At first glance, the title “Ruth” may come as a bit of a surprise. She is a Moabite! This is the only Old Testament book named after a non-Israelite. That she was a Moabite makes it even more surprising, as Moab was a long-standing enemy of Israel. Further, Ruth speaks less than Boaz and Naomi, and the speeches she does make are shorter than those of the other two characters. We could call the book “Naomi” instead—she is the one who loses everything within the first few verses and who gains a wonderful