In the Christian canon, the book of Ruth typically follows Judges. This is not the case in the Jewish textual tradition, however, where Ruth shows up later, after Proverbs. The two texts are linked in Hebrew scriptures through the word אֵשֶׁת חַיִל, meaning “woman of valor,” which is used in both Proverbs and Ruth.
Although Ruth’s narrative is set in the same time period as Judges, the two books are quite different. While Judges emphasizes its characters’ immoral behavior (e.g., “everyone did what was right in their own eyes”), Ruth’s protagonists demonstrate extraordinary moral fiber, even under extreme duress.
What is Ruth really about?
There are many different themes for readers to consider in this text. The story reveals patriarchal norms, but also subverts those norms with Naomi embodying the role of patriarch. Although many have argued that the story is about “conversion,” this perspective is somewhat anachronistic. Ruth’s statement of devotion to Naomi (1:16b) arguably expresses adoption rather than conversion.
Questions about who will inherit the land are central to this story. Ruth borrows from many different biblical narratives and sometimes alludes to other texts by tweaking familiar plot points and phrases. In Genesis 38, for example, Tamar tricks her father-in-law Judah into impregnating her after her husband dies to ensure their family line continues.
It is unlikely that Judges and Ruth were written in the same time period. The book of Ruth might be an early attempt to weave together several stories and themes from a rich and varied textual tradition. While it is a story of return to the land (from Moab to Judah), it also depicts a return to an idyllic fantasy of the past. The time of Judges seems like an odd choice, however, given its apparent emphasis on this period’s characteristic immorality and violence.
The book of Ruth ends with an affirmation of its narrative importance to the biblical corpus, stating that Ruth’s child is David’s ancestor. This may have been a later addition intended to couch this text within the larger textual tradition. Regardless, this unique book may be best understood as a piece of historical fiction.