Ruth 1:5

1:5 Then Naomi’s two sons, Mahlon and Kilion, also died. ¹  So the woman was left all alone – bereaved of her two children ²  as well as her husband!

Ruth 1:19

1:19 So the two of them ³  journeyed together until they arrived in Bethlehem. ⁴ 

Naomi and Ruth Arrive in Bethlehem

When they entered ⁵  Bethlehem, ⁶  the whole village was excited about their arrival. ⁷  The women of the village said, ⁸  “Can this be Naomi?” ⁹ 

Ruth 1:21

1:21 I left here full, ¹⁰  but the Lord has caused me to return empty-handed. ¹¹  Why do you call me ‘Naomi,’ seeing that ¹²  the Lord has opposed me, ¹³  and the Sovereign One ¹⁴  has caused me to suffer?” ¹⁵ 

¹ tn Heb “and the two of them also died, Mahlon and Kilion.”

² tn The term יֶלֶד (yeled, “offspring”), from the verb יָלַד (yalad, “to give birth to”), is used only here of a married man. By shifting to this word from the more common term בֵּן (ben, “son”; see vv. 1-5a) and then using it in an unusual manner, the author draws attention to Naomi’s loss and sets up a verbal link with the story’s conclusion (cf. 4:16). Although grown men, they were still her “babies” (see E. F. Campbell, Ruth [AB], 56; F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther [WBC], 66).

³ tn The suffix “them” appears to be masculine, but it is probably an archaic dual form (E. F. Campbell, Ruth [AB], 65; F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther [WBC], 75-76).

⁴ map For location see Map5-B1; Map7-E2; Map8-E2; Map10-B4.

⁵ tn The temporal indicator וַיְהִי (vayÿhi, “and it was”) here introduces a new scene.

⁶ map For location see Map5-B1; Map7-E2; Map8-E2; Map10-B4.

⁷ tn Heb “because of them” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV); CEV “excited to see them.”

⁸ tn Heb “they said,” but the verb form is third person feminine plural, indicating that the women of the village are the subject.

⁹ tn Heb “Is this Naomi?” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV). The question here expresses surprise and delight because of the way Naomi reacts to it (F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther [WBC], 92).

⁵ sn I left here full. That is, with a husband and two sons.

⁶ tn Heb “but empty the Lord has brought me back.” The disjunctive clause structure (vav + adverb + verb + subject) highlights the contrast between her former condition and present situation. Cf. TEV “has brought me back without a thing.”

⁷ tn The disjunctive clause structure (vav [ו] + subject + verb) here introduces either an attendant circumstance (“when the Lord has opposed me”) or an explanation (“seeing that the Lord has opposed me”).

⁸ tc The LXX reads “humbled me” here, apparently understanding the verb as a Piel (עָנָה, ’anah) from a homonymic root meaning “afflict.” However, עָנָה (“afflict”) never introduces its object with בְּ (bet); when the preposition בְּ is used with this verb, it is always adverbial (“in, with, through”). To defend the LXX reading one would have to eliminate the preposition.

⁹ sn The divine name translated Sovereign One is שַׁדַּי (shadday, “Shaddai”). See further the note on this term in Ruth 1:20.

¹⁰ tn Or “brought disaster upon me”; NIV “brought misfortune (calamity NRSV) upon me”; NLT “has sent such tragedy.”