Ruth 1 1

Ruth 1:1 kjv

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.

Ruth 1:1 nkjv

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 Bethlehem, Judah, went to dwell in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.

Ruth 1:1 niv

In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab.

Ruth 1:1 esv

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.

Ruth 1:1 nlt

In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home and went to live in the country of Moab, taking his wife and two sons with him.

Ruth 1 verses

Ruth 1 1 Meaning

Ruth 1:1 sets the stage for the book of Ruth by introducing the historical period, a severe famine, and a family's fateful decision. It reveals that "in the days when the judges ruled," a famine afflicted the land of Israel, specifically Bethlehem of Judah. This dire situation led Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and their two sons to leave the Promised Land and seek temporary refuge in the pagan land of Moab, an act laden with both practical necessity and spiritual implications for a covenant family.

Ruth 1 1 Context

Ruth 1:1 is the immediate gateway into the Book of Ruth. It deliberately opens by placing the narrative within the historical period of the Judges (approximately 1375-1050 BC). This era, depicted vividly in the Book of Judges, was marked by cyclical spiritual apostasy, moral decay, political instability, and social chaos. The repeating refrain in Judges, "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judg 17:6, 21:25), characterizes the backdrop of Elimelech's decision. Amidst this disarray, a famine strikes Bethlehem, whose name ironically means "House of Bread." For a famine to occur in this specific location within Judah (the tribal homeland from which the Messiah would later descend) indicates deep distress in the land and potentially divine disfavor or a testing. The move to Moab, a neighboring land historically antagonistic to Israel and known for its idolatrous practices (Num 25:1-3, Deut 23:3-6), highlights the desperate nature of their situation and potentially a lack of full trust in Yahweh's provision within the Promised Land. This setting emphasizes that the faithfulness demonstrated later by Ruth and Boaz shines all the more brightly against a backdrop of national unfaithfulness.

Ruth 1 1 Word analysis

• Now (וַיְהִי, wa·ye·hî): A common Hebrew narrative conjunction, literally "and it came to pass." It marks a transition and often introduces a new stage or event in a historical account. It signals the beginning of the story.
• it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled (בִּימֵי שֹׁפְטִים, biy·mē šō·p̄ə·ṭîm):
  • days (בִּימֵי, biy·mē): "In the days of," referring to a specific historical epoch rather than a short period.
  • judges (שֹׁפְטִים, šō·p̄ə·ṭîm): Refers to the charismatic leaders raised by God to deliver Israel during the period of tribal confederacy before the monarchy. This period was characterized by Israel's unfaithfulness, oppression by foreign powers, and cycles of divine deliverance, highlighting national instability and moral decline.
• that there was a famine (רָעָב, rā·ʿāḇ):
  • famine (רָעָב, rā·ʿāḇ): A severe shortage of food. In the Old Testament, famine is often depicted as a natural disaster, a result of drought, or sometimes as a form of divine judgment upon a disobedient people (e.g., Lev 26:19-20, Deut 28:23-24, Ps 105:16). It signifies severe hardship and lack of sustenance.
• in the land (בָּאָרֶץ, bā·’ā·reṣ): Specifically refers to the land of Israel, the Promised Land given by God to His covenant people, meant to be a land flowing with milk and honey.
• and a certain man of Bethlehem Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.
  • a certain man (וְאִישׁ, wə·’îš): Introduces the protagonist, Elimelech, who remains unnamed until the next verse (Ruth 1:2), focusing initially on his identity as a man from Bethlehem.
  • Bethlehem Judah (בֵּית לֶחֶם יְהוּדָה, bêṯ le·ḥem Yə·hū·ḏāh):
    • Bethlehem (Bêṯ le·ḥem): Literally "House of Bread." The irony of a famine occurring in a place called "House of Bread" is stark and underscores the severity of the situation. It was a relatively small town in the tribal territory of Judah.
    • Judah (Yə·hū·ḏāh): The dominant southern tribe, from which the line of David and ultimately the Messiah would emerge (Mic 5:2).
  • went to sojourn (לָגוּר, lā·ḡûr):
    • went (hā·laḵ): "To go," implying a journey and intentional movement.
    • to sojourn (lā·ḡûr): "To reside temporarily as an alien or foreigner." It implies an intent for a short-term stay, not permanent emigration. This choice reflects a strategic but perhaps short-sighted response to the famine, temporarily abandoning the land of promise for what appeared to be better provision.
  • in the country of Moab (בִּשְׂדֵי מוֹאָב, biś·ḏê Mô·’āḇ):
    • country/fields of Moab (biś·ḏê Mô·’āḇ): Moab was Israel's historical enemy to the east of the Dead Sea, descended from Lot (Gen 19:37). They were known for idolatry (e.g., Chemosh, 1 Ki 11:7) and had often oppressed Israel. This location for sojourning is significant as Moabites were specifically excluded from the assembly of the Lord (Deut 23:3-6), symbolizing a separation from the covenant community and its blessings.
  • he and his wife and his two sons: Identifies the immediate family unit (Elimelech, Naomi, Mahlon, and Chilion), establishing the primary characters and setting up the subsequent narrative focused on their lives and losses.

Ruth 1 1 Bonus section

The seemingly straightforward opening of Ruth 1:1 holds deeper theological resonances. The journey from "House of Bread" in Judah to the pagan "country of Moab" due to famine can be seen as a reverse exodus—a move away from the Promised Land back towards what represents the 'outside'. This underscores the spiritual danger faced by Israel in the period of the Judges, where internal moral corruption led them away from the blessings of the covenant. Despite the challenging circumstances, God's providence subtly orchestrates events, using this journey to bring a Moabite woman into the lineage of Israel's greatest king and, ultimately, the Messiah. Thus, this single verse sets up the profound theological tension between human desperation and divine faithfulness that permeates the entire book of Ruth.

Ruth 1 1 Commentary

Ruth 1:1 is far more than a simple geographical and chronological marker; it's a foundational theological statement for the entire book. By situating the story "in the days when the judges ruled," the author immediately invokes an era synonymous with spiritual decay, lawlessness, and a nation repeatedly turning its back on God. This historical backdrop makes the subsequent display of covenant loyalty and devotion by Ruth and Boaz shine as a remarkable counterpoint. The occurrence of a "famine in the land," especially in "Bethlehem Judah"—the very "House of Bread" within God's promised inheritance and the future birthplace of the Messiah—highlights the severity of Israel's spiritual state. Such an affliction in God's chosen land, where the people were meant to enjoy abundant blessing through obedience (Deut 28), implies either divine discipline or a significant testing of faith.

Elimelech's decision to "sojourn in the country of Moab," a land of historic adversaries and idolatry, while practical in seeking sustenance, also represents a departure from the sphere of God's direct covenant promises and protections. It signifies a potential leaning on human expediency over divine providence, moving from a land symbolically dried up by spiritual barrenness to one seen as providing physical sustenance, albeit outside the covenant boundaries. This verse effectively sets the stage for a narrative where tragedy (loss in Moab) unfolds, paving the way for God's redemptive work through an unexpected individual from the very place they left, ultimately leading to the restoration of the family line in Israel and linking it to the messianic lineage of King David.