New American Standard Bible 1995

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Ruth

Note Journal Prayer

1

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1

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Now it came about in the days when the judges governed, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the land of Moab with his wife and his two sons.

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
Now it came to fall out, come to pass, become, be Verb H1961 וַיְהִ֗י vay·hi
Analysis:

 
about in the days day Noun H3117 בִּימֵי֙ bi·mei
when the judges to judge, govern Verb H8199 שְׁפֹ֣ט she·fot
governed, to judge, govern Verb H8199 הַשֹּׁפְטִ֔ים ha·sho·fe·tim,
that there was a famine famine, hunger Noun H7458 רָעָ֖ב ra·'av
in the land. earth, land Noun H776 בָּאָ֑רֶץ ba·'a·retz;
And a certain man man Noun H376 אִ֜ישׁ ish
of Bethlehem "place of bread," a city in Judah, also a city in Zebulun Noun H1035 לֶ֣חֶם le·chem
Analysis:
Read more about: Bethlehem
in Judah probably "praised," a son of Jacob, also his desc., the S. kingdom, also four Isr. Noun H3063 יְהוּדָ֗ה ye·hu·dah
Analysis:
Read more about: Judah
went to go, come, walk Verb H1980 וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ vai·ye·lech
to sojourn to sojourn Verb H1481 לָגוּר֙ la·gur
in the land field, land Noun H7704 בִּשְׂדֵ֣י bis·dei
of Moab a son of Lot,also his desc. and the territory where they settled Noun H4124 מֹואָ֔ב mo·v·'av,
Analysis:
Read more about: Moab
with his wife woman, wife, female Noun H802 וְאִשְׁתֹּ֖ו ve·'ish·tov
and his two two (a card. number) Noun H8147 וּשְׁנֵ֥י u·she·nei
Analysis:

Two: Two divergent opinions

The classic example for the number "two" is found in Matthew chapter 26. There, Yeshua says to His disciples,

"You know that after two days comes the Passover, and the Son of Man will be given over for crucifixion."  Matthew 26:2

The phrase "after two days" is somewhat meaningless because after two days can mean three or more days. The period is unspecified. The reason for such ambiguous language is because the purpose of the number two in this passage is not solely numerical. This means that the text is not intending to provide the reader with some definite information concerning a time period. Rather, the purpose of the number two in this context is one of the numerological meanings of the number two.  Often the number two relates to two divergent opinions. In the aforementioned verse, the author wants to inform the reader that there are two very different understandings for this coming Passover. Yeshua wants to emphasize that He is going up to Jerusalem in order to die as the true Passover sacrifice. Even though Yeshua states this emphatically, the disciples did not receive this. In fact, the disciples did not perceive at all what was going to take place during Passover in regard to Yeshua. In other words, Yeshua and the disciples have two divergent opinions concerning the Passover.

This same principle is also found in the Hebrew Bible (Old Covenant). In the book of Amos one reads,

"Can two walk together without them having agreed" Amos 3:3

The word which was translated into English with the phrase "them having agreed" is נועדו. The root of this word is יעד, which relates to a specific destination. The word which precedes this word is בלתי and in this context the word implies a change to the condition. In other words, had there not been a change in the condition, then the two could not walk together, i.e. they could not have arrived at the common destination.

The concept of divergent or different is also seen in the book of Genesis. In speaking about the sun and moon one reads, "And God made two great lights…" (Genesis 1:16). Obviously the sun and moon are very different, as one is a source of light, while the latter just reflects light. Also in the book of Genesis, one encounters the account of the flood. Here Noah is commanded to bring onto the ark two sorts of each type of animal. In this passage, the two relates to two different (or divergent) kinds of the same sort, i.e. male and female. 

Likewise, two angels came to Sodom, demonstrating that the people of Sodom had a very different way of living from that of the Law of God. Once again, the reader should not assume that every occurrence of the number two in the Bible demands this interpretation. However, one will find in a great majority of Biblical passages, the reader will be assisted in arriving at the proper interpretation, when he considers this divergent quality for the number two. 

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016 
sons. son Noun H1121 בָנָֽיו׃ va·nav.

Locations

Moab

MOAB; MOABITESmo'-ab, mo'-ab-its (Moab, mo'abh, Moabite Stone, M-'-B; Greek (Septuagint) Moab, he Moabeitis, Moabitis; Moabite, mo'abhi; Moabites, bene mo'abh):1. The Land:Moab was the district East of the Dead Sea, extending from a point some distance North of it to its southern end. The eastern boundary was indefinite, being the border of the desert which... View Details

Parallel Verses

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Added text
New American Standard Bible 1995 Now it came about in the days when the judges governed, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the land of Moab with his wife and his two sons.
King James Bible Now it came about to pass in the days when the judges governed, ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the land country of Moab with Moab, he, and his wife wife, and his two sons.
Hebrew Greek English Now it came about in the days when the judges governed, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the land of Moab with his wife and his two sons.