When was Ruth written?
Answered from the commentary of Arend Remmers, Walter Scott, Arno Clemens Gaebelein and 4 others
Ruth was written in the time of David, around 1000 BC, and certainly not earlier than David's accession to the throne of Israel. The ground for this is the close of the book: its genealogy in Ruth 4:17-22 runs down to King David, so it must have been written after David had been made king. The remark in Ruth 4:7 that drawing off the shoe was a custom "in former time" in Israel points the same way, since the writer looks back on it as an old practice. The events themselves belong earlier, to "the days when the judges ruled" (Ruth 1:1), and so the book stands rightly between Judges and Samuel, as a sequel to the one and an introduction to the other. One reason it was written was to supply the ancestry of David's house, which the books of Samuel never give. No author is named, but Jewish tradition in the Babylonian Talmud names the prophet Samuel, and many expositors agree that he probably wrote it. The late date that critics give it, after the exile, is rejected as incorrect. Only one voice dates the writing differently, calling Ruth a book "written during the time of the judges"; the others who address the question place its writing in David's day.
Verses: Ruth 1:1, Ruth 4:7, Ruth 4:17, Ruth 4:18, Ruth 4:19, Ruth 4:20, Ruth 4:21, Ruth 4:22, Judges 21:25, Matthew 1:5, Matthew 1:6
The above is AI generated summary based on the writers below.
What the commentators say
The passages the answer is drawn from, the most direct first, with the words that bear on the question marked.
The book of Ruth connects the book of Judges with the books of Samuel. The first verse of the book points to the time of the Judges and the very last verse points to King David.
An author is not mentioned in Ruth. As the genealogy in chapter 4:17.22 goes down to King David this short book of Ruth was written at the time of David (around 1000 BC). According to the Babylonian Talmud of the Jews Samuel the prophet may have been the author of the book of Ruth. This view is shared by many Bible expositors.
This book, containing the beautiful story of Ruth, is closely linked with Judges. The beginning of the book makes this clear: "Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled." The events happened during the period of the judges. It therefore belongs next to that book. In the Hebrew Bible it occupies another place. We find it there next to the Song of Solomon, followed by Lamentations. Five books are called by the Jews "Megilloth" and are read by them at different feasts commemorating past events. The Song of Solomon is read during Passover; Ruth at Pentecost; Lamentations on the ninth day of the month Ab in memory of the destruction of Jerusalem; Ecclesiastes is read during the feast of Tabernacles and Esther they read when they celebrate Purim.
The author of the book of Ruth is unknown. The conclusion of the book shows that it must have been written after David had been made king. However the late date assigned to it by the critics, after the exile, is incorrect. We do not enter into their arguments. Any intelligent reader must see at once that its place between judges and Samuel is the right place, for it is as sequel to the former and an introduction to the latter. If we read the books of Samuel we discover that they do not contain any reference whatever to the ancestors of the house of David. To supply this deficiency is one of the reasons why this book was written. It is more than probable that Samuel is the author.
Judges. According to generally accepted Jewish tradition, Samuel was the writer of this book. The remark, "In those days there was no king in Israel," four times repeated (Judges 17:6; Judges 18:1; Judges 19:1; Judges 21:25) would show that the book was written after the establishment of Monarchy in Israel, but before the capture of Jerusalem and destruction of the Jebusites by David (for this compare Judges 1:21, with 2 Sam. 5:6-9). The administration of the thirteen Judges from Othniel to Samson embraced a period of about three hundred years. The last five chapters form an important appendix which must be placed historically at a very early period of the book. The reference to Phinehas (Judges 20:28) would prove this. This supplementary part discloses the moral condition of the people — one of lawlessness, anarchy, and idolatry.
Ruth, beauty. From the allusion to a then old custom in Israel "concerning redeeming and concerning changing" (Ruth 4:7), and the historical account of David's genealogy (Ruth 4:17-22), we gather that the book was written certainly not earlier than the accession of David to the throne of Israel. Probably Samuel was the writer. The counsels of God as to the millennial blessing of the Jew and of the land are disclosed in this typical book of history. Ruth is the connecting link between the times of the Judges and the establishment of royalty in Israel.
The name Ruth may mean "satisfied" or "beauty," either of which seems very appropriate. This is a refreshing book, written during the time of the judges, like a bright, sparkling jewel set in a very dark background. Naomi, who with her husband and sons had left Israel. God's place for them, is eventually in Moab bereaved of her husband and both sons. She is a picture of the nation Israel out of their land, desolate and without hope.
Ruth however, her daughterâinâlaw, is a Gentile, a Moabitess, disqualified as such from entering the congregation of Israel for ten generations. Yet Ruth is a type of the Jews also, in the same degraded place as the Gentiles â not God's people. But in her we see a new, precious, lowly faith awakened in the God of Israel, so that if in Naomi Israel's desolate, hopeless state is seen, in Ruth is seen the fresh faith of the godly remnant of Israel.
That the book of Ruth stands most fitly in the place where it is actually found must have been felt by the spiritual mind. Indeed it is apparent to every attentive reader of Scripture; for by outward marks it clearly belongs to the place where God has presented it to us. As to the time of what is brought before us, it belongs to the days of the Judges, as we are expressly told, and thus was clearly before the immense change which God was pleased to bring in and to have recorded for our instruction in 1 Samuel. Nevertheless, its character being singularly different from that which we find in Judges, none need wonder that it stands in a distinct book.
It is not our task to search into the motives which led the later Jews to take the book of Ruth from its place, as indicated in our Bibles as well as in the Septuagint (the Greek Version rendered long before our Lord came), and class it with the Lamentations, Canticles, Esther, and Ecclesiastes, as the five Megilloth, part of the Khetubim or Hagio-grapha. Following Judges and preceding the books of Samuel, it is just where it should be. It falls within the days of the judges, and most fittingly points on to the Beloved whom Jehovah chose to be His anointed, coming to the throne when Saul fell.
The Book of Ruth is plainly a history of the times of the judges, while as plainly it looks on to David and the kingdom. Thus it naturally stands between Judges and Kings (Samuel). Its spiritual meaning as plainly connects these together.
A king was thus in God's mind. The fallen priesthood was no longer His link with men. A change was impending. The closing verses of the Book of Ruth have prepared us for this. That charming production is at once an appendix to the Book of Judges, and an introduction to the Books of Samuel and Kings. David's pedigree fittingly concludes it.
Judges is composed of the sorrowful history of manifold departure on the part of the people, and on God's part of merciful intervention. Ruth, the supplement to Judges, gives us the bright side, showing how grace comes in, and that what was else hopelessly lost is now recovered in the coming King, whose genealogy is given here.
In the ancient Jewish Scriptures the Book of Ruth formed part of the Book of Judges. The events therein recorded took place during the period in which the Judges lived, and Ruth's life and devotion form a pleasing contract to the sad apostasy and corruption that marked the end of these sad times.
Verses
- Ruth 1:1And it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man went from Bethlehem-Judah, to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
- Ruth 4:7Now this [was the custom] in former time in Israel concerning redemption and concerning exchange, to confirm the whole matter a man drew off his sandal, and gave it to his neighbour, and this was the [mode of] attestation in Israel.
- Ruth 4:17–2217And the women [her] neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi. And they called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David. 18Now these are the generations of Pherez. Pherez begot Hezron, 19and Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab, 20and Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon, 21and Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed, 22and Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David.