The story of Ruth takes place during the time of the Judges. A Jewish family from Bethlehem moved to Moab due to a famine in the land. During their time there Elimelech died which left his wife, Naomi, and their two sons, Mahlon and Kilion. The sons took wives from Moab, Orpah and Ruth. They were in the land 10 years and then Mahlon and Kilion died. The women packed up, and when they reached the road that led back to Judah, Naomi sent off her daughter-in-laws and allowed them to go back to their home and hopefully find a family. Orpah left, but Ruth clung to her and refused because Naomi's God has now become Ruth's God. They moved back, and the Lord blessed them because of their kinsman-redeemer, Boaz. After about a year of Ruth working in his fields, Naomi wanted to make sure Ruth had a family, so she explained how the kinsman-redeemer could marry Ruth, so at Naomi's direction, Ruth went to the threshing floor, uncovered Boaz' feet and laid there until he awoke. He was thrilled to be her kinsman-redeemer, but there was a relative that was closer, but he refused. So Boaz and Ruth married and had a son, Obed, who fathered, Jesse, who fathered David, who would someday become king of Israel.
