The NIV 365 Day Devotional

Ruth the Moabite

Although Ruth is a foreigner and, as a young woman alone, is obviously quite vulnerable in the harvest fields, she undertakes to provide for her mother-in-law.

Several times in the book of Ruth the author reminds the reader that Ruth is a foreigner from a despised people (Ru 2:2, 6, 21; 4:5, 10; see 2:10). According to Ge 19:30–39, the Moabites were descendants of Abraham’s nephew Lot through an incestuous relationship with Lot’s older daughter (the younger daughter’s offspring became the Ammonites). Moab, occupying territory east of the Dead Sea and south of Ammon, was a frequent enemy of Israel during the period of the judges (Jdg 3:12–30) and the kings. Saul fought against them (1Sa 14:47) and David subjugated them (2Sa 8:2; 23:20; 1Ch 18:2), though earlier David had sought refuge in Moab for his parents while on the run from Saul (1Sa 22:3–4). Animosity continued after the exile when Sanballat, a Moabite, opposed the rebuilding of Jerusalem (Ne 2:19; 4:1; 6:1).

The Moabites were idolaters, and their chief god was Chemosh. Marriage with Moabite women was not expressly forbidden, though no Moabite was allowed to “enter the assembly of the Lord—including their descendants to the tenth generation (Dt 23:3).

Yet Ruth leaves her god and her people to make her home with Naomi and Naomi’s God Yahweh. The fact that Ruth was the grandmother of David, Israel’s greatest king and so became an ancestor of Jesus the Messiah (Mt 1:5), is a testimony to God’s grace and his love for all people.

List some ways that God has shown you grace in your life.

Taken from the NIV Study Bible, Fully Revised Edition.