Ruth 1:1-2
In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The text specifically places this event "in the days when the judges ruled," a chaotic period in Israel's history often marked by spiritual wandering and external oppression. This isn't just a random historical note; it hints that the dire circumstances – like the famine and the family's departure – might be connected to Israel’s own faithfulness (or lack thereof) to God during this unstable era.
The story opens during a period of instability in Israel, known as the time of the judges, when a severe famine strikes the land. To escape starvation, a man named Elimelech from Bethlehem, along with his wife Naomi and their two sons, decides to temporarily relocate to the neighboring country of Moab. This decision marks the beginning of a tragic chain of events that will profoundly impact their family and set the stage for a remarkable tale of loyalty and redemption.
Imagine a time with no king, no central authority, just a patchwork of local leaders. This was the era of the Judges. What kind of instability did this create?
A Time of Instability
The book of Ruth opens with a striking phrase: 'In the days when the judges ruled.' This wasn't a golden age of peace and prosperity for Israel. It was a period characterized by cycles of disobedience, oppression, and deliverance. The absence of a unified leadership meant a lack of consistent justice and security. When there's no overarching order, small problems can quickly spiral. A famine, which could have been managed or mitigated in a more stable time, becomes a critical crisis forcing drastic measures.
A famine hits. What's the immediate consequence? Beyond empty bellies, what else does a widespread lack of resources reveal about a land and its people?
The Ripple Effect of Scarcity
The famine mentioned in Ruth 1:1 wasn't just an inconvenience; it was a crisis that drove a family to abandon their homeland. This scarcity likely stemmed from the broader instability of the Judges period, possibly exacerbated by external raids or internal disorder that disrupted agriculture. The text highlights that this famine struck 'in the land' – the promised land of Judah, a place meant to be "flowing with milk and honey." This stark contrast reveals that even the most blessed places can face hardship. For Elimelech and his family, the famine wasn't just about food; it was a symptom of a deeper issue, pushing them to seek sustenance elsewhere, even in the land of Moab, a people generally viewed with suspicion by the Israelites.
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Elimelech didn't just move; he 'went to sojourn' in Moab. What does this temporary, yet significant, relocation signify for his family and their faith?
A Step into the Unknown
Elimelech’s decision to take his family to Moab wasn't a permanent emigration, but a 'sojourn' – a temporary stay. Yet, this choice carried immense weight. Moab was a land known for its idolatry, specifically the worship of Chemosh. By leaving the land of promise, where God's presence and covenant were central, Elimelech was stepping out from under the framework of God's direct guidance for his people. While motivated by a genuine need to survive a famine, this move away from the spiritual center of his life would have profound, unintended consequences. It represented a choice to prioritize physical provision over spiritual proximity, a decision that would ultimately lead to loss and heartbreak.
Understand the original words
shaphat · Hebrew Verb
A historical period in Israel characterized by a cycle of apostasy, oppression, and divine deliverance through leaders raised up by God; it was a time when "everyone did what was right in his own eyes."
ra'ab · Hebrew Noun
An extreme scarcity of food, often interpreted in the Old Testament as a manifestation of divine judgment, discipline, or a trial of faith for the covenant people.
gur · Hebrew Verb
A temporary resident or foreigner who lives in a place without the full rights of a citizen; it implies a state of being "at home away from home."
Mo'ab · Hebrew Noun
An ancient territory located east of the Dead Sea; the Moabites were descendants of Lot and were frequently antagonistic toward Israel, often representing a place of spiritual danger or separation from the Promised Land.
Beth Lechem · Hebrew Noun
Literally meaning "House of Bread"; a city in Judah that served as a place of historical significance, particularly as the eventual birthplace of King David and Jesus Christ.
Yehudah · Hebrew Noun
The southern kingdom or territory of the Promised Land, associated with the tribe of Judah, the royal line of David, and the place of Jerusalem and the Temple.
'Eliymelek · Hebrew Noun
A name meaning "My God is King"; it reflects the naming conventions of the era where one's identity was tied to the covenant relationship with Yahweh.
Na'omiy · Hebrew Noun
A name generally associated with "pleasantness" or "delight," contrasting sharply with her later experiences of bitterness and tragedy.
'Ephrathiy · Hebrew Noun/Adjective
An archaic or specific designation for people from the region of Bethlehem; it connects the characters back to the tribal identity of Judah.
The setting of the judges highlights a period of Israel's spiritual and political instability, making a famine a plausible and devastating event that directly led to Elimelech's fateful decision to leave God's promised land.
c. 1370–1070 BC
Period of the Judges
A time in Israel's history characterized by cycles of disobedience, oppression by surrounding nations, and deliverance through divinely appointed leaders called judges.
c. 11th century BC— this verse
Famine in Judah
A severe shortage of food struck the land of Judah, likely exacerbated by ongoing instability and conflict during the late period of the judges.
c. 11th century BC
Elimelech Emigrates to Moab
Elimelech, a man from Bethlehem in Judah, led his family—his wife Naomi and their two sons—to settle temporarily in the fertile land of Moab to escape the famine.
This passage describes a devastating famine in Israel caused by enemy invasions, similar to the famine mentioned in Ruth 1:1, suggesting a shared historical context during the period of the judges.
Genesis 12:10This verse records a famine in the land that also caused Abraham to sojourn in Egypt, highlighting a recurring pattern of famine driving people from the Promised Land to foreign territories.
Deuteronomy 23:3-4This prohibition against Moabites entering the assembly of the Lord shows the deep-seated animosity between Israel and Moab, making Elimelech's decision to settle there particularly striking.
Matthew 1:5This verse mentions Rahab, a Moabite woman, as an ancestor of David and Jesus, directly linking the events in Ruth to the lineage of Israel's greatest king and ultimately to Christ.
gillRuth 1:1: "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 Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons."
Now it came to pass, in the days when the judges ruled,.... So that it appears that this history is of time and things after the affair of Micah, and of the concubine of the Levite, and of the war between Israel and Benjamin; for in those times there was no king nor judge in Israel;…
henryRuth 1:1-5: "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 Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons."
1:1-5 Elimelech's care to provide for his family, was not to be blamed; but his removal into the country of Moab could not be justified. And the removal ended in the wasting of his family. It is folly to think of escaping that cross, which, being laid in our way, we ought to take…
The text specifically places this event "in the days when the judges ruled," a chaotic period in Israel's history often marked by spiritual wandering and external oppression. This isn't just a random historical note; it hints that the dire circumstances – like the famine and the family's departure – might be connected to Israel’s own faithfulness (or lack thereof) to God during this unstable era.
The story opens during a period of instability in Israel, known as the time of the judges, when a severe famine strikes the land. To escape starvation, a man named Elimelech from Bethlehem, along with his wife Naomi and their two sons, decides to temporarily relocate to the neighboring country of Moab. This decision marks the beginning of a tragic chain of events that will profoundly impact their family and set the stage for a remarkable tale of loyalty and redemption.
The story opens during a period of instability in Israel, known as the time of the judges, when a severe famine strikes the land. To escape starvation, a man named Elimelech from Bethlehem, along with his wife Naomi and their two sons, decides to temporarily relocate to the neighboring country of Moab. This decision marks the beginning of a tragic chain of events that will profoundly impact their family and set the stage for a remarkable tale of loyalty and redemption.
"In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, a…" — The text specifically places this event "in the days when the judges ruled," a chaotic period in Israel's history often marked by spiritual wandering and external oppression. This isn't just a random…
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