How old was Ruth the Moabite?

Greetings,

According to one approach, Ruth the Moabite lived at least 172 years, and according to another approach, she lived between 270 and 391 years.

Sources: It is brought in Tractate Bava Batra (folio 91b) that Ruth the Moabite saw in the kingship of Solomon the son of her grandson, as it says, "And he set a seat for the king's mother," and Rabbi Elazar said: the mother of royalty.

And behold, in the Gemara (there, folio 91a) it is brought that Avtzan is Boaz. And Avtzan passed away in the year 2792. Boaz died on the same night that he married Ruth, as Rashi brought in Divrei Hayamim I (chapter 2, verse 11) in the name of Chazal. And at that time Ruth was forty years old, as brought in Ruth Rabbah (section 4, paragraph 4). King Solomon began to reign in the year 2924. Thus, from the year 2752, the time of Ruth's birth (forty years before she married Boaz), until the year 2924, the time Solomon's reign began, 172 years passed. It follows that Ruth lived at least 172 years.

However, in Ruth Rabbah (section 1, paragraph 1), the view of Rav is that the story of the scroll took place in the days of Barak and Devorah. That was during the period between the years 2573 and 2653 from Creation. And Ruth was then forty years old, as above. If so, it follows that from Ruth's birth until the year 2924, when Solomon began to reign, 391 years passed. According to this opinion, then, Ruth lived at least 391 years.

And the view of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi in the Midrash (there) is that the story of the scroll took place in the days of Shamgar and Ehud. That is, between the years 2654 and 2694 from Creation. And Ruth was then forty years old, as above. It follows that from Ruth's birth until the year 2924, when Solomon began to reign, 270 years passed. According to this opinion, Ruth lived at least 270 years.

With blessings,

Hillel Meirs