The Meaning of Ruth 1:5 Explained

Ruth 1:5

KJV: And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.

YLT: And they die also, both of them -- Mahlon and Chilion -- and the woman is left of her two children and of her husband.

Darby: And Mahlon and Chilion died also, both of them; and the woman was left of her two children and of her husband.

ASV: And Mahlon and Chilion died both of them; and the woman was left of her two children and of her husband.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Mahlon  and Chilion  died  also both  of them; and the woman  was left  of her two  sons  and her husband. 

What does Ruth 1:5 Mean?

Context Summary

Ruth 1:1-14 - Back To Bethlehem
It was a mistake for Elimelech and his family to have left Bethlehem; God would have sent them bread. The path became darker and darker. Mahlon means Pining and Chilion Consumption. Three graves in a strange land! All the laughter and hope that had given Naomi her name of Pleasant had turned to sadness; she longed to see the dear village of her childhood and early married life, and to drink the water of the well, 2 Samuel 23:15. It is thus that the banished soul comes back to God. Moab's fascination palls on the taste; its cisterns are broken and will hold no water. See Psalms 63:1-11.
The two younger women climbed the road with Naomi, till they reached the point where the last glimpse could be taken of Moab. There Naomi uttered this remarkable address, urging her daughters to return. It was very thoughtful and tender, and touched chords of bitter memory and deep pathos. But the saddest undertone was not regret for the dead past; it was the feeling that the hand of the Lord had been against her. Nay, dear soul, that hand is already engaged in making all things work together for good. A few more months and your sorrow will be turned into joy, Ruth 4:16. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ruth 1

1  Elimelech, driven by famine into Moab, dies there
4  Mahlon and Chilion, having married wives of Moab, die also
6  Naomi, returning homeward
8  dissuades her two daughters-in-law from going with her
14  Orpah leaves her, but Ruth with great constancy accompanies her
19  The two come to Bethlehem, where they are gladly received

What do the individual words in Ruth 1:5 mean?

And died also the two of them Mahlon and Chilion so survived the woman two her sons and her husband
וַיָּמ֥וּתוּ גַם־ שְׁנֵיהֶ֖ם מַחְל֣וֹן וְכִלְי֑וֹן וַתִּשָּׁאֵר֙ הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה מִשְּׁנֵ֥י יְלָדֶ֖יהָ וּמֵאִישָֽׁהּ

וַיָּמ֥וּתוּ  And  died 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
גַם־  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
שְׁנֵיהֶ֖ם  the  two  of  them 
Parse: Number, mdc, third person masculine plural
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
מַחְל֣וֹן  Mahlon 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַחְלֹון  
Sense: son of Elimelech by Naomi and first husband of Ruth.
וְכִלְי֑וֹן  and  Chilion 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: כִּלְיׄון  
Sense: an Ephraimite and son of Elimelech by Naomi and the deceased husband of Ruth (or maybe deceased husband of Orpah).
וַתִּשָּׁאֵר֙  so  survived 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: שָׁאַר  
Sense: to remain, be left over, be left behind.
הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה  the  woman 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
מִשְּׁנֵ֥י  two 
Parse: Preposition-m, Number, mdc
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
יְלָדֶ֖יהָ  her  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: יֶלֶד  
Sense: child, son, boy, offspring, youth.
וּמֵאִישָֽׁהּ  and  her  husband 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.