Lexical Definition

‎עׇרְפָּה‎ ʻOrpâh (or-paw') Orpah ^N:N-F-P
feminine of ‎עֹרֶף‎; mane

Orpah.

• § Orpah = "gazelle"
• Orpah, a Moabites

1) a Moabite woman, wife of Chilion, the son of Naomi, and sister-in- law of Ruth

Extended Information

• A woman of the Moabites living before Israel's Monarchy, first mentioned at Rut.1.4 married to Chilion (כִּלְיוֹן)

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎עָרְפָּה‎ proper name, feminine sister-in-law of Ruth, Ruth 1:4; Ruth 1:14, Ορφα.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References

Profile

Female • Moabite woman • Naomi's daughter-in-law, stayed in Moab

Woman living before Israel's Monarchy

Orpah was Naomi's daughter-in-law who stayed in Moab after the death of her husband, while Ruth accompanied Naomi to Bethlehem.

• A woman of the Moabites living before Israel's Monarchy, first mentioned at Rut.1.4;
• only referred to as Orpah עׇרְפָּה;
• wife of Chilion כִּלְיוֹן.

Orpah was the daughter-in-law of Naomi and the wife of Chilion, one of Naomi's sons (Ruth 1:4). She was a Moabite woman who married into a Hebrew family that had settled in Moab due to a famine in Judah (Ruth 1:1-2). After the deaths of Naomi's husband and sons, Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem (Ruth 1:6-7). Initially, both Orpah and Ruth, Naomi's other daughter-in-law, insisted on accompanying her (Ruth 1:10). However, Naomi urged them to return to their own families in Moab (Ruth 1:11-13). Orpah eventually agreed to stay in Moab, but Ruth remained steadfast in her commitment to Naomi (Ruth 1:14). Orpah's decision to stay in Moab is contrasted with Ruth's loyalty and devotion to Naomi and her God (Ruth 1:16-17). While Orpah is not mentioned again in the Bible, her brief appearance in the story of Ruth highlights the significant choice that Ruth made in following Naomi and embracing the God of Israel.

All entries for Orpah: עׇרְפָּה

Related Profiles:

• Chilion (spouse)