1 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. 2 The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there. – Ruth 1:1-2
Trying Times
How is verse one for an introduction to a book? “In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land.” We know that when the judges ruled everyone did that which was right in their own eyes. Which is another way of saying they did wrong. Joshua may have led the children of Israel into the Promised Land, but after his death there was a great void. We know from the book of Judges that the time period between Joshua’s death and the crowning of King Saul (1200-1020 BC) was marked by great social and religious chaos. There are battles and invasions, religious apostasy, inner fighting between the tribes, etc. Judges chapter 19 begins with the statement, “In those days Israel had no king”, and proceeds to give the account of of a Levite who cuts up his concubine into twelve parts (presumably one for each tribe) and sends them into all the areas of Israel. His concubine had been violently raped and killed by men belonging to the tribe of Benjamin. A civil war ensues and the tribe of Benjamin is nearly wiped out. This shocking ending to the Book of Judges reminds us of Dostoevsky’s famous quote, “If there is no God, everything is permitted.”
But there is a God.
As if these days weren’t chaotic enough, we are further told that there was a famine in the land. We are not told the cause of the famine but we do know that it added further problems for the Children of Israel. And difficult time require difficult decisions. In this period of uncertainty we are introduced to a man from Bethlehem. A man by the name of Elimelech. A name which ironically means “God is King”.
Fleeing Bethlehem
Other than the fact that Elimelech was from Bethlehem, the only other fact we are told about him is that he has a wife and two sons, and they were Eprathites. Ephrath was the wife of Caleb whose descendants settled in Bethlehem. Accordingly, Elimelech’s family would have been distinguished. But being of a “noble” lineage isn’t of much value when there is no food to be had. In fact, it might only make the impending decisions more difficult and the potential tragedies more humiliating. Right or wrong, with starvation staring him in the face, Elimelech decides to pack up his belongings and leave Bethlehem. Bethlehem, “the house of bread”, famous for its abundance of wheat, barley, olive, almonds, and grapes wasn’t able to satisfy the needs of Elimelech and his family, so to Moab they headed to live as resident aliens.
While the Ephrathites had a “noble” heritage, the Moabites did not. In fact, the Moabites were descended from Lot’s son by his incest relationship with his eldest daughter (Genesis 19:37). The Moabites were often bitter enemies of the Israelites. Accordingly, to seek refuge in Moab would have been both dangerous and shameful. Especially for a man from Bethlehem and his Ephrathite family. Apparently the fertile plateaus of Moab were enough to make Elimelech swallow his pride. As the author tells us, “they went into the country and remained there.” The last part of that sentence is an understatement. The body of Elimelech remained there forever.
Death
Verse three succinctly tells us that Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died. No details. No emotions. As matter as fact as can be, Elimelech is simply gone. A mam from Bethlehem who went to Moab looking for a means of survival ends up dead. Now Naomi is left with her two sons in a foreign and potentially hostile land. In three brief verses a desperate situation becomes even more desperate. But little could Naomi know how much more desperate things would get.
Elimelech left Bethlehem for Moab in search for food. He uprooted his family from the promised land looking for something better. Unfortunately, they were met with a worse fate. When things go from bad to worse, where do we turn? Naomi’s life was full of the chaos of the times, now the times were even more confusing. She was away from her native land and now her partner was taken from her. What hope did she have?
Bethlehem’s Ruler
Naomi could no longer hold onto her husband, but she could cling to his name. Eli (my God), melech (king). A good reminder for all of us.
During the time of the judges, when chaos ruled the day, there was a famine in the land. In the midst of this setting we are introduced to a small Jewish family of noble origin. As we watch the events of their lives, and deaths, unfold, we will see the hand of God at work. Behind the scenes, God is working through the daily activities of our lives to carry out His sovereign plan, just as He did through the man from Bethlehem and his family.
We will be taking a look at some of the other characters of the Book of Ruth. For now it is good to keep in mind that during the time of Ruth, there was a great moral and political “vacuum”. The Israelites were familiar with the Covenants God had made with the Patriarchs and the promises He had made to the Children of Israel, but it appeared to them they were forgotten. We can rest assured that will never happen. Even in the bleakest of times keep your eyes open and cling to the promises.
After all, Elimelech isn’t the only man from Bethlehem.
2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from of old,
from ancient days. – Micah 5:2