That’s what the book of Ruth teaches.  I learned and was edified as I was recently doing some outside reading on literary analysis of the Bible (reading a Biblical narrative and studying the literary features like character, plot, setting, etc).

Chapter 1 serves to paint a picture of emptiness.  It starts in a broad, nonpersonal emptiness: famine in the land.  The author then narrows our perspective to emptiness in a family – Elimelech, Mahlon & Chilion die, leaving Naomi widowed and heirless.  The focus-change ends with Naomi’s personal emptiness – “I am too old to have a husband” – and hopelessness (Ruth 1.12).  This is the introduction, if you will, to the book of Ruth: a poignant picture of emptiness.

The next major section of the book is runs from the beginning of harvest (Ruth 1.22) to the end (Ruth 2.23).  The emphasis of the chapter falls at its center: the meeting of Boaz and Ruth (Ruth 2.10).  This meeting begins the change: empty becoming full.  Boaz freely offers Ruth grain and water (Ruth 2.9), speaks of God giving her a full reward (Ruth 2.12) and lets her eat with him until she is satisfied and has left-overs (Ruth 2.14)!  At the end of that first day of harvest, Ruth brings her full load of harvested grain home to Naomi who reveals that Boaz is not only providing grain, but also has the ability to restore their family as kinsman-redeemer (Ruth 2.20).

The next section of the story is sandwiched between two conversations between Naomi and Ruth.  Naomi here serves a special purpose in the narrative: while Ruth and Boaz are both in the dark about what could happen and is about to happen as God works things together for good, Naomi knows exactly what is going on and what Ruth and Boaz need to do.  Naomi instructs Ruth about how to reveal to Boaz that he can redeem her and restore fullness to the family (Ruth 3.3-4).  Again, the center of the chapter is a meeting between Boaz and Ruth at his threshing floor (Ruth 3.9).  The chapter closes with Naomi’s all-knowing assessment of Boaz’ next actions (Ruth 3.18).

In addition to the structural similarities with chapter 2, chapter 3 brings some foreshadowing to light.  In Ruth 2.12, Boaz blesses Ruth with a wish for a full reward from God; in Ruth 3.10, he again blesses her – this time, he is actually providing that full reward!  In Ruth 2.12, Boaz commends Ruth for taking shelter under the wings of the Almighty; in Ruth 3.9, Ruth asks Boaz to spread his garment (literally, “wings”) over her – and again, we see that Boaz himself is God’s instrument for bringing about the fullness that Boaz desired Ruth to see.

Ruth 4.1-12 describes the legal scene at the town gate where Boaz redeems Ruth.  It feels much like a necessary diversion, written to deal with the legality of the situation (first mentioned in Ruth 3.12).  The key  part of the chapter is the marriage of Ruth and Boaz (Ruth 4.13).  Now the emptiness of chapter 1 is being tangibly filled.  Naomi mourned at her barrenness (Ruth 1.11); she then becomes nurse to Ruth’s baby (Ruth 4.16) and is even praised by the women of the town for Ruth’s baby (Ruth 4.17)!.  This beautiful picture of filling is nestled between a look back to God faithfulness to barren Rachel (Ruth 4.11; Gen. 30.22) and a look forward to God’s faithfulness in providing the ultimate fullness in David’s heir (Ruth 4:17).

This view is based on D. F. Rauber’s article “Literary Values in the Bible: the Book of Ruth,” Journal of Biblical Literature 89 (1970): 27-37.