Chapter 1
First verse tells us this story occurs during the time the judges are still ruling Israel. Elimelech is introduced, and we see that he is already married, has two sons, and lives in Bethlehem..
2022 - There are a lot of references to Bethlehem in Judges, and now yet another in Ruth. Bethlehem is not some obscure place that only shows up with the birth of Jesus. In fact, it is mentioned 39 times in the Old Testament. Only in the 39th instance is there a prophecy about it being the birthplace of the Messiah. But the point is that Bethlehem, though small, figures prominently in OT history. Around Christmas, this might be a good post, giving the broader history of Bethlehem.
During a famine, Elimelech takes his wife and two sons to live in Moab. Elimelech dies there. The sons take Moabite wives, and then they die in Moab. They've all been there about 10 years.
Naomi decides to return to Israel because she has heard that there is food in Israel - the famine there has past. Moab was apparently still in famine.
2022 - Here are the verses:
6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the fields of Moab that the LORD had visited his people and given them food. 7 So she set out from the place where she was with her two daughters-in-law, and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. [Rth 1:6-7 ESV]
Naomi decides to go "home" because God is there, and she's heard He is taking care of His people there. She believes that even though her connections with that country have grown dim with time that being in the vicinity of people whom God is blessing will have benefits for her also. In those days, travel was a very dangerous thing for anyone. It's not like they had freeways, or highway patrols, or even local sheriffs to keep the roads safe. For three women traveling alone, this was a very very perilous journey. Naomi judged the benefits of proximity to the people of God worth the risks involved in getting to them.
There is a FB post here...Maybe it is a big step to get ourselves back in church after being gone for many years. Maybe we worry about the fallout from friends and family if we try to break from a life with no real purpose and go back to a place where we were once fulfilled and at home. Back to a place where all seemed right. The perils of the road are real, but the possibility of being welcomed back into the presence of God's people, and the sharing of God's blessings on them, is worth those risks. In Naomi's case, the risks turned out not to be as serious as she imagined. It is always worth risking the dangers of the road in order to get home. So make a plan, get packed, and take that first step toward home.
Naomi has been well treated by her daughters-in-law, and tells them to go back home, where they have a good chance of marrying again, and having a good life. Her prayer for them, her wishes for them, are very touching. The relationships are apparently very close, because both women declare that they would rather go back to Israel with Naomi. Naomi apologizes to them that their troubles are the result of God's hand being against her (Naomi).
2022 - This is the verse:
13 would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me." [Rth 1:13 ESV]
Naomi's bitterness is not because of her own poor lot in life. She isn't feeling bad for herself at all, but is following on with whatever God has in store for her. Her hopes are for her daughters-in-law, who have become collateral damage from Naomi's hardships. Even at such a time, facing the hardships of a long journey, her care was for those who'd been kind to her and to her sons. This is the key to maintaining our faith when things are rough. We ought not turn our thoughts inward and dwell on our own hardships, but look outward, and look for ways to help others who are suffering also, often from exactly the same circumstances. I am convinced that if we focus on making things better for others we can better cope with our own circumstances.
Possible follow up post...
She tells the girls they have little hope of ever marrying, ever having children, every being truly happy really, if they go with her. Even so, Ruth chooses to accompany Naomi back to Israel. Orpah goes back to her parents.
This verse:
21 I went away full, and the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the LORD has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?" [Rth 1:21 ESV] We can see here that even the presumably random effect without cause events that led to Elimelech and the two sons dieing young in Moab are attributed to the direct action of God in Naomi's life. She saw these events as being about her. We saw this belief also in her apology to her daughters-in-law. She believes she is marked by God for trouble, and we can infer that she believed there was some sin in her life that had caused it all.