31. Ruth Finds a Family Ruth

There was no food in Israel. Everyone was getting hungrier and hungrier. So a man called Elimelek decided to move to a country called Moab with his wife Naomi and their two sons. People in Moab did not love or obey God, and people from Israel and Moab did not like each other at all.

In Moab, Elimelek’s sons married women called Orpah and Ruth. But Elimelek died. And then his sons died.

Naomi, Orpah, and Ruth were all alone.

Naomi heard there was food again in Israel, so she decided to go back to Bethlehem, where she had lived.

“I will come with you,” said Ruth. “From now on, I will love and obey the God who you love and obey.”

When Naomi and Ruth arrived in Bethlehem, they had no money and no food. So Ruth went to a field to pick some leftover corn. The field belonged to Boaz, who was from the same family as Elimelek.

Boaz knew that Ruth and Naomi needed help, and he chose to take care of them. He made sure Ruth was safe and gave her lots of food.

Ruth and Boaz decided to get married. They had a baby boy called Obed. Naomi loved looking after him.

“Praise God!” said Naomi’s friends. “He has given you a family again.”