Next, Elimelech died. This left Naomi alone with her two sons. This was long before women had any power, jobs, or anything to live on. We're not told when Elimelech died, but there are some interesting things to notice here.
First, while we can't plan for everything, Elimelech's moving his family into a pagan land could have proved disastrous, becuase of the possibility of his death. Naomi had to be incredibly strong-willed as far as leading the family. And yet, at the same time, she had to be entirely submissive to God's will. If she lacked one or the other, her sons could easily go astray. There are very courageous females in the Bible, of course; Esther, the Shunemite woman (2 Kings 4), and Deborah, to name a few. But, the possiblity of Elimelech's death so far from home was one that should have been considered. And, to give proper credit, considering the outcome, perhaps it was.
Still, she was left. And, even if they prepared their family perfectly, it would be very hard for Naomi. Because, she was not just left alone; she was left with her two sons. Misery does love company, but being a widow with two sons forced her to take responsibility as the spiritual leader, too, depending ont heir ages. And, even if they were old enough to get jobs and care for their mother, it was still a burden. A burden that would show itself once she returned to Israel.
As for now, she tried to keep a brave face, not only for the sake of her sons, Mahlon and Chilion, but for the sake of the people around them. Whether she confided her sadness and bitterness to her sons, as she would later do upon her return to Israel, is unknown. However, the way we deal with tragedy will often help show the outside world whether God is real. They will accept we have struggles, just like the rest of the world. But, they will also expect to see some evidence that our faith is different.
