The Kindness Cycle 

Part Three: Ruth 3-4 April 26, 2026 

The Book of Ruth is divided into four distinct settings: 

Chapter One: Ruth is living in the land of Moab 

The Book of Ruth opens with the narrator saying that an Israelite named Elimelech moved his family to the land of Moab to escape famine.  But after moving to Moab, Elimelech dies, then his two sons, who had married Moabite women, also die, leaving three widows living together.  Naomi decides to return to Bethlehem and tells her two daughters-in-law to go home.  Orpah leaves, but Ruth chooses to go with Naomi.   

• Ruth refused to leave her mother-in-law because she loved Naomi, wanted to help her, and had come to trust in the God of Israel (2:11-12).   

Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye.  But Ruth clung tightly to Naomi.  But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back.  Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live.  Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.  Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried.  May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!”  (Ruth 1:8-9, 14-17, NLT)  

Chapter Two: Ruth is gleaning in a field in Bethlehem 

Naomi and Ruth arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest, which was great because poor people could walk behind the harvesters and pick up stalks of barley left behind.   

“So Ruth went out to gather grain behind the harvesters.  And as it happened, she found herself working in a field that belonged to Boaz, the relative of her father-in-law, Elimelech.” (Ruth 2:3, NLT)  

Boaz asked his foreman about Ruth, then he befriended her.  Later, Boaz invited Ruth to eat lunch with him and his workers.  Later, Boaz instructed his men to drop grain onto the ground for Ruth to gather (Ruth 2:14-18).  Ruth brought home so much grain that Naomi knew someone had shown her great kindness. 

“Where did you gather all this grain today?” Naomi asked.  “Where did you work?  May the Lord bless the one who helped you!”  So Ruth told her mother-in-law, “The man I worked with today is named Boaz.”  “May the Lord bless him!” Naomi told her daughter-in-law.  “He is showing his kindness to us as well as to your dead husband.  That man is one of our closest relatives, one of our family redeemers.”  (Ruth 2:19–20, NLT) 

Chapter Three: Ruth is sleeping on a threshing floor in Bethlehem  

When Naomi hears that Boaz showed great kindness to Ruth, she devises a plan to get Ruth a husband.   

One day Naomi said to Ruth, “My daughter, it’s time that I found a permanent home for you, so that you will be provided for.  Boaz is a close relative of ours, and he’s been very kind by letting you gather grain with his young women.  Tonight he will be winnowing barley at the threshing floor.  Now do as I tell you—take a bath, put on perfume, and dress in your nicest clothes.  Then go to the threshing floor, but don’t let Boaz see you until he has finished eating and drinking.  Be sure to notice where he lies down; then go and uncover his feet and lie down there.  He will tell you what to do.”  “I will do everything you say,” Ruth replied.  So she went down to the threshing floor that night and followed the instructions of her mother-in-law.  After Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he lay down at the far end of the pile of grain and went to sleep.  Then Ruth came quietly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.  Around midnight Boaz suddenly woke up and turned over.  He was surprised to find a woman lying at his feet!  “Who are you?” he asked.  “I am your servant Ruth,” she replied.  “Spread the corner of your covering over me, for you are my family redeemer.”  (Ruth 3:1–9, NLT)  

God set up various laws to make sure Israelite widows were taken care of.  A kinsman-redeemer was responsible for marrying a widowed relative so she would have food and shelter and could carry on her late husband’s lineage.  When Ruth asked Boaz to cover her with the corner of his blanket, she was asking him to put her under his wing, as she had put herself under God’s wing (2:12). Ruth wanted Boaz to provide for and protect her and to give her a son.  Boaz was thrilled that Ruth asked him to marry her!   

“The Lord bless you, my daughter!” Boaz exclaimed.  “You are showing even more family loyalty now than you did before, for you have not gone after a younger man, whether rich or poor.  Now don’t worry about a thing, my daughter.  I will do what is necessary, for everyone in town knows you are a virtuous woman.  But while it’s true that I am one of your family redeemers, there is another man who is more closely related to you than I am.  Stay here tonight, and in the morning I will talk to him.  If he is willing to redeem you, very well.  Let him marry you.  But if he is not willing, then as surely as the Lord lives, I will redeem you myself!  Now lie down here until morning.”  (Ruth 3:10–13, NLT)  

When Ruth went back to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, “What happened, my daughter?” Ruth told Naomi everything Boaz had done for her, and she added, “He gave me these six scoops of barley and said, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.”  Then Naomi said to her, “Just be patient, my daughter, until we hear what happens.  The man won’t rest until he has settled things today.” (Ruth 3:16–18, NLT)  

Chapter Four: Ruth is getting married in Bethlehem   

Boaz went to the town gate and took a seat there.  Just then, the family redeemer he had mentioned came by, so Boaz called out to him, “Come over here and sit down, friend.  I want to talk to you.”  So they sat down together.  Then Boaz called ten leaders from the town and asked them to sit as witnesses.  And Boaz said to the family redeemer, “You know Naomi, who came back from Moab.  She is selling the land that belonged to our relative Elimelech.  I thought I should speak to you about it so that you can redeem it if you wish.  If you want the land, then buy it here in the presence of these witnesses.  But if you don’t want it, let me know right away, because I am next in line to redeem it after you.”  The man replied, “All right, I’ll redeem it.”  Then Boaz told him, “Of course, your purchase of the land from Naomi also requires that you marry Ruth, the Moabite widow.  That way, she can have children who will carry on her husband’s name and keep the land in the family.”  “Then I can’t redeem it,” the family redeemer replied, “because this might endanger my own estate.  You redeem the land; I cannot do it.” (Ruth 4:1–6, NLT)  

Boaz claimed and received the right of redemption, both for Elimelech’s (Mahlon’s) land and for Ruth, who was the only widow left capable of giving birth to a son who would perpetuate the family name. 

The Book of Ruth opens with tragedy but closes with rejoicing.  Naomi returns to her hometown, discouraged and bitter toward God, but she is renewed when her loving daughter-in-law, Ruth, marries Boaz and they give her a grandson.  A grandson who would become King David's grandfather.  

So Boaz took Ruth into his home, and she became his wife.  When he slept with her, the Lord enabled her to become pregnant, and she gave birth to a son.  Then the women of the town said to Naomi, “Praise the Lord, who has now provided a redeemer for your family!  May this child be famous in Israel.  May he restore your youth and care for you in your old age.  For he is the son of your daughter-in-law who loves you and has been better to you than seven sons!”  Naomi took the baby and cuddled him to her breast.  And she cared for him as if he were her own.  The neighbor women said, “Now at last Naomi has a son again!”  And they named him Obed.  He became the father of Jesse and the grandfather of David.” (Ruth 4:13–17, NLT)  

Personal Questions… Do you believe God is kind?  Are you grateful for God’s loving kindness to you?  Are you showing loving kindness to others?