Reading for January 29th

 Read Ruth 1.1-5. In 1.1-5: Famine and death. In verse 1: When the judges ruled sets the story of Ruth before the rise of kinship, when charismatic leaders led Israel against its foes. The book of Judges portrays this period as one of instability when faithfulness to God led to success, but idolatry led to failure (see Judges 3.10). When, ironically, Bethlehem (literally "house of bread") becomes a place of famine, a man, his wife, and his two sons move to Moab, a suspect place in biblical tradition (Gen 19.37; Deut 23.3). In verse 2: Elimelech "My god is king," and "consumption." Ephhrathites: Elsewhere, Ephratha is linked with Bethlehem (Mic 5.2; 1 Sam 17.12) and may refer to the large clan in which Bethlehem was located. In verse 3: In a sudden reversal, Naomi takes center stage. Elimelech (now called Naomi's husband) dies and, after ten years, so do Mahlon and Chilion, leaving Naomi without her husband and her two sons. Comments or Questions..