Elimelech's name means "God is king," yet ironically he dies in foreign Moab after fleeing the very land where God promised to provide for His people.
Ruth 1
Naomi's Family in Moab
1In the days when the judges judged, there was a famine in the land. A certain man of Bethlehem Judah went to live in the country of Moab with his wife and his two sons.
2The name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi. The names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem Judah. They came into the country of Moab and lived there.
3Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left with her two sons.
4They took for themselves wives of the women of Moab. The name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other was Ruth. They lived there about ten years.
5Mahlon and Chilion both died, and the woman was bereaved of her two children and of her husband.
Ruth's Loyalty to Naomi
6Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, that she might return from the country of Moab; for she had heard in the country of Moab how the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread.
7She went out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her. They went on the way to return to the land of Judah.
8Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May the LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.
9May the LORD grant you that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband.” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices, and wept.
10They said to her, “No, but we will return with you to your people.”
11Naomi said, “Go back, my daughters. Why do you want to go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
12Go back, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, ‘I have hope,’ if I should even have a husband tonight, and should also bear sons,
13would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from having husbands? No, my daughters, for it grieves me seriously for your sakes, for the LORD’s hand has gone out against me.”
14They lifted up their voices and wept again; then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth stayed with her.
15She said, “Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her god. Follow your sister-in-law.”
16Ruth said, “Don’t urge me to leave you, and to return from following you, for where you go, I will go; and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God.
17Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me.”
18When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.
Return to Bethlehem
19So they both went until they came to Bethlehem. When they had come to Bethlehem, all the city was excited about them, and they asked, “Is this Naomi?”
20She said to them, “Don’t call me Naomi. Call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.
21I went out full, and the LORD has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the LORD has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?”
22So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned out of the country of Moab. They came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.
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Theme
During a famine in the time of the judges, Naomi and her family relocate from Bethlehem to Moab, where her husband and two sons eventually die, leaving her widowed and childless. When she decides to return to Bethlehem after hearing the famine has ended, her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth makes a profound commitment to accompany her, declaring her loyalty to both Naomi and Israel's God. The chapter concludes with their arrival in Bethlehem, where Naomi expresses her bitterness over the losses she has endured, asking to be called Mara ('bitter') rather than Naomi ('pleasant').
Context
This opening chapter establishes the foundational relationships and circumstances that will drive the redemption narrative in the following chapters.
Key Themes
Outline
- 1-5 Naomi's Family in Moab Elimelech's family moves to Moab during famine, but he and his two sons die, leaving Naomi with her daughters-in-law.
- 6-14 The Decision to Return Naomi prepares to return to Bethlehem and urges her daughters-in-law to remain in Moab, with Orpah eventually departing.
- 15-18 Ruth's Covenant of Loyalty Ruth makes her famous declaration of commitment to Naomi, pledging to follow her and worship her God.
- 19-22 Arrival in Bethlehem The women arrive in Bethlehem where Naomi, bitter from her losses, asks to be called Mara instead of her given name.
Naomi's Family in Moab
1:1–1:5 narrative narration mournful
During a famine, Elimelech's family moves from Bethlehem to Moab, where he and his two sons die, leaving Naomi widowed with two Moabite daughters-in-law.
person_contrast
Elimelech's name means "God is king," yet ironically he dies in foreign Moab after fleeing the very land where God promised to provide for His people.
Ruth's Loyalty to Naomi
1:6–1:18 narrative dialogue tender
Ruth demonstrates extraordinary loyalty by refusing to abandon Naomi, pledging to follow her and adopt her people and God as her own.
person_contrast
Ruth's threefold vow using covenant language ("your people...your God...where you die") transforms a family relationship into Israel's most explicit conversion narrative outside the patriarchal accounts.
Return to Bethlehem
1:19–1:22 narrative dialogue mournful
Naomi and Ruth arrive in Bethlehem, where Naomi expresses her bitterness over God's dealings with her, asking to be called Mara instead of Naomi.
person_contrast
Naomi's bitter wordplay transforms her name from "pleasant" to Mara ("bitter"), creating the Bible's most dramatic example of theological name-change reflecting personal devastation.
Insights
Ruth's threefold vow using covenant language ("your people...your God...where you die") transforms a family relationship into Israel's most explicit conversion narrative outside the patriarchal accounts.
Naomi's bitter wordplay transforms her name from "pleasant" to Mara ("bitter"), creating the Bible's most dramatic example of theological name-change reflecting personal devastation.
Cross-References
Connected passages across Scripture
Ruth 1:2 5 references
Lexicals 5
Ruth 4:9 Lexical
Boaz said to the elders and to all the people, “You are witnesses today, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, an…
Ruth 4:3 Lexical
He said to the near kinsman, “Naomi, who has come back out of the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land, which…
Ruth 2:6 Lexical
The servant who was set over the reapers answered, “It is the Moabite lady who came back with Naomi out of the country o…
Ruth 2:1 Lexical
Naomi had a relative of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech, and his name was Boaz.
1 Samuel 17:12 Lexical
Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons. The man was an…
Ruth 1:3 3 references
Lexicals 3
Ruth 4:3 Lexical
He said to the near kinsman, “Naomi, who has come back out of the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land, which…
Ruth 4:9 Lexical
Boaz said to the elders and to all the people, “You are witnesses today, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, an…
Ruth 2:1 Lexical
Naomi had a relative of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech, and his name was Boaz.
Ruth 1:4 4 references
Lexicals 4
Ruth 2:21 Lexical
Ruth the Moabitess said, “Yes, he said to me, ‘You shall stay close to my young men until they have finished all my harv…
Ruth 4:5 Lexical
Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must buy it also from Ruth the Moabitess, the…
Ruth 4:10 Lexical
Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, I have purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead on hi…
Ruth 2:2 Lexical
Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Let me now go to the field, and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sigh…
Ruth 1:5 1 reference
Ruth 1:8 1 reference
Ruth 1:9 1 reference
Ruth 1:14 1 reference
Ruth 1:22 5 references
Lexicals 5
Ruth 2:2 Lexical
Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Let me now go to the field, and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sigh…
Ruth 4:5 Lexical
Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must buy it also from Ruth the Moabitess, the…
Ruth 2:22 Lexical
Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his maidens, and that they not ha…
Ruth 2:6 Lexical
The servant who was set over the reapers answered, “It is the Moabite lady who came back with Naomi out of the country o…
Ruth 2:21 Lexical
Ruth the Moabitess said, “Yes, he said to me, ‘You shall stay close to my young men until they have finished all my harv…
Interlinear
Word-by-word original language
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