1. Women of Valor Ruth and Esther

2. Ruth During the time of the Judges Not a Hebrew but a Moabite Married a Hebrew husband who died Returned to Israel with her mother-in-law Naomi

3. Ruth in Israel Returned to Naomi’s hometown of Bethlehem Survived by gleaning the field of other farmers Gleaning- farmers had to leave the corners for the poor Naomi decides to play matchmaker

4. Levirate Marriage Ruth gleaned the field of Boaz her husband’s cousin Naomi told Ruth to use the law of levirate marriage to marry him Levirate marriage- the closest relative should marry a childless widow and raise a child in the name of the dead relative

5. Ruth and Boaz Boaz wanted to marry Ruth but their was another closer relative Boaz gets permission to marry Ruth Ruth is the great grandmother of King David

6. Esther Unique Book One of only two books of bible to not mention God (Song of Solomon) Only Old Testament Book not found in the Dead Sea Scrolls Possibly the last Old Testament Book written

7. Queen Esther Esther wins a beauty contest to become the next queen of Persia Her uncle Mordecai tells her to keep her ethnicity a secret The kings steward Haman decides he wants to kill all of the Jews (Mordecai refused to bow to him)

8. Haman’s Plan Haman got a drunk king to sign an edict that said the anyone could kill a Jew without punishment Mordecai found out and told Esther

9. Esther’s Counter Plan Esther invited Haman to eat with her and the king Esther has another dinner the next night Haman thinks he is about to be honor and tells the king the best way he could honor someone Mordecai instead gets honored because he had once saved the kings life

10. Haman’s Downfall At the second meal Esther is told by the king he will give her anything she wants Esther tells him she wants to save the life of her people and tells the king everything The king leaves angry and Haman falls on the couch by Esther and begs for his life King returns and thinks Haman is trying to force himself on Esther Haman is hung and the Jews are saved

11. Notes Quiz Who was the mother-in-law of Ruth? What is gleaning? What is a levirate marriage? What is one unique thing about the Book of Esther? Why did Haman want to kill the Jews?