Deaths in Moab

Overview

• Testament: Old
• Book: Ruth
• Chapters: Ruth 1
• Summary: Elimelech dies in Moab, and later both Mahlon & Chilion also die, leaving Naomi, Ruth, and Orpah widowed.

Details

What began as a temporary sojourn for survival turns into a house of mourning. Elimelech dies first, and after the sons marry in Moab, both sons die without children. These losses create the emptiness that defines Naomi’s return and make the need for a redeemer central to the rest of the book.

Key People Involved

• Elimelech - Naomi’s husband, dies in Moab
• Naomi - Left bereaved
• Mahlon & Chilion - Sons who also die in Moab
• Ruth - Left a widow
• Orpah - Left a widow

Key Places

• Moab - Setting of the losses

Important Verses

“And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them…” - Ruth 1:5

Cross-References

• Related events: Famine in Bethlehem, Return to Bethlehem
• Related books: Ruth

Notes

Ruth’s redemptive hope only makes sense against the depth of this chapter-one grief.