Book of Ruth

This biblical narrative begins, as others do, in the little town of Bethlehem. A jewish family composed of the father Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and his two sons live happily until suddenly famine hits the land hard. Elimelech decides to take the family to the neighboring country of Moab where one of his sons marries our protagonist Ruth (a non jewish woman). Then sadly things take a turn for the worst: Elimelech dies as well as both of his sons, leaving only Naomi, Ruth, and the other son's wife Orpah. Naomi decides there's nothing left for her in Moab and decides to return to Bethlehem. She tells Ruth and Orpah to remain in Moab and remarry, to which Orpah does but Ruth doesn't. Ruth does not abandon her mother in law and instead accompanies her to a strange land in which she is the minority.

Upon returning to Bethlehem and with no men to support them, Ruth decides to glean the fields to support Naomi (gleaning means to harvest the fields of wheat after a majority has already been harvested). It just so happens the man who owns the fields she works in, Boaz, takes a fancy to Ruth. Then it turns out because of some relation to Elimelech, Boaz is traditionally obligated to marry the widowed Ruth. So, Naomi tells Ruth in order to win over Boaz you must do something scandalous: lie at the foot of his bed. She does so, and Boaz is pleased and calls Ruth a most virtuous woman, but he also admits there is someone with closer relations to her than he so they don't "get it on" right then and there. Instead he gives her a blanket and she lies at the foot of his bed all night. The next day Boaz investigates the matter and the man with the right to wed Ruth relinquishes his rights. It's kind of anti-climactic bud they do live happily ever after. Ruth proves to be the grandfather of the Great King David.

What is important about this story is Ruth is loyal to Naomi and her new faith even when she didn't need to be. She could've started a new life similar to that of Orpah, remarried, and not had to pick at the scraps of barley fields to eat. Because of her virtuous nature she is rewarded by God with a good marriage, life, and the glorious offspring to be.