<P> During the time of the Judges when there was a famine, an Israelite family from Bethlehem--Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and their sons Mahlon and Chilion--emigrated to the nearby country of Moab . Elimelech died, and the sons married two Moabite women: Mahlon married Ruth and Chilion married Orpah . </P> <P> After about ten years, the two sons of Naomi also died in Moab (1: 4). Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem . She told her daughters - in - law to return to their own mothers and remarry . Orpah reluctantly left; however, Ruth said, "Intreat me not to leave thee, (or) to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people (shall be) my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, (if aught) but death part thee and me ." (Ruth 1: 16--17 KJV) </P> <P> The two women returned to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest, and in order to support her mother - in - law and herself, Ruth went to the fields to glean . As it happened, the field she went to belonged to a man named Boaz, who was kind to her because he had heard of her loyalty to her mother - in - law . Ruth told Naomi of Boaz's kindness, and she gleaned in his field through the remainder of barley and wheat harvest . </P> <P> Boaz was a close relative of Naomi's husband's family . He was therefore obliged by the Levirate law to marry Mahlon's widow, Ruth, in order to carry on his family's inheritance . Naomi sent Ruth to the threshing floor at night and told her to go where he slept, and "uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do" (3: 4). Ruth did so . Boaz asked her who she was, and she replied: "I (am) Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou (art) a near kinsman ." (3: 9) Boaz blessed her and agreed to do all that is required, and he noted that, "all the city of my people doth know that thou (art) a virtuous woman ." (3: 11) He then acknowledged that he was a close relative, but that there was one who was closer, and she remained in submission at his feet until she returned into the city in the morning . </P>

Where does the story of ruth take place