good story to be told for its own sake.18 This view rightly underscores a point often missed, namely, that the book was originally supposed to please not only archivists but audiences.19 Indeed, the quest for Ruth’s purpose must never ignore its delight for audiences or its many levels of meaning. But to define the book’s purpose remains a legitimate enterprise. As several scholars note, it is unlikely that ancient stories, especially ones included in the OT, were written down without some underlying