Orpah

From BibleWiki

Jump to: navigation, search

Meaning: forelock or fawn

A Moabitess, the wife of Chilion (Ruth 1:4; Ruth 4:10). On the death of her husband she accompanied Naomi, her mother-in-law, part of the way to Bethlehem, and then returned to Moab.


This entry includes text from Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897.

what mentions this? (please help by turning references to this page into wiki links)


A Moabitess; daughter-in-law of Naomi, and wife of Mahlon. After the death of her husband, Orpah and her sister-in-law Ruth wished to go to Judea with Naomi. She was persuaded, however, by Naomi to return to her people and to her gods (Ruth 1:4ff).

In rabbinical literature Orpah is identified with Harafa, the mother of the four Philistine giants (comp. 2 Sam 21:22); and these four sons were said to have been given her for the four tears which she shed at parting with her mother-in-law (Soṭah 42b). She was a sister of Ruth; and both were daughters of the Moabite king Eglon (Ruth R. ii. 9). Her name was changed to "Orpah" because she turned her back on her mother-in-law (ib.; comp. Soṭah l.c.). She was killed by David's general Abishai, the son of Zeruiah (Sanh. 95a).


This entry includes text from the Jewish Encyclopedia, 1906.

Relations to other articles — Click + to find similar articles.

Orpah  Married to  Chilion  +


Editing help on relations and attributes

View as RDF
Personal tools
related