1 NOW it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, [ Judges 21 a time when every man did that which was just in his own eyes. If it sounds good to me then there should be no one in my way to keep me from what I want. If there is no king to say otherwise then so it is. There is no marshal in town to protect the law. ] , that there was a famine in the land. [ Literal famin but also a spiritual famine as well. ] . And a certain man of Beth-lehem-judah went [ Beth: menas house; lehem: means bread; so house of bread - what better place do we have that this to stop the famine in the land. ] to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.

2 And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, [ Means my delight, or pleasent. ] , and the name of his two sons Mahlon [ Means sickness. What mom is going to name their son that name, suggesting that these names were given after they were given their given names. ] and Chilion, [ Means pining away, or weakening. ] , Ephrathites of Beth-lehem-judah. And they came into the country of Moab, [ The Moabites come from the children of Lot (end of Gen 19). ] and continued there.

3 And Elimelech [ El means God; melech mean king; li mean me so this all put together means my God my king. We don't know for sure if these were the peoples given names or the names that were later given them as a result of their stories, to help people better remember them. ] Naomi’s husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.

4 And they [ Naomi's two son's Mahlon and Chilion. ] took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, [ Means gazelle or main. It comes from the root word meaning the back of the neck. Orpah does turn away from Naomi so Naomi does see the back of her neck as she leaves her. ] , and the name of the other Ruth: [ Means friend. ] : and they dwelled there about ten years.

5 And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; [ So these names are indications of their fragile state in life as they did weaken and die in their early age. ] ; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband. [ Naomi has at this point lost her entire family, she is alone. This is a tough state for a woman during this time period. ]

6 ¶ Then 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. [ Another way of saying tha the Lord was blessing them. There is bread once again in the house of Israel. The famine in Israel has ended. ]

7 Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, [ Naomi heard of the blessings, arose and went forth toward the blessings that she had heard about. ] and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah. [ To the place where the Lord was blessing. The place where God's hand ins being shown. Judah was the original home of Naomi. ]

8 And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother’s house: [ No mention of father's anywhere so is there just widows left everywhere? From the previous wars maybe in Joshua and Judges? ] the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.

9 The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, [ Defined as a fullness of God with God. ] each of you in the house of her husband. [ There husbands are gone they are dead. Naomi is assuming that they are still young and if they return to Moab they will still be able to find a husband and enjoy life in their own land. So there is no reason for you to return to Judah with me as you wil most likely be better off in your own land. SHe is trying to give them an out. She is trying to give them a fresh start. ] Then she [ Naomi. ] kissed them; [ For Naomi this would mean that she would be all alone, she has lost everyone in her family and her daughter's in law. But in her mind she was willing to do that so that her daughter's in law might have th ebest life possible. ] and they lifted up their voice, and wept. [ They did not want to go. It was going to be a hard separation for them. ]

10 And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people. [ The two daughter's in law respond. We are not going to abandon you, we will stay with you, and go to your home even if we will be strangers there. So they are giving up their best option for marriage. ]

11 And Naomi said, Turn again, [ You need to really think this through, I am trying to do what is best for you, so go, I give you my blessing in doing so. ] my daughters: [ Shows her true affection for them as she calls them daughters. ] why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? [ Why in the world would you want to stay with me, as I have no more son's to give you, and even if I did have another son would you want to wait that long for a husband? So from your perspective you need to see things as they are. There is nothing more that I can do for you, go, go find happiness. ]

12 Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, [ Hope that I might have a husband despite my advanced age. Suggesting that she has none, but she wants to carry that burden by herself. ] if I should have an husband also to night, [ Even if I got married tonight and had a child tonight are you going to wait that long for a husband? ] and should also bear sons;

13  Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? [ If I had a son today, you cannot afford to wait around until they are grown. ] would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me [ I am so sorry but it is out of my hands. ] much for your sakes [ Naomi is trying to look out for them, she is more worried about them than herself. ] that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me. [ Suggesting that if bad things are happening to Naomi it is because of her doing. The thought that if I am being punished I must have disobeyed. Now this does not have to be true but it is the feeling that she is purposefully being punished. ]

14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; b [ So she says good buy to Naomi. She has compassion but takes the more obvious/safer/practical choice. ] but Ruth clave unto her. [ Ruth stays, she offers Naomi companionship. ]

15 And she [ Naomi. ] said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: [ Her religion. ] return thou after thy sister in law. [ Naomi suggests again for Ruth to return to her people. Naomi is trying to do everything that she can to insyre Ruth that it is ok for her to go with Orpah, to live that life. ]

16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, [ PLease don't ask me again to leave. I have made my decision and would like to stick to it. Let's just move forward from here. ] or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: [ Not only will I go with you but I will stay with you no matter what. ] thy people shall be my people, [ Then one step further - I will become a part of your people, your family, your culture, your community. ] and thy God my God: [ Even further will I adopt your God as my own God. ]

17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD [ The God Jehovah, the God of Ruth. Remember that Ruth is a Moabite, she is outside of the house of Israel by birth. ] do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.

18 When she [ Naomi. ] saw that she [ Ruth. When Naomi saw Ruth make such a gesture of a finger across the throat, she knew Ruth would keep her word. These oaths were present in the Old Testamant as they show up about thirteen times. An oath is always a symbol of death or sacrifice! ] was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her. [ Naomi finally quits bringing the subject up. She humbles herself so that she can be ministered too. ]

19 ¶ So they two went until they came to Beth-lehem. [ Back to the house of bread. ] 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? [ It would appear that Naomi had underestimated her standing in the community. They all recognized her when she returned. We have missed you, welcome home. ]

20 And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, [ Means: delight. ] , call me Mara: [ Means: bitter.] : for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. [ I have lost my husband, and both of my sones. I am all alone in this world, she still feels that it is because of something that she has done. Was it because she let her two Israelite sons marry Moabite women? What was it ? but whatever it was she feels that she has let the Lord down and needs to be punished. ]

21  I went out full, [ I left happy, amrried, I had two wonderful sons, my life was complete. ] and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: [ Now I have no hope, I am all alone my husband is dead, my two sons are dead. I have not grand children. I did something wrong somewhere. ] : why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, [ The Lord has punished me for my in-digressions. ] and the Almighty hath afflicted me?

22 so Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, [ some judgement is cast of Ruth here saying she is not one of us, she is a Moabite. She is defined as to what she is not. ] 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. [ Early to mid summer. ]