Derived from the Old Testament, the story revolves around the character of Ruth, a pagan priestess who serves in her temple under the High Priestess, and who falls in love with a Hebrew man named Mahlon. This love brings her spiritual beliefs into question as she has trouble reconciling her pagan religion with his belief in one invisible deity. By the time they marry, she has decided to convert to Judaism, but her newfound spiritual beliefs are put to the test when Mahlon dies. Ruth travels back to Bethlehem with Mahlon's mother, Naomi, where she suffers religious persecution for her prior beliefs as a pagan, and she and Naomi grow closer as they try to survive the hardships of poverty together. This relationship and her own spiritual reflection strengthen her belief in Judaism, and she again finds love with another Hebrew man, Boaz.