Ruth 1:5

5 But {both}^[a] Mahlon and Kilion died, and the woman was left without her two sons and without her husband.

Ruth 1:5 Meaning and Commentary

Ruth 1:5

And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them
As well as their father, in the land of Moab, after they had lived with their wives in it about ten years; the Targum is,

``because they transgressed the decree of the Word of the Lord, and joined in affinity with strange people, their days were cut off;''

or shortened:

and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband;
deprived both of her husband and her sons, which was a great affliction, aggravated by her being in a strange country; many are the afflictions of the righteous.

Ruth 1:5 In-Context

3 But Elimelech the husband of Naomi died and she was left behind [with] {her two sons}.

4 And {they took} for themselves Moabite wives. The name of the one [was] Orpah and the name of the other [was] Ruth. And they lived there about ten years.

5 But {both} Mahlon and Kilion died, and the woman was left without her two sons and without her husband.

6 And she got up, she and her daughters-in-law, and returned from the countryside of Moab, because she had heard in the countryside of Moab that Yahweh had {come to the aid of} his people to give food to them.

7 So she set out from the place {where she was} and her two daughters-in-law with her, and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "the two of them"