Single lesson

Ruth and Naomi: Loyalty and Care

Ruth 1:1–22

This lesson helps children notice Ruth’s clear choice to stay with Naomi and travel with her. Students will hear the story in order, talk about loyal care, and name one practical way to help someone.

6–10 years30 minutes

Before you teach

Ruth 1:1–22 begins with Naomi’s family leaving Bethlehem because of famine and living in Moab. Naomi’s husband and both sons die there. When Naomi hears that Yahweh has given bread to his people, she starts back to Judah. On the journey, Ruth chooses to remain with Naomi and comes with her to Bethlehem.

Learning aim

Students will be able to identify from Ruth 1:16–18 that Ruth chose to stay with Naomi and to name one practical act of loyal care.

Welcome: What does loyal care look like?

5 min

Begin by asking children for simple examples of helping a family member or friend, such as walking with them, sharing food, or staying with them when they are sad. Explain that in today’s Bible story Naomi is grieving, and Ruth makes a strong choice to stay with her. Keep the focus on what Ruth actually says and does in the passage.

Ruth 1:5, Ruth 1:16, Ruth 1:18

Read and explain: Naomi prepares to return

7 min

Read Ruth 1:1–7 aloud. Explain that famine means there was not enough food in the land. Naomi’s family moved to Moab, but Naomi’s husband died, and later both sons died too. Then Naomi heard that Yahweh had given bread to his people, so she set out to return to Judah with her daughters-in-law.

Ruth 1:1, Ruth 1:3, Ruth 1:5, Ruth 1:6, Ruth 1:7

Discuss: Naomi tells them to go back

6 min

Read Ruth 1:8–15. Naomi speaks kindly to Orpah and Ruth and tells them to return. They weep, and at first both say they will go with Naomi. Naomi explains why she thinks they should go back. In the end, Orpah leaves, but Ruth does not. Help children notice that different choices are described without adding extra details.

Ruth 1:8, Ruth 1:9, Ruth 1:10, Ruth 1:13, Ruth 1:14, Ruth 1:15

Make and respond: Ruth stayed with Naomi

8 min

Read Ruth 1:16–18 slowly. Point out Ruth’s words: “Where you go, I will go” and “Your people will be my people, and your God my God.” Ask children to repeat one short phrase together. Then complete the craft activity and have each child name one practical act of care, such as staying close, helping carry something, or speaking kindly.

Ruth 1:16, Ruth 1:17, Ruth 1:18

Closing: They arrive in Bethlehem

4 min

Finish by reading Ruth 1:19–22. Naomi and Ruth arrive in Bethlehem together. Naomi speaks honestly about her bitterness and loss, while the passage still shows that Ruth came with her. Summarise the lesson: Ruth chose to remain with Naomi on the journey back. Invite children to remember one caring action they can do this week.

Ruth 1:19, Ruth 1:20, Ruth 1:21, Ruth 1:22

Questions to explore

What news made Naomi start travelling back to Judah?

Look for the reason given before the journey begins: Naomi heard that Yahweh had visited his people by giving them bread.

Ruth 1:6

What did Ruth say that shows she chose to stay with Naomi?

Listen for Ruth’s own words about going, staying, belonging to Naomi’s people, and worshipping Naomi’s God.

Ruth 1:16, Ruth 1:17

How does the passage show that Ruth followed through on her choice?

After Ruth speaks, Naomi stops urging her, and the two of them go on until they come to Bethlehem.

Ruth 1:18, Ruth 1:19, Ruth 1:22

Make, think or respond

Loyalty Link Craft

What you’ll need

coloured paper or plain paper
pencils or crayons
scissors
glue or sticky tape

Try it together

Cut or tear paper into strips.
On each strip, write or draw one caring action, such as help, stay, listen, or share.
Make the strips into a linked paper chain, joining them with glue or tape.
Add one final link labelled “Ruth stayed with Naomi”.
Let each child point to one link and say how they could show care this week.

The linked chain helps children remember Ruth’s choice to stay with Naomi and connects the story to practical acts of care named from the lesson.

Adapt for your group

For younger children, pre-cut the paper strips and let them draw caring actions instead of writing words.
For older children, ask them to copy a short phrase from Ruth 1:16 onto one strip and explain why it shows loyalty.

An optional closing prayer

“God, thank you for this story about Ruth staying with Naomi. Please help us show loyal care in the ways we speak and act. Amen.”

Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic

Ruth 1

¹ In the days when the judges judged, there was a famine in the land. A certain man of Bethlehem Judah went to live in the country of Moab with his wife and his two sons.

² The name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi. The names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem Judah. They came into the country of Moab and lived there.

³ Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left with her two sons.

⁴ They took for themselves wives of the women of Moab. The name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other was Ruth. They lived there about ten years.

⁵ Mahlon and Chilion both died, and the woman was bereaved of her two children and of her husband.

⁶ Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, that she might return from the country of Moab; for she had heard in the country of Moab how Yahweh had visited his people in giving them bread.

⁷ She went out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her. They went on the way to return to the land of Judah.

⁸ Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May Yahweh deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.

⁹ May Yahweh grant you that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband.” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices, and wept.

¹⁰ They said to her, “No, but we will return with you to your people.”

¹¹ Naomi said, “Go back, my daughters. Why do you want to go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?

¹² Go back, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, ‘I have hope,’ if I should even have a husband tonight, and should also bear sons,

¹³ would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from having husbands? No, my daughters, for it grieves me seriously for your sakes, for Yahweh’s hand has gone out against me.”

¹⁴ They lifted up their voices and wept again; then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth stayed with her.

¹⁵ She said, “Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her god. Follow your sister-in-law.”

¹⁶ Ruth said, “Don’t urge me to leave you, and to return from following you, for where you go, I will go; and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God.

¹⁷ Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May Yahweh do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me.”

¹⁸ When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.

¹⁹ So they both went until they came to Bethlehem. When they had come to Bethlehem, all the city was excited about them, and they asked, “Is this Naomi?”

²⁰ She said to them, “Don’t call me Naomi. Call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.

²¹ I went out full, and Yahweh has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since Yahweh has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?”

²² So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned out of the country of Moab. They came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.

World English Bible Classic. Public domain.