# It happened

"It was" or "This is what happened." This is a common way of beginning a historical story.

# in the days when the judges ruled

"during the time when judges led and governed Israel"

# in the land

This refers to the land of Israel. AT: "in the land of Israel" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])

# a certain man

"a man." This is a common way of introducing a character into a story.

# Ephrathites of Bethlehem of Judah

They were people from the tribe of Ephraim who settled at Bethlehem in the region of Judea.

# translationWords

* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/judgeposition]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/famine]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/names/bethlehem]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/names/judah]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/names/moab]]