Long ago, while nations were still made of tribes and ruled by judges, there was a severe famine.  Because of this severe famine, a man named Elimelech and his wife Naomi moved from Bethlehem in Judah to the land of Moab, with their two sons Mahlon and Chilion.  After moving to Moab Elimelech died, leaving Naomi alone with her two sons.  As they grew older both Mahlon and Chilion married women from the land of Moab.  However, after about ten years both Mahlon and Chilion died as well.  Naomi, being left alone without her husband or her sons decided to go back to the land of Judah, and her daughters-in-law decided to go with her.

As they were ready to leave Moab, Naomi told her two daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, that they should turn back and stay with their own people.  Orpah and Ruth began to cry very loudly, over the sorrow of loosing their husbands and now their mother-in law as well.  Orpah did as her mother-in-law said and went back to her home,her people and her gods.  But Ruth clung tightly to her Naomi and said, "Don't force me to leave you.  Don't make me turn back from following you.  Wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you stay, I will stay.  Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.  May the Lord strike me down if anything but death separates you and me!"  When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped trying to make her go back.  They traveled until they came to Bethlehem, and arrived just in time for the barley harvest begin.

In those days it was the custom that when harvesting, any grain which was dropped on the ground would be left for the poor.  So after they had arrived Ruth said to Naomi, "Please let me go to the field of anyone who would be kind to me.  There I will gather the grain left behind by the reapers."  Naomi said, "Go, my daughter."  So Ruth went and gathered the grain left behind by the reapers.  Now it happened that she ended up in the part of the field that belonged to Boaz, who was from Elimelech's family.  Boaz was a good man of outstanding character.  When Boaz saw Ruth he asked the young man in charge of his reapers, who she was.  The young man answered, "She's a young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab.  She asked if she could gather the grain we dropped and has been working since sunrise."

Upon hearing this Boaz spoke to Ruth and said, "Don't go to anyone else's field, but instead stay in mine.  Gather your grain alongside of my servants, and do not be afraid of them for they will not harm you.  Whenever you are thirsty, drink some of the water that my servants have drawn from the well."  Ruth was greatly surprised and immediately bowed before Boaz asking, "Why have you chosen to help me?  I am only a foreigner."  Boaz answered her, "I have heard about everything you have done for your mother-in-law after your husband died.  How you left your family and the country where you were born, and even came to live in a strange land with a people you didn't know.  May the LORD reward you for what you have done!"  Later, Boaz even invited Ruth to eat lunch with him and his servants.  He also gave his reapers orders to leave extra grain on the ground for Ruth and not to give her any trouble.  Ruth worked all day.  She then took her grain home and told Naomi all that had happened.  Ruth continued to gather grain in Boaz's field until the barley and wheat harvests had ended.

On the evening of the last day of the harvest, Naomi said to Ruth,  "My daughter, shouldn't I try to look for a home that would be good for you?  Isn't Boaz, whose servants you've been working with my relative?  He will be separating the barley from the husks on the threshing floor tonight.  Freshen up, put on some perfume and your best dress, then go down to the threshing floor.  Ruth did as her mother-in-law said.

When she arrived, Boaz had already finished his work, as well as his dinner, and had fallen asleep on the threshing floor.  So Ruth uncovered his feet and sat down next to them.  After a couple of hours Boaz woke up, because his feet were freezing.  He was startled to see the form of a person sitting, in the dark, by his feet.  He said, "Who are you?"  Ruth answered, "I am Ruth.  Spread the corner of your garment over me because you are a close relative who can take care of me."  Boaz answered, "May the Lord bless you!  Don't be afraid, I will do whatever you say.  The whole town knows that you are a woman who has strength of character.  It is true that I am a close relative, but there is another who is a  closer relative and it is his right and duty to take care of you.  However, if he will not, then I swear, as the LORD lives, I will take care of you myself.  He gave Ruth six measures of barley and sent her back to Naomi.  Ruth told Naomi all that had happened.  Naomi told Ruth not to worry because Boaz would not let a single day go by before he had settled the matter.

Early the next morning, Boaz went to the city gate and sat there.  After a while the relative about whom he had spoken was passing by.  Boaz said, "Please come over here and sit, my friend."  So the man came over and sat down.  Then Boaz chose ten men who were leaders in the city and asked them to be witnesses.  Boaz said to the man, "Naomi is selling the field that belonged to our relative Elimelech.  You are the next of kin so you have the first right to buy it.  But if you will not buy it, then I will.  The man said, "I will buy the property."  Boaz continued, "When you buy the field from Naomi, you will also assume responsibility for the Moabite Ruth, the widow of the dead man's son.  This keeps the inheritance in the dead man's name."  The man then replied, "In that case, I don't won't the property!  You can have all my rights to the property, because I cannot assume that responsibility."  Then Boaz said to the ten men he had chosen, "you are my witnesses. I will buy the field from Naomi and I will marry Ruth, making her my wife."  The ten men agreed by saying, "We are your witnesses and may the LORD bless this wife, who is coming into your home."  So Ruth and Boaz were married.  Ruth and Boaz were the great grandparents of David the king of Israel.