“A Son Is Born to Naomi!”

This paper moves between two focal points, character and allusion. We wish to explore the character of Naomi, an exploration which will inevitably center on her relationship to Ruth. We also wish to suggest that attention to literary allusion in the text can help us considerably in our understanding of her character. Indeed, it is our conviction generally concerning the book of Ruth that it owes significant depth and complexity to the author’s use of literary allusions. Literary allusions help to construct the worldview of the narrative. They provide clues to understanding ambiguous events and situations. They illuminate the attitudes and motivations of characters when the surface of the narrative is reticent.