Perhaps the most significant recent scholarly insight regarding the book of Ruth has been the general consensus that we are looking at the story of a female Job.1 Naomi’s losses are catastrophic and pivotal to the story. As we will see, according to ancient patriarchal calculations, Naomi’s losses amount to total devastation and raise disturbing questions about God’s character that the story will address. The opening five verses describe a devastating litany of tragedies that leave the Israelite