Ruth 4:18 introduces a genealogy, stating that Pharez was the ancestor of Hezron. This verse begins a list of descendants, showing the family line that leads from Pharez onward.
In the book of Ruth, this genealogy is presented at the end, after the story of Ruth and Boaz. The verse serves to connect the events of Ruth’s life to the larger history of Israel by tracing the family line back to Pharez, a son of Judah. This sets the stage for listing the generations leading to King David, highlighting the importance of Ruth’s story in the ancestry of Israel’s royal line.