Who Was Ruth in the Bible? (For Kids)
Ruth was a young woman from Moab who refused to leave her mother-in-law Naomi when both of their husbands died. She gathered leftover grain in Boaz’s field to feed them, married Boaz, and became the great-grandmother of King David.
- When
- In the days when the judges ruled Israel
- Found in
- The book of Ruth (only four chapters)
- Big idea
- Loyal love in small, daily, hard-working ways is the kind God honours.
Ruth’s story, step by step
- 1
A family leaves home
A famine drove Naomi’s family from Bethlehem to Moab. There her two sons married Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. Then Naomi’s husband and both sons died.
- 2
“Whither thou goest”
Naomi told her daughters-in-law to go home. Orpah did, but Ruth held on and said, “Whither thou goest, I will go... thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God” (Ruth 1:16).
- 3
Gleaning in the field
Back in Bethlehem, Ruth went out to pick up the grain the harvesters dropped — hard work under the sun — so she and Naomi could eat.
- 4
Boaz notices
The field belonged to Boaz, a kind relative. He told his workers to leave extra grain on purpose, and he told Ruth she would be safe there.
- 5
A kinsman-redeemer
Boaz took on the family’s responsibility and married Ruth, buying back the family land. That is what the Bible calls a redeemer.
- 6
Great-grandmother of a king
Ruth and Boaz had a son named Obed, who was the father of Jesse, who was the father of King David — and Jesus was born from that same family line.
Memory verse
“Whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.”
Ruth 1:16 (KJV)
Fun facts about Ruth
- Ruth was not born an Israelite — she came from Moab, and still she is in Jesus’ family tree (Matthew 1:5).
- The book of Ruth is one of only two Bible books named after a woman; the other is Esther.
- Gleaning was God’s law for helping the poor (Leviticus 19:9–10).
- Boaz’s mother was Rahab, another outsider who trusted God.
Ruth & Boaz Field coloring page
Free printable Ruth wheat field coloring page — wheat sheaves, gleaning baskets, and the KJV verse from Ruth 2.
Open & printTake the Ruth quiz
Test what you remember with questions drawn straight from the King James text.
Start the quiz More Bible quizzes for kidsRead the full stories
Talk about it
- Ruth chose to stay when it would have been easier to leave. When is loyalty hard for you?
- Boaz left extra grain on purpose. How could you leave something extra for someone this week?
- What does it mean that God put an outsider like Ruth in Jesus’ family?
Do it together
Scatter a handful of dried beans or pasta on the floor and let the children “glean” them into a bowl, then talk about how tiring that would be all day. Finish with the Ruth coloring page.
Dear God, thank You for Ruth’s faithful heart. Help me to be loyal to my family and kind to people who feel far from home. Amen.
Questions kids ask about Ruth
Who was Ruth in the Bible?
Ruth was a Moabite widow who stayed loyal to her mother-in-law Naomi, returned with her to Bethlehem, gleaned in the field of Boaz, married him, and became the great-grandmother of King David.
Why is Ruth important?
Ruth shows that God welcomes people from outside Israel who trust Him — and she stands in the family line of King David and of Jesus (Matthew 1:5).
What does gleaning mean?
Gleaning was picking up the grain that harvesters left behind. God's law commanded farmers to leave the corners and the dropped grain so that the poor, the widow and the stranger could eat (Leviticus 19:9–10).