Ruth 1:3 (GNV)

Passage

Then Elimelech the husband of Naomi died, and she remayned with her two sonnes,

Nearby Context

Ruth 1:1 In the time that the Iudges ruled, there was a dearth in the lande, and a man of Beth-lehem Iudah went for to soiourne in the countrey of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sonnes.

Ruth 1:2 And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife, Naomi: and the names of his two sonnes, Mahlon, and Chilion, Ephrathites of Beth-lehem Iudah: and when they came into the land of Moab, they continued there.

Ruth 1:3 Then Elimelech the husband of Naomi died, and she remayned with her two sonnes,

Ruth 1:4 Which tooke them wiues of the Moabites: the ones name was Orpah, and the name of ye other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten yeeres.

Ruth 1:5 And Mahlon and Chilion dyed also both twaine: so the woman was left destitute of her two sonnes, and of her husband.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "elimelech", "husband", "naomi", "died", "remayned", and "sonnes". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "elimelech" and "husband", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 2's "And the name of the man was..." into verse 4's "Which tooke them wiues of the Moabites...", so "elimelech" and "husband" belong inside that flow. In Ruth context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "elimelech" and "husband" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.