Chapter 9: Fullness

And so the story that began with death now turned toward life.

The LORD blessed Ruth and Boaz. She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son.

The women of Bethlehem gathered around Naomi — the same women who had whispered "Is this Naomi?" when she returned broken and empty. Now they came with blessing.

THE WOMEN“Praise the LORD! He has not left you without a redeemer today. May this child become famous throughout Israel. He will restore your life and care for you in your old age.”— Ruth 4:14-15

Then they said something that would have taken Naomi's breath away.

THE WOMEN“For your daughter-in-law, who loves you, has given birth to him — and she is more to you than seven sons.”— Ruth 4:15

More than seven sons.

In Israel, seven was the number of completeness. To have seven sons was the greatest blessing a family could receive. No praise could be higher.

And they gave this honor to Ruth. A Moabite. A foreigner. A woman who had once been invisible in this very town.

Her faithful love had proven greater than the highest blessing Israel knew.

Naomi reached out her arms. She took the baby and held him to her chest. The scripture says she laid him on her lap and became his nurse.

The women gave the child a name, calling him Obed.

Obed would grow up to have a son named Jesse.

And Jesse would have a son named David — who would become the greatest king Israel ever knew.

But on that day, no one knew what was coming. They only knew that emptiness had become fullness. Bitterness had turned to joy. And a foreign woman's love had changed everything.