Bible Encyclopedias
Orpah

The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia

Search for…

Enter query below:

or

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Prev Entry
Orobio de Castro

Next Entry
Orphan

Resource Toolbox

Print Article

Additional Links

Concordances
Nave Topical Bible
• Orpah
Dictionaries
American Tract Society
• Orpah
Easton's Bible Dictionary
• Orpah
Fausset Bible Dictionary
• Orpah
Holman Bible Dictionary
• Orpah
Hitchcock Bible Names
• Orpah
Hastings' BibleDictionary
• Orpah
Morrish Bible Dictionary
• Orpah
Hawker's Poor Man's Dictionary
• Orpah
Smith Bible Dictionary
• Orpah
Encyclopedias
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
• Orpah
Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia
• Orpah
McClintock and Strong's Bible Encyclopedia
• Orpah
The Jewish Encyclopedia
• Orpah
Lexicons
• עָרְפָּה

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 1:4 et seq.).

In rabbinical literature Orpah is identified with Harafa, the mother of the four Philistine giants (comp. 2 Samuel 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 (Soá¹­ah 42b). She was a sister of Ruth; and both were daughters of the Moabite king Eglon (Ruth R. 2:9). Her name was changed to "Orpah" because she turned her back on her mother-in-law (ib.; comp. Soá¹­ah c.). She was killed by David's general Abishai, the son of Zeruiah (Sanh. 95a).