Setting the scene in a narrative with a powerful opening line is like a mic drop moment, providing a shorthand way to convey a whole setting and context to the audience. By using phrases like 'in the days when judges ruled,' the author triggers a cascade of ideas and images in the reader's mind that go beyond the literal words, creating a vivid backdrop for the story being told.
An introduction into the book of Ruth; where God shows through two migrant, childless widows who cling to Him and cling to hope in spite of the chaos, He will weave the renewal of the whole world. From Ruth 1:1-5; 4:16-17.