Ruth 1:1-5
A Famine, and a Family That Left
Read the passage
1In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. And a certain man from Bethlehem in Judah, with his wife and two sons, went to reside in the land of Moab.
2The man’s name was Elimelech, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah, and they entered the land of Moab and settled there.
3Then Naomi’s husband Elimelech died, and she was left with her two sons,
4who took Moabite women as their wives, one named Orpah and the other named Ruth. And after they had lived in Moab about ten years,
5both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and without her husband.
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
A famine sends Elimelech and Naomi from Bethlehem to Moab with their sons, Mahlon and Chilion. It is the time of the judges. The family is trying to live through hunger, and the account tells us where they go without declaring their decision right or wrong.
Then Elimelech dies. The sons marry Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth, and the family remains in Moab about ten years. Both sons also die. In five verses, Naomi loses her husband and both her children, and Orpah and Ruth lose their husbands.
We are not told the causes of the deaths. No prophet explains them, and the passage does not label them punishment for leaving Bethlehem or marrying in Moab. It would be wrong to supply a verdict the text does not give.
The final sentence turns our attention to Naomi, left without her sons and husband. The brevity of the account does not make those losses small. Years of family life lie behind the names. Before we look for what will happen next, there is reason to pause with the grief of these three women.
How We Know
Ruth places these events in the period of the judges. Judges 21:25 describes that period as one in which there was no king and everyone did what was right in his own eyes. That setting does not tell us why this particular family suffered its losses.
Questions
1 Why does the family leave Bethlehem?
AnswerThere is a famine in the land during the days of the judges. Elimelech, Naomi, and their two sons settle in Moab.
2 Who joins the family in Moab?
AnswerThe sons marry Orpah and Ruth, two Moabite women. Both women later become widows.
3 What explanation does the passage give for the three deaths?
AnswerIt does not give their causes or call them divine punishment. We should not invent a reason for the losses.
4 What can we offer someone whose loss we cannot explain?
AnswerWe can listen, acknowledge the person who has died, and offer practical care. We do not need a theory about why it happened to remain beside someone in grief.
What This Means for Us
Grief does not need to be solved before it can be shared. Sit with the person who has lost someone, speak their loved one's name if that is welcome, and help with ordinary needs. We can pray for God's care while admitting that we do not understand His purposes. An honest “I don't know” can leave room for patient love.
Prayer
Father, care for those who are grieving losses they cannot explain. Make us patient companions who listen well and offer useful help without pretending to know what You have not told us. Amen.