The big picture
Famine drives Elimelech’s household from Bethlehem to Moab, where Naomi loses her husband and sons. Ruth binds herself to Naomi and to Israel’s God, the two women return together, and Bethlehem receives them as the barley harvest begins.
Scripture beside the summary
Ruth · King James Version · 22Ruth 1:1-5
Famine and death empty Naomi’s household
Elimelech, Naomi, Mahlon, and Chilion leave Judah during famine and live in Moab. Elimelech dies, the sons marry Ruth and Orpah, and after about ten years both sons die, leaving Naomi without husband or children.
Context that brings the passage to life
“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…” The number two makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and…” The number two makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
Ruth 1:1-5
King James Version1Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Beth-lehem-judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
2And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Beth-lehem-judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.
3And Elimelech Naomi’s husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.
4And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years.
5And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.
Ruth 1:6-18
Ruth chooses Naomi’s people and God
Naomi hears that the LORD has given bread in Judah and begins the return. She urges both daughters-in-law to seek new homes, Orpah leaves with sorrow, and Ruth clings to Naomi with a vow of shared journey, people, God, and burial.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the…” Naming Moab keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they…” The line’s distinctive content terms include each, find, grant. Its relationship to verses 8 and 10 shows what work it does in this passage.
“Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should…” Naming Turn keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister…” The line’s distinctive content terms include sister, back, gods. Its relationship to verses 14 and 16 shows what work it does in this passage.
“When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.” The line’s distinctive content terms include left, minded, speaking. Its relationship to verses 17 shows what work it does in this passage.
Naomi’s repeated urging arises from concern about the women’s future and her conviction that she has no sons to offer them. Orpah’s departure follows Naomi’s request and is not condemned. Ruth’s different choice is therefore voluntary loyalty, not the minimum duty every bereaved daughter-in-law must perform. The narrative honors Ruth’s costly commitment without turning Orpah into a villain.
Ruth 1:6-18
King James Version6Then 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 that the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread.
7Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.
8And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother’s house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.
9The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.
10And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.
11And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
12Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons;
13Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me.
14And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.
15And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.
16And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
17Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.
18When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.
Ruth 1:19-22
Naomi names bitterness as harvest begins
Bethlehem is stirred by the women’s arrival. Naomi asks to be called Mara because she went out full and returned empty, attributes her affliction to the Almighty, and arrives with Ruth at the beginning of barley harvest.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“So they two went until they came to Beth-lehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Beth-lehem, that all the…” This familiar narrative signal moves the clock forward. What follows is a new scene, consequence, or answer to an earlier tension.
Ruth 1:19-22
King James Version19So they two went until they came to Beth-lehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Beth-lehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?
20And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.
21I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?
22So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Beth-lehem in the beginning of barley harvest.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Ruth 1:1 begins with “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 Beth-lehem-judah went to sojourn in the…”
Where the chapter turns
Ruth 1:11 forms a natural hinge: “And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?”
The final note
Ruth 1:22 leaves the reader with “So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Beth-lehem in the…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words LORD, Naomi, daughters, Moab, return, sons help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
Who receives the image and the blessing?
Both male and female in verses 27-28. Human worth precedes achievement.
What limits human dominion?
The world belongs to its Creator and is already declared good. Compare the charge to tend and keep in 2:15.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.