Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
Elimelech—signifies "My God is king."
Naomi—"fair or pleasant"; and their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, are supposed to be the same as Joash and Saraph (I Chronicles 4:22).
Ephrathites—The ancient name of Beth-lehem was Ephrath (Genesis 35:19; Genesis 48:7), which was continued after the occupation of the land by the Hebrews, even down to the time of the prophet Micah (Micah 5:2).
Beth-lehem-judah—so called to distinguish it from a town of the same name in Zebulun. The family, compelled to emigrate to Moab through pressure of a famine, settled for several years in that country. After the death of their father, the two sons married Moabite women. This was a violation of the Mosaic law (Deuteronomy 7:3; Deuteronomy 23:3; Ezra 9:2; Nehemiah 13:23); and Jewish writers say that the early deaths of both the young men were divine judgments inflicted on them for those unlawful connections.
Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing Ruth 1:2:
Ruth 1:1
1 Samuel 1:1-2
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