In the lawless period of the history of Israel between the invasion of Canaan and the establishment of the Monarchy there existed military leaders, national heroes called the 'Judges'.

The lesson of the book of Judges is that Israel's survival depended upon loyalty to God and that disloyalty always ended in disaster. It also shows God's faithfulness to his people when they turned in repentance.

The story of Ruth is set in the times of the Judges. It shows the blessings that came upon a foreigner when she turned to Israel's God at a time when Israel was turning away.