Study Notes for Ruth 1:1–6 FAMILY TRAGEDY

The story of Naomi and Ruth occurred during the time of the judges and before the birth of Samuel and the reign of Saul and David. The time of the judges can be characterized as a dark and bloody age. The Israelites, after coming into the Promised Land through the leadership of Joshua had degenerated militarily, morally and spiritually. The common refrain we have in Judges is, “In those days Israel had no king, everyone did as they saw fit ” (Judges, 21:25 TNIV). The story begins with Elimelech moving his family to Moab because there was a famine in Bethlehem where he lived. Moabite history, particularly with respect to Israel, is not uplifting. The nation of Moab began with the incestuous relationship between Lot and his eldest daughter after God had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:36-37). We next encounter the Moabites when the Israelites, after wandering in the desert for forty years, were finally going into the Promised Land. To do so they had to travel through the land of the Moabites that was located just east of the southern portion of the Dead Sea on a large fertile plateau. The main road, which ran north and south directly through Moab was called the ‘King’s Highway. ’ This was the route the Israelites needed to take. The Israelites were told by God not to fight the Moabites or to take their land since God had given it to the Moabites as their own possessio