The Bible, King James version, Book 8: Ruth — Story, Setting & Ideas

(2 User reviews) 432

In Category - Sacred Texts

Authors: Anonymous Digital Source: Project Gutenberg Gutenberg Release Year: 2005 First Publication Year: Not confirmed

Key Word: Bible. Ruth Target Reader: Readers of public-domain and historical texts

Book Edition: Project Gutenberg digital edition Book Language: en

Edition facts

Words 5,695

Reading time 25 min

Text sections 1

For The Bible, King James version, Book 8: Ruth — Story, Setting & Ideas, the stored edition analysis reports 5,695 words, 25 min estimated reading time, and 1 detected text section.

The text analysis averages about 25.7 words per sentence, while the detected sections provide another way to judge how the source is divided.

Project Gutenberg metadata also associates the work with “Bible. Ruth,” connecting these edition facts with the source record’s subject description.

Source: Project Gutenberg record #8008

The Book of Ruth in the King James Version presents a concise narrative of loyalty, loss, and restoration set during the time of the judges. The story follows Naomi, a bereaved widow, and her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, whose famous pledge of allegiance and subsequent gleaning in Boaz's fields lead to a legal redemption and a lineage culminating in King David.

Editorial Edition Score 4.3/5

★★★★★ ★★★★★

Calculated from edition completeness, EPUB availability, text structure and catalogue metadata. Not a user rating.

How this score is calculated

Description quality20 pts
Title & short description10 pts
Source metadata20 pts
Text length15 pts
Chapters / structure15 pts
EPUB file integrity20 pts

Total of 100 points, scaled to a 2.5-5.0 range. Editions with an empty description or a missing EPUB file are not scored.

Edition quality

File: pg8008

Read the Text

This eBook was produced by David Widger with the help of Derek Andrew's text from January 1992 and the work of Bryan Taylor in November 2002.

08:001:001 Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.

08:001:002 And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.

08:001:003 And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.

08:001:004 And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years.

08:001:005 And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.

08:001:006 Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread.

08:001:007 Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.

08:001:008 And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother's house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.

08:001:009 The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.

08:001:010 And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.

08:001:011 And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?

08:001:012 Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons;

08:001:013 Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me.

08:001:014 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.

08:001:015 And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.

08:001:016 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:

08:001:017 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.

08:001:018 When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.

08:001:019 So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?

08:001:020 And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.

08:001:021 I went out full and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?

08:001:022 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.

08:002:001 And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.

08:002:002 And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter.

08:002:003 And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.

08:002:004 And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee.

Continue Reading →

The Book of Ruth opens with a famine that drives an Israelite family from Bethlehem to Moab, a region often viewed with suspicion in biblical tradition. Within a few verses, the male heads of household die, leaving three widows: Naomi and her two Moabite daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth. The narrative wastes no time establishing a pattern of displacement and bereavement, setting the stage for a story that will hinge on the choices of women in a patriarchal society.

Naomi’s decision to return to Judah after hearing that the Lord had “visited his people in giving them bread” triggers a pivotal moment. Orpah eventually turns back, but Ruth’s refusal to leave Naomi produces one of the most quoted speeches in the Bible, binding her fate to Naomi’s people and God. This compact, four-chapter book uses legal customs—gleaning, levirate marriage, and land redemption—as the framework for a narrative that moves from emptiness to fullness.

The Weight of a Name and a Vow

The name Naomi means “pleasant,” but after her losses she insists on being called Mara (“bitter”), saying, “the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.” This renaming underscores the emotional arc of the story: a woman who feels emptied by God. Yet the narrative does not let her bitterness stand as the final word. Ruth’s vow—“whither thou goest, I will go”—is a counterweight, a declaration of loyalty that transcends ethnic and religious boundaries. The speech is remarkable for its legal and emotional force: Ruth pledges not only to accompany Naomi but to adopt her people and her God, invoking a curse formula to seal her commitment. The text does not explain Ruth’s motives; it simply records her words, leaving readers to weigh the cost of such a promise.

Gleaning, Kinship, and the Threshold of Boaz

Upon arrival in Bethlehem, Ruth takes the initiative to glean in the fields, a practice that allowed the poor to gather leftover grain. The narrator notes that she “happened” to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, a wealthy relative of Elimelech. Boaz’s first words to Ruth are a blessing, and he instructs his young men to protect her. The encounter is marked by reciprocal respect: Boaz acknowledges her loyalty to Naomi, and Ruth humbly accepts his favor. The legal dimension emerges when Naomi reveals that Boaz is a goel—a kinsman-redeemer. This term carries both the duty to buy back family land and, in this context, the possibility of levirate marriage. The narrative weaves agricultural custom with personal drama, as Ruth’s nighttime visit to the threshing floor becomes a bold, legally charged request for redemption.

Redemption and the Genealogical Coda

The threshing-floor scene is a study in controlled tension. Ruth uncovers Boaz’s feet and lies down, a gesture that evokes both vulnerability and a claim of kinship. Boaz’s response is immediate: he blesses her and acknowledges her virtue, but he also notes a nearer kinsman who has the first right to redeem. The legal negotiation at the city gate is conducted with precision: the nearer kinsman declines, and Boaz publicly acquires both the land and the obligation to marry Ruth. The women of Bethlehem then pronounce a blessing over Naomi, declaring that Ruth “is better to thee than seven sons.” The book closes with a genealogy that traces Obed, Ruth’s son, to Jesse and David, linking this personal story of restoration to the larger history of Israel’s monarchy. The final verses shift from narrative to list, anchoring the tale in a lineage that extends beyond the book itself.

Readers attentive to the book’s structure will notice how often the narrative turns on small, deliberate actions: Ruth’s choice to glean, Naomi’s instructions, Boaz’s gifts of grain. The story never moralizes; it simply presents a sequence of decisions that lead from famine to fullness, from childlessness to a child who will be named Obed (“servant”). The King James Version’s cadence gives the dialogue a formal, almost legal weight, especially in Ruth’s vow and the gate proceedings. This edition preserves that rhythm, inviting readers to consider how loyalty, custom, and divine providence intersect in a story that is both intimate and foundational.

I keep thinking about Ruth's quiet promise to Naomi, how loyalty just sits there unforced, and how the story lets loss settle before anything is rebuilt. That same unhurried pulse runs through Stories of the Bible, Volume 1: The People of the Chosen Land — Text and Context—like sitting with an old friend who doesn't need to rush the telling.

Jack Anderson

3 weeks ago

Wyatt Harris

1 month ago

5 out of 5 (2 User reviews )

Add a Review

Your Rating *

Name*

Your Review*

Maria Christensen - 3 weeks ago

The Book of Ruth is a beautiful story of loyalty, love, and God's providence. This KJV edition presents the narrative in its full poetic and emotional glory. Ruth's devotion to Naomi and her encounter with Boaz is a literary masterpiece, and the timeless language only enhances it. The digital version is clean and easy to read, making it a joy to revisit. Perfect for personal devotions or literary study.

Dustin Mason - 2 weeks ago

This edition of Ruth is disappointingly bare. The KJV language, while beautiful, can be a barrier, and without any footnotes, the story's nuances are lost. The book is short, and this digital version offers nothing beyond the raw text. If you're a first-time reader of the Bible, you may find it hard to connect with the characters and their motivations. A little scholarly input would have made this far more engaging.

Amber Hernandez - 2 weeks ago

The Book of Ruth is a short but touching story, and this edition offers a straightforward rendering of the KJV text. I appreciated the simplicity and the story's message of faithfulness. However, the lack of any notes or historical context meant I had to do my own research to fully appreciate the customs and social structures involved. It's a fine text-only version, but a bit more support would be better.