The author is not named
Unlike some biblical books that identify a prophet, king, or apostle, Ruth opens without telling readers who wrote it. It begins by locating the events in the era when Israel was governed by judges, then introduces a famine and one family's move from Bethlehem to Moab (Ruth 1:1). The story itself gives no signature at its end either.
So the most honest answer is simple: we don't know the human author's name. That isn't a weakness in the book. Its message is still clear, and its place in Scripture invites us to pay attention to the faithfulness of God shown through ordinary people.
Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Beth–lehem–judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
Why Samuel is often suggested
Samuel is often suggested as the author because he lived near the transition from the period of the judges to Israel's monarchy. Ruth belongs to that setting, and Samuel's own life was deeply connected with Israel's last judge, Saul's kingship, and David's rise (1 Samuel 7:15; 1 Samuel 16:13).
Still, this remains a tradition and an informed possibility, not something Ruth explicitly says. Scripture records Samuel's death while David was still living as a fugitive from Saul (1 Samuel 25:1). Since the book does not name its writer, it is wiser not to claim certainty where the text does not.
The ending points to David
Ruth closes with a genealogy running from Perez through Boaz, Obed, Jesse, and David (Ruth 4:18-22). That ending shows why this small family story matters in Israel's larger history. Ruth, a Moabite widow, became the great-grandmother of David, Israel's king.
The genealogy also suggests that the book was shaped for readers who knew David's importance. It looks back on the difficult days of the judges and shows that, even then, God was quietly preserving a family line through acts of loyalty, courage, and kindness.
And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
What Ruth wants us to see
The book's main purpose is not to draw attention to its author. It draws attention to God's providence, meaning his wise and caring work in people's lives. Naomi returns home empty and grieving, Ruth refuses to abandon her, and Boaz treats both women with generosity and honour (Ruth 1:16-17; Ruth 2:11-12).
By the final chapter, the Lord has brought a future out of sorrow and included Ruth in David's family line (Ruth 4:13-17). Read Ruth slowly. Whether its writer was Samuel or someone else, the book warmly shows that God sees faithful love in places the wider world might overlook.