The underlying theme in The Book of Ruth is steadfast love to which the main characters Ruth, Boaz, and Naomi fall victim. Each character shares in faithfulness borne out of a sense of caring and commitment.
Ruth is a widowed Moabite turned Israelite who bears most of the caring in commitment by abandoning ties to her religion, family, and land, even after her husband's death. Although Naomi, Ruth's mother-in-law asks her to reclaim her faith and renew her roots, Ruth objects to leaving Naomi. Naomi selflessly exclaims that she has no other heirs that Ruth may marry, and that she should return to her mother's house but Ruth famously replies, "Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your G-d my G-d. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me" (Verses 16-17). This passage exemplifies Ruth's faithfulness and commitment to......
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Approximate Word Count: 823
Approximate Pages: 4 (260 words per double-spaced page) |