As told in the Book of Ruth, Ruth was a Moabite princess who grew dissatisfied with the idol-worship of her own people. A model of loyalty and faith, she chose to leave her homeland after the death of her husband, promising her mother-in-law, Naomi, that Naomi’s G‑d and people would now be her own.

When they arrived in Bethlehem, a town in the land of Judah, as poor widows, Ruth’s humble spirit led her to the fields to gather leftover grain for the two of them. This was a form of charity enjoined by the Torah, which requires farmers to leave the corners of their fields and any dropped stalks or sheaves for the poor. Her hard work and devotion caught the attention of Boaz, the kind landowner and a relative of Naomi's. Moved by her goodness, Boaz assisted her and eventually married her. Through this marriage, Ruth found a new home, eventually becoming the great-grandmother of King David.