---
title: "Book of Ruth: Summary & All 4 Chapters · Bless"
url: https://blessbible.app/bible/ruth/
description: "The Book of Ruth, a family story in 4 chapters. Bp. Challoner’s summary of all 4 chapters, and the full text free."
---

Old Testament

# The Book of Ruth

The Book of Ruth is the eighth of the 46 books of the Old Testament: 4 chapters and 85 verses.

[Start reading: Ruth 1](https://blessbible.app/bible/ruth/1/)

[1](https://blessbible.app/bible/ruth/1/) [2](https://blessbible.app/bible/ruth/2/) [3](https://blessbible.app/bible/ruth/3/) [4](https://blessbible.app/bible/ruth/4/)

## About Ruth

About Ruth · Family story

Ruth is a short story about a Moabite widow who binds herself to her ruined Israelite mother-in-law and finds, through loyalty and a kinsman's kindness, a place in Israel — and in the ancestry of David. Its author is unknown and its date debated. It was written to show God's providence working through ordinary decency rather than miracles, and to insist that a foreigner's faithfulness can matter more than pedigree. The Gospel of Matthew keeps her name in the genealogy of Christ.

*Ruth in Bless*

|  |  |
|---|---|
| Testament | Old Testament — book 8 of 46, 8 of 73 in the Bible |
| Canon | Protocanonical (in every Christian canon) |
| Chapters | 4 |
| Verses | 85, as Bless numbers them |
| Latin | Clementine Vulgate, every chapter |
| Bp. Challoner | Summaries of all 4 chapters · 4 notes |
| Catechism | No references |

Chapter by chapter

## All 4 chapters, *in brief.*

Bishop Richard Challoner’s summary of each chapter, from his revision of the Douay-Rheims (1749–52). Open a chapter for the full text.

1. ### [Ruth 1](https://blessbible.app/bible/ruth/1/)
   22 verses
   Elimelech of Bethlehem going with his wife Noemi, and two sons, into the land of Moab, dieth there. His sons marry wives of that country and die without issue. Noemi returneth home with her daughter in law Ruth, who refuseth to part with her.
2. ### [Ruth 2](https://blessbible.app/bible/ruth/2/)
   23 verses
   Ruth gleaneth in the field of Booz, who sheweth her favour.
3. ### [Ruth 3](https://blessbible.app/bible/ruth/3/)
   18 verses
   Ruth instructed by her mother in law lieth at Booz's feet, claiming him for her husband by the law of affinity: she receiveth a good answer, and six measures of barley.
4. ### [Ruth 4](https://blessbible.app/bible/ruth/4/)
   22 verses
   Upon the refusal of the nearer kinsman, Booz marrieth Ruth, who bringeth forth Obed, the grandfather of David.

Bp. Richard Challoner · chapter summaries

Coming up

## Read at *Mass.*

From October 29, 2026 to October 28, 2027, Ruth is read at the principal Mass on 2 days in the US calendar. The next 2 readings:

| Date | Celebration | Reading | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Fri, Aug 20, 2027](https://blessbible.app/calendar/2027/08/20/) computed | St. Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church | First Reading | [Ruth 1:1, 3-6, 14b-16, 22](https://blessbible.app/bible/ruth/1/) |
| [Sat, Aug 21, 2027](https://blessbible.app/calendar/2027/08/21/) computed | St. Pius X, Pope | First Reading | [Ruth 2:1-3, 8-11; 4:13-17](https://blessbible.app/bible/ruth/2/) |

Dates after May 31, 2027 are computed by Bless from the US Lectionary cycle — confirm with your parish.

[Previous book The Book of Judges](https://blessbible.app/bible/judges/) [Next book The First Book of Samuel](https://blessbible.app/bible/1-samuel/)