Again, this was not in obedience to God God commanded the Israelites to not marry among the pagan nations surrounding them.Ĭ. Now they took wives of the women of Moab: Mahlon and Chilion grew, and took wives among the Moabite women, named Orpah and Ruth. No matter where you go, you bring yourself with you - so the same problems can continue in a different place.ī. We sometimes think we can move away from our problems, but find we just bring them with us. What is certain is that the change of scenery didn’t make things better.

It is sometimes difficult to discern why tragic things happen. It is hard to say that this was the direct hand of God’s judgment against them. Elimelech soon died, and his wife Naomi was left to care for their two boys, Mahlon and Chilion. Then Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died: When Elimelech and his family came to Moab, they did not find life easier. Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died so the woman survived her two sons and her husband.Ī. Now they took wives of the women of Moab: the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth.

Then Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died and she was left, and her two sons. And they went to the country of Moab and remained there. The name of the man was Elimelech, the name of his wife was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion Ephrathites of Bethlehem, Judah. The name Elimelech means “God is king” - but he didn’t really live as if God was his king. The next verse tells us the name of the man was Elimelech and his intention of a short visit turned into ten, tragedy-filled years - and Elimelech never returned to Israel. Went to sojourn: This means to leave with the intention to return. Therefore, a famine in the land meant that Israel, as a nation, was not obedient unto the LORD ( Deuteronomy 11:13-17).ĭ. A famine in the land: God specifically promised there would always be plenty in the land if Israel was obedient. These were clearly steps in the wrong direction.Ĭ. This was a definite departure from the Promised Land of Israel, and a return towards the wilderness from which God had delivered Israel hundreds of years before. To do so, he had to hike through the desolate Jericho pass, through the Judean wilderness near the Dead Sea, going across the Jordan River, into the land of Moab. Bethlehem was a rich agricultural area (the city name means “House of Bread”), but times were tough, so he went to the pagan land of Moab. A certain man of Bethlehem: In these days, a man from Bethlehem left the land of Israel to sojourn in the country of Moab, because of famine. The days when the Judges ruled were actually dark days for Israel the period was characterized by the phrase everyone did what was right in his own eyes ( Judges 17:6, 18:1, 19:1, and 21:25).ī. Each of these were raised up by God, not to rule as kings, but to lead Israel during a specific challenge, and then to go back to obscurity.

Notable among the Judges were Gideon, Samson, and Deborah. In the days when the Judges ruled: This account begins in the closing days of the Judges, a 400-year period of general anarchy and oppression when the Israelites were not ruled by kings, but by periodic deliverers whom God raised up when the nation sought Him again. And a certain man of Bethlehem, Judah, went to dwell in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.Ī. Now it came to pass, in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land.

Book of ruth bible study guide pdf