Ruth 1-4

The Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah

1 This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham:

2 Abraham was the father of Isaac,

Isaac the father of Jacob,

Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,

3 Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar,

Perez the father of Hezron,

Hezron the father of Ram,

4 Ram the father of Amminadab,

Amminadab the father of Nahshon,

Nahshon the father of Salmon,

5 Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,

Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth,

Obed the father of Jesse,

6 and Jesse the father of King David.

The story of Ruth, found in the Book of Ruth in the Bible, is about a Moabite woman who, through her faithfulness and loyalty, is redeemed and honored by God.

Ruth was the daughter-in-law of Naomi, an Israelite woman. After Naomi’s husband and two sons died, Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem from Moab, urging her daughters-in-law to stay in Moab. However, Ruth refused to leave Naomi, saying, "Where you go, I will go; where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God" (Ruth 1:16). This act of devotion demonstrated Ruth's strong faith in God, even as a foreigner.

Once in Bethlehem, Ruth provided for herself and Naomi by gleaning in the fields. She happened to work in the fields of Boaz, a relative of Naomi’s late husband. Boaz noticed Ruth’s kindness to Naomi and treated her with favor. Following Naomi’s advice, Ruth approached Boaz as a kinsman-redeemer—an Israelite practice allowing a close relative to marry a widow to protect her family’s lineage. Boaz, moved by Ruth’s loyalty and virtue, agreed to marry her.

God honored Ruth’s faith by allowing her to become the great-grandmother of King David, placing her in the genealogy of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:5). Despite being a Moabite, Ruth’s devotion to God and her love for Naomi led to her redemption, and she was woven into the very lineage of Israel’s greatest king and the Messiah.