👉 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.
Explanation:
Okay, let’s break down this verse from Ruth 1:1. It's a really important starting point for understanding the story of Ruth!
Here’s what it means in simple terms:
“Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land.”
“Now”:
This just means
now
. It's describing a specific time period.
“It came to pass”:
This is a way of saying "it happened." It’s like saying “happened” or “occurred.”
“In the days when the judges ruled”:
This tells us this story is happening during a time when a leader, called a ‘judge,’ was in charge. Judges were responsible for making rules and protecting people from harm. It's not about a single judge, but rather a period of leadership.
“That there was a famine”:
This means there was a serious lack of food and resources – it was very difficult to survive without enough to eat.
Then, we have the sentence: “And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab…”
“A certain man of Bethlehemjudah”:
This is introducing a specific person named Judah from Bethlehem. “Bethlehem” is a place in Israel, and “judah” means “a ruler.”
“Went to sojourn”:
He traveled away for a while – he went on a temporary trip. "Sojourn" means a short, extended journey or stay.
Finally, we have the last part: “he, and his wife, and his two sons.”
“he, and his wife…”
: This tells us that Judah is traveling with his wife and two sons.
“his two sons”:
This means he has a son named Obed, and then he has another son named Boaz.
So, the whole verse basically says:
“A man from Bethlehem, named Judah, traveled away for a while, and he was traveling with his wife and two sons.”
What’s the big deal?
This is the beginning of a story about how God chooses to bless Judah's descendants. It sets up the main conflict and destiny of Ruth! It highlights that God has a plan for this man and his family, and it's all starting with a difficult situation.
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Do you want me to:
Explain
why
this story is important?
Discuss what kind of challenges Judah might face during his sojourn?