A Temporary Stay to Permanent Consequences
A short journey to Moab turned into a into a ten year stay which led to devastating consequences.
Elimelich has died. Mahlon and Chilion marry Moabite women. This could have led them to feel more at home in this foreign land [Expositor's Bible Commentary].
In verse 1 we see that they sojourned to Moab. The word sojourn means to temporarily dwell. Then in verse 2 we see they continued there, i.e. remained. Finally we see that they dwelled there.
They let go of their old roots and new roots took hold. Then Mahlon and Chilion die. There Naomi has no husband, no children, no descendants. There is no way to provide even for her basic needs. Orpah and Ruth are in a similar situation except they are young and could probably find new husbands. However, after each of them have been in a childless marriage for at least 10 years, it is doubtful that someone would marry them. For if a marriage was childless for ten years, it was grounds for divorce under rabbinic law [Hubbard, Ruth, p.95].
In regards to rabbinic tradition, it suggests that Elimelech's death was a punishment for greed or having forsaken his homeland. As for the deaths of Mahlon and Chilion, tradition states that this was due to leaving Judah and for their marriages to Moabite women. [Expositor's Bible Commentary]
The family went to Moab to find bread, instead they found graves.
Woodrow Kroll observes that...
Sometimes we intend for situations to be only temporary. We think, Just as soon as the kids are through college, we'll start tithing again. Or perhaps you reason, "As soon as I get through this busy period at work, I'll get back to having a daily quiet time." But days turn into weeks, weeks into months and before you know it, circumstances that were only going to be temporary have become a way of life. Have you allowed something that was intended as transient to become a permanent fixture in your life? Have you been waiting for a more convenient time to do what you know you should be doing now? If time has slipped away for you, don't linger another day "in a distant land." If you're not where you should be, this is the day to do something about it. Don't expect time to stand still just because you do. (See full devotional on Ruth 1:2-4) ~ From http://www.preceptaustin.org/ruth_12-5.htm:
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