Person
Naomi נעמי
Ruth's mother-in-law; she returned from Moab with nothing—and became the great-grandmother of kings
Famine took her family from Bethlehem to Moab; there her husband and both sons died, and she walked back alone. She urged her daughters-in-law to turn home—and heard from Ruth the words that became the formula of every joining of this people: "where you go, I will go".
The rest of the book of Ruth is Naomi's plan: she chooses Boaz's field, teaches Ruth how to ask for redemption, and takes the newborn Oved "to her bosom". The neighbours call the boy her son—and through him Naomi becomes great-grandmother of Jesse and great-great-grandmother of David: bitterness turned into a royal house.
On the timeline
Related
Sources
Tanakh
- Ruth 1:16-21 — «where you go» and «call me Mara»
- Ruth 4:14-17 — «a son is born to Naomi»
Basis: stated in the Tanakh.