Long ago, in the days before Israel had a king, there was a famine in the land. So a man named Elimelech, who belonged to the clan of Ephrath and who lived in Bethlehem in Judah, went with his wife Naomi and their two sons Mahlon and Chilion to live for a while in the country of Moab.
– Those poor boys were set to die from the get-go: The meaning of Mahlon is “sickness”, his brother Chilion means “pining,” “wasting away”.
– Ruth’s name on the other hand means “friend” or “companion” and that’s what she is throughout the story.
– Her mother-in-law changes her name from Naomi (sweet) to Marah (bitter).
What’s your name?
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