthy man named Boaz. As permitted by Jewish law, Ruth was allowed to gather scraps of food left behind in the field by the reapers. (2:1-3)
Boaz noticed Ruth and invited her to work in the part of the field where only the women worked. He was amazed that she willingly left her homeland on behalf of Naomi. He asked God’s blessing on her. (2:4-13)