The Meaning of Ruth 1:1 Explained

Ruth 1:1

KJV: 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 Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.

YLT: And it cometh to pass, in the days of the judging of the judges, that there is a famine in the land, and there goeth a man from Beth-Lehem-Judah to sojourn in the fields of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.

Darby: And it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man went from Bethlehem-Judah, to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.

ASV: And it came to pass in the days when the judges judged, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem-judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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 Bethlehemjudah  went  to sojourn  in the country  of Moab,  he, and his wife,  and his two  sons. 

What does Ruth 1:1 Mean?

Study Notes

famine (See Scofield " Genesis 12:10 ") .
Bethlehemjudah House of Bread and Praise.

Context Summary

Ruth 1:1-14 - Back To Bethlehem
It was a mistake for Elimelech and his family to have left Bethlehem; God would have sent them bread. The path became darker and darker. Mahlon means Pining and Chilion Consumption. Three graves in a strange land! All the laughter and hope that had given Naomi her name of Pleasant had turned to sadness; she longed to see the dear village of her childhood and early married life, and to drink the water of the well, 2 Samuel 23:15. It is thus that the banished soul comes back to God. Moab's fascination palls on the taste; its cisterns are broken and will hold no water. See Psalms 63:1-11.
The two younger women climbed the road with Naomi, till they reached the point where the last glimpse could be taken of Moab. There Naomi uttered this remarkable address, urging her daughters to return. It was very thoughtful and tender, and touched chords of bitter memory and deep pathos. But the saddest undertone was not regret for the dead past; it was the feeling that the hand of the Lord had been against her. Nay, dear soul, that hand is already engaged in making all things work together for good. A few more months and your sorrow will be turned into joy, Ruth 4:16. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ruth 1

1  Elimelech, driven by famine into Moab, dies there
4  Mahlon and Chilion, having married wives of Moab, die also
6  Naomi, returning homeward
8  dissuades her two daughters-in-law from going with her
14  Orpah leaves her, but Ruth with great constancy accompanies her
19  The two come to Bethlehem, where they are gladly received

What do the individual words in Ruth 1:1 mean?

And it came to pass in the days when ruled the judges that there was a famine in the land And went a certain man of Bethlehem Judah to dwell in the country of Moab he and his wife and two his sons
וַיְהִ֗י בִּימֵי֙ שְׁפֹ֣ט הַשֹּׁפְטִ֔ים וַיְהִ֥י רָעָ֖ב בָּאָ֑רֶץ וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ אִ֜ישׁ מִבֵּ֧ית לֶ֣חֶם יְהוּדָ֗ה לָגוּר֙ בִּשְׂדֵ֣י מוֹאָ֔ב ה֥וּא וְאִשְׁתּ֖וֹ וּשְׁנֵ֥י בָנָֽיו

וַיְהִ֗י  And  it  came  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
בִּימֵי֙  in  the  days 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
שְׁפֹ֣ט  when  ruled 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁפַט  
Sense: to judge, govern, vindicate, punish.
הַשֹּׁפְטִ֔ים  the  judges 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: שָׁפַט  
Sense: to judge, govern, vindicate, punish.
וַיְהִ֥י  that  there  was 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
רָעָ֖ב  a  famine 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: רָעָב  
Sense: famine, hunger.
בָּאָ֑רֶץ  in  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ  And  went 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
אִ֜ישׁ  a  certain  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
לֶ֣חֶם  Bethlehem 
Parse: Preposition, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: בֵּית לֶחֶם  
Sense: a city in Judah, birthplace of David.
יְהוּדָ֗ה  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
לָגוּר֙  to  dwell 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: גּוּר 
Sense: to sojourn, abide, dwell in, dwell with, remain, inhabit, be a stranger, be continuing, surely.
בִּשְׂדֵ֣י  in  the  country 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: שָׂדֶה 
Sense: field, land.
מוֹאָ֔ב  of  Moab 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מֹואָב 
Sense: a son of Lot by his eldest daughter.
וְאִשְׁתּ֖וֹ  and  his  wife 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
וּשְׁנֵ֥י  and  two 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Number, mdc
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
בָנָֽיו  his  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.