Ruth 1:5
and both Mahlon and Chilion died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The text emphasizes Naomi being "left" – not just bereaved, but utterly emptied of her family unit. This isn't just a series of unfortunate events; it's the complete dissolution of her husband and sons, leaving her a solitary figure in a foreign land.
The family of Elimelech, having moved from Bethlehem to Moab due to famine, faces devastating loss. First Elimelech dies, and then his two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, who had married Moabite women, also pass away, leaving Naomi completely alone. This tragic series of deaths leaves her stripped of her husband and her children in a foreign land.
Elimelech left Bethlehem for Moab, seeking provision. But the story that unfolds is one of profound loss. What does this move reveal about the dangers of seeking solutions outside of God's will?
Elimelech's decision to move his family to Moab, a land deeply estranged from God's people, sets the stage for tragedy. While the text doesn't explicitly condemn him for seeking sustenance during a famine, commentators note the devastating outcome.
Naomi's world has imploded. She's lost her husband and both her sons. How does this verse capture the totality of her devastation?
This verse is a stark picture of utter desolation. The original Hebrew language emphasizes not just the loss, but the state of being 'left behind' or 'bereft.'
The story of Ruth unfolds during the chaotic 'Period of the Judges,' a time when famine drove people to desperate measures and societal instability was common. This backdrop highlights Naomi's profound loss and isolation not just as personal tragedy, but as a consequence of seeking refuge in a foreign land during a time of national crisis.
c. 13th-11th century BC
Period of the Judges
A tumultuous era in Israel's history characterized by cycles of sin, oppression, and deliverance, with a lack of central leadership.
Undated, within the Period of the Judges
Famine in Bethlehem
A severe food shortage strikes Judah, forcing Elimelech and his family to migrate to the foreign land of Moab.
Undated, about 10 years after migration
Death of Elimelech
Naomi's husband dies in Moab, leaving her a widow in a foreign land with her two sons.
Undated, about 10 years after Elimelech's death— this verse
Deaths of Mahlon and Chilion
Naomi's two sons, who had married Moabite women, die without children, leaving Naomi entirely alone.
This passage speaks of the sorrow and finality of death and exile, mirroring Naomi's profound grief and displacement as she's left without her husband and sons.
Job 1:2Like Job, Naomi experiences a devastating series of losses in a short time, highlighting how even the righteous can face overwhelming affliction.
Lamentations 1:1This verse vividly describes a city left alone and grieving after loss, much like Naomi is left alone and bereft of her family in a foreign land.
Luke 13:4Jesus refers to those on whom the tower of Siloam fell, prompting reflection on sudden tragedy, which resonates with the inexplicable deaths that befell Naomi's family.
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…
clarkeRuth 1:5: "And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband."
And Mahlon and Chilion died - The Targum adds, And because they transgressed the decree of the word of the Lord, and joined affinity with strange people, therefore their days were cut off. It is very likely that there is more here than conjecture.
The text emphasizes Naomi being "left" – not just bereaved, but utterly emptied of her family unit. This isn't just a series of unfortunate events; it's the complete dissolution of her husband and sons, leaving her a solitary figure in a foreign land.
The family of Elimelech, having moved from Bethlehem to Moab due to famine, faces devastating loss. First Elimelech dies, and then his two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, who had married Moabite women, also pass away, leaving Naomi completely alone. This tragic series of deaths leaves her stripped of her husband and her children in a foreign land.
The family of Elimelech, having moved from Bethlehem to Moab due to famine, faces devastating loss. First Elimelech dies, and then his two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, who had married Moabite women, also pass away, leaving Naomi completely alone. This tragic series of deaths leaves her stripped of her husband and her children in a foreign land.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Ruth 1:5 is available in the Sola app.
"and both Mahlon and Chilion died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband." — The text emphasizes Naomi being "left" – not just bereaved, but utterly emptied of her family unit. This isn't just a series of unfortunate events; it's the complete dissolution of her husband and so…
