R1-3: The Nation Of Moab Did NOT Exist In Ruth’s Time

“Back in the days when the judges were judging, at a time when there was a famine in the land, a certain man from Beit-Lechem went to live in the territory of Mo’av — he, his wife and his two sons. The man’s name was Elimelekh, his wife’s name was Na‘omi, and his two sons were named Machlon and Kilyon; they were Efratim from Beit-Lechem in Y’hudah. They arrived in the plain of Mo’av and settled there.”-Ruth:1-2

So in the midst of this terrible famine that had overtaken Canaan, one Hebrew family led by Elimelech (meaning “God is my king”) decided to hightail it out of the Promised Land to a place called Moab.

This man had a wife named Naomi and two sons named Machlon and Chilion.

And for whatever reason not specified he had decided Moab would be a good place to flee to for survival.

Now here’s what’s interesting.

There wasn’t any physical nation of Moab in existence during the era of the Judges.

The tribes of Reuben and Gad had conquered Moab way before Joshua had even led the Israelites across the Jordan into Canaan.

We’re talking about 30 to 40 years BEFORE the time of Ruth.

So what gives?

Well, it turns out Moab was just one of those names that never died out.

It simply became an easy way to refer to this strip of real estate which lay on the eastern side of the Jordan River that bordered the Dead Sea.

And ironically, while this piece of land OUTSIDE of Canaan was conquered by the Hebrews, as we saw in the book of Judges, Israel never did fully succeed in driving out the Canaanites living INSIDE their land.

In fact, every one of the 12 assigned Hebrew territories were mixed regions containing Canaanite villages dwelling right alongside Israelite settlements. 

This peaceful co-existence never should have happened if the Lord’s commands had been properly carried out.

And it was the same situation in the region still referred to as Moab.

Folks with Moabite ancestry like Ruth still dwelled together with their Hebrew conquerers (members of  Reuben and Gad) who were relative newcomers.

So this all sets the stage for what’s to come.

See ya all next time.