Ruth 1:4-5 Meaning: Marriages That Raised Hard Questions
4They took for themselves wives of the women of Moab. The name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other was Ruth. They lived there about ten years.
5Mahlon and Chilion both died, and the woman was bereaved of her two children and of her husband.
4And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years.
5And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.
4And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelt there about ten years.
5And Mahlon and Chilion died both of them; and the woman was left of her two children and of her husband.
4and they take to them wives, Moabitesses: the name of the one is Orpah, and the name of the second Ruth; and they dwell there about ten years.
5And they die also, both of them--Mahlon and Chilion--and the woman is left of her two children and of her husband.
4And they took them Moabitish wives; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the second Ruth: and they abode there about ten years.
5And Mahlon and Chilion died also, both of them; and the woman was left of her two children and of her husband.
Meaning in one sentence
The meaning of Ruth 1:4-5: Mahlon and Chilion marry Moabite women, then die. Christians debate whether these marriages violated God's law.
Context
The book of Ruth opens in the days of the judges, a time of famine and upheaval. A family from Bethlehem, Elimelech, Naomi, and their sons Mahlon and Chilion, crosses into Moab to find food. Elimelech dies. Then the sons marry Moabite women named Orpah and Ruth. They live there about ten years. Then Mahlon and Chilion both die, leaving Naomi without husband or children, a widow in a foreign land with two widowed daughters-in-law. It is the lowest point. The story does not explain the why behind these losses; it simply reports them.
Key Words
The Hebrew verb behind “she was left” is sha’ar, meaning to remain or survive. It is a passive form: Naomi did not stay by choice; she was what was left over. The same root is used elsewhere for a remnant, the small piece that survives a catastrophe. Here it feels like subtraction. The verb “died” (mut) is stark and final; it appears three times in these two verses, piling loss upon loss. And the names Orpah (gazelle) and Ruth (friendship) are given early, as if the storyteller wants us to notice these women as individuals before we learn what they will become. Even the word “Moabite” carries weight, it signals a foreign woman, an outsider to Israel’s covenant community, foreshadowing the tension of these marriages.
How Christians Read This Verse
The ancient Targum (an Aramaic paraphrase) reads these marriages as a clear violation: Mahlon and Chilion “transgressed the decree of the Word of the Lord” by marrying Moabite women, and their early deaths were the consequence. Adam Clarke in his commentary agrees, calling them “strange women.” On the other hand, Barnes’ Notes observes that the Law did not explicitly forbid marriage to Moabite women the way it did to Canaanites. John Gill suggests the women may have converted before marriage, pointing to Ruth’s later faith. Both readings seek to honor Scripture’s authority while reaching different conclusions about these uncertain actions.
A common misunderstanding
A reader might assume the sons died as punishment for marrying foreigners. In fact, the text never makes that connection. It simply records their deaths without explanation. The story itself does not condemn the marriages; it later shows God using Ruth in a remarkable way. We project a cause, but the narrative remains silent.
Living This Out
If you have ever experienced a season where everything falls apart, these verses give you permission to feel the weight of it. Naomi lost her husband and both sons; she was left empty in a foreign land. The story does not rush past her pain to get to the happy ending. It lets the ten years sit there, lets the phrase “left of her two children and of her husband” land. Sometimes the first act of faith is simply to be honest about how hard things are. From that honest place, the rest of the book shows how God was quietly moving. You do not have to have answers to stay in His care.
Main takeaway: God can bring redemption out of complete loss, even when His plan is hidden.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Two brothers named Mahlon and Chilion married women named Orpah and Ruth from a different country. Then the brothers died. It was very sad for the whole family.
For ages 9, 12
Naomi and her family moved to Moab when food ran out in Israel. Her sons married Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth, and they all lived there for years. Then the sons died, leaving Naomi with no husband or children. She must have felt completely alone. But God had a plan that no one could see yet, and Ruth would become part of the family line of King David and of Jesus.
Questions People Ask
Was it wrong for Mahlon and Chilion to marry Moabite women?
The Old Testament law forbade marriage with Canaanite nations, but it is less clear about Moabites. Some commentators believed they sinned and were punished with early death. Others note that the law did not explicitly mention marriage to Moabites, and that Ruth later became a follower of God. The story itself does not judge them, so readers disagree.
Why did Mahlon and Chilion die?
The text does not say why. It simply reports that they died after about ten years in Moab. Some ancient interpreters saw it as divine punishment for marrying outside Israel, but the book does not confirm that. The narrative leaves the cause unstated, focusing instead on Naomi's loss and the loyalty of Ruth.
What does the name Ruth mean?
The name Ruth is often thought to mean 'friendship' or 'companion.' It may be related to the Hebrew word for friend. In the story, Ruth's loyalty to Naomi certainly reflects that meaning. The name Orpah may mean 'gazelle' or 'stiff-necked,' but these interpretations are not certain.
How long did the family live in Moab?
The text says they lived there about ten years after the sons married. It was a significant stay, long enough to put down roots and to suffer loss. That long period deepens the sense of Naomi's grief when everything falls apart.
Why is this sad story in the Bible?
The story of Ruth shows how God works through ordinary people and difficult circumstances. It explains how a Moabite woman became part of the ancestry of King David and ultimately of Jesus. The sad start makes the redemption later all the more powerful.
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