Section 1:1–5
Elimelech and his family went to Moab, where he and his two sons died
A note on the spelling of Elimelech. Most versions, like the Berean Standard Bible spell the name as Elimelech. The New International Version (2011) spells the name with a final k (Elimelek). The Notes will follow the spelling used by any quoted versions.
This section contains the first main event of the story. An Israelite named Elimelech moved to the neighboring country of Moab with his wife, Naomi, and their two sons because there was famine in Israel. Elimelech died in Moab. His two sons later married women from Moab, Ruth and Orpah. Both of the sons then also died.
This section has two paragraphs:
Paragraph 1:1–2 gives an introduction. Verse 1 gives the setting of the story and introduces the main characters in this event.
Paragraph 1:3–5 describes the event in detail. Verse 1:5b summarizes the section that refers to Naomi but does not use her name.
Here are some other examples of section headings:
Naomi Loses Her Husband and Sons (New International Version)
-or-
Naomi Widowed (English Standard Version)
-or-
Elimelech and His Family Move to Moab (Good News Translation)
-or-
The Move to Moab and Tragedy (God’s Word)
It is important to translate this book in a way that indicates the story is true. Follow a natural way that storytellers in your language use to tell true events.
Paragraph 1:1–2
Verse 1:1 introduces the characters/participants in a general way that does not give their names. Verse 1:2 gives the name of each character. However, if this is not a natural way to introduce characters in your language, another option is to combine 1:1–2 and introduce the characters by name. For example:
1–2 Long ago, in the days before Israel had a king, there was a famine in the land. So a man named Elimelech, who belonged to the clan of Ephrath and who lived in Bethlehem in Judah, went with his wife Naomi and their two sons Mahlon and Chilion to live for a while in the country of Moab. While they were living there… (Good News Translation)
See 1:1-2 (combined/reordered) in the Display for another example.
1:1a
In the days when the judges ruled: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as days when the judges ruled is literally “in the days of the judging of the judges.” It refers to a time period of about three hundred years when judges ruled the country of Israel. After that time period, kings ruled the country.
Here are some ways to translate this phrase:
• Make explicit the role/function of the judges.
In the days when the Judges were governing (New Jerusalem Bible)
• Leave implicit the role/function of the judges. For example:
During the time of the judges (NET Bible)
• Make explicit the location where the judges ruled. For example:
Long ago when the judges ruled Israel (New Century Version)
the judges: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the judges refers to the leaders or chiefs who ruled in Israel at that time.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
In the days when the chieftains ruled (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
-or-
During the time that leaders ruled/governed
the: The definite article the implies that the audience of this story already knew who the judges were. If this is new information to your readers, it may be better to translate “judges” without the definite article. For example:
During the time when judges ruled
ruled: The Hebrew verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as ruled is literally “judged.” They judged by deciding what was right and what was wrong when problems were brought to them, and then they gave their decisions to the people involved. However, their activities were more varied than the activities of a judge in most cultures today. They also led the people to fight against any oppressors.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
governed (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
led the people
1:1b
there was a famine: This clause means that there was not enough food for people to eat. In Hebrew, the word famine is also the word “hunger.” The verse does not give a cause of the famine. However, lack of rain was a common cause and is probably implied here. If your language requires you to give a reason for the famine, you can make explicit that this famine was the result of a lack of rain.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
there was a shortage of food (New Century Version)
-or-
many people were hungry
Be careful to translate famine in a way that does not imply that the famine lasted the entire time that the judges ruled. The famine lasted for a period of years, but the judges ruled for hundreds of years.
in the land: This phrase refers to the land of Israel. The famine was probably widespread throughout the country.
Here are some ways to translate this phrase:
• Make the referent of the phrase explicit. For example:
there was a famine in the land of Israel
• Leave the referent of the phrase implied. For example:
there was a famine in the land (English Standard Version)
• Substitute a different word or phrase. For example:
a famine occurred in the country (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
many people were hungry there
1:1c–d
And a certain man from Bethlehem in Judah, with his wife and two sons, went to reside in the land of Moab: Here are some ways to indicate the connection of this clause to the previous clause. Any of these options is acceptable:
• Indicate that this clause is the result of the famine that is described in the previous clause. For example:
So a man from Bethlehem in Judah went to live as a resident foreigner in the region of Moab, along with his wife and two sons. (NET Bible)
• Indicate that this clause is the next action in the story. For example:
and a man of Bethlehem in Judah, with his wife and two sons, went to reside in the country of Moab. (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
• Leave the connection to the previous clause implied. For example:
A man from Bethlehem in Judah went with his wife and two sons to live for a while in the country of Moab. (God’s Word)
1:1c
a certain man from Bethlehem in Judah: In Hebrew, this phrase is more literally “he went a man from Bethlehem Judah.” There are two main interpretations of this phrase:
(1) The home of the man was Bethlehem in Judah. For example:
a man from Bethlehem in Judah (NET Bible)
(2) The man departed from Bethlehem in Judah. For example:
So a man named Elimelech left the town of Bethlehem in Judah (New Century Version)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most versions.
a certain man: This phrase introduces the first character in the story. In this verse, the author does not say the name of the man.
Here is another way to translate this phrase:
a man (New International Version)
In some languages, it may be more natural to introduce the character by name instead of using the phrase a certain man. See the 1:1–2 paragraph description for an example.
Bethlehem in Judah: This phrase refers to the town of Bethlehem in the region of Judah.
Judah: Judah was the name of the region where the descendants of Judah, son of Jacob, lived. It was in the southern part of the land of Israel. See the map of Judah in the section description.
1:1d
with his wife and two sons: In Hebrew, this phrase is more literally “he his wife and his two sons.” This phrase introduces additional characters in the story. They are the family members of “a certain man from Bethlehem.”
In the Hebrew phrase, the man is the subject. The family members are described in relation to him, as “his wife” and “his two sons.”
Here are some ways to translate this phrase:
• Translate more literally. For example:
he and his wife and his two sons (English Standard Version)
• Translate in a way that refers to both parents. For example:
with his wife…and their two sons (Good News Translation)
• Leave the pronoun “his” implied in the second part of the phrase. For example:
with his wife and two sons (Revised English Bible)
Translate this introduction of the family members in a way that is natural in your language.
went to reside: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as to reside means “dwell as a stranger.” In this verse, the Hebrew word referred to a temporary stay.
in the land of Moab: Moab is a region that is located to the east of Judah. See the map in the section description.
In this phrase, the Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as land means “field,” “country” or “land.” The majority of versions translate this word as “country.” However, in this verse, the word could have any of these meanings.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
on the plateau
-or-
in the country of Moab (New International Version)
-or-
In the region of Moab (NET Bible)
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