H6204 H6204
Orpah: Ruth's sister-in-law who returned to Moab rather than accompanying Naomi to Judah
Orpah married one of Naomi's sons but was widowed during the family's sojourn in Moab. When Naomi decided to return to Judah, Orpah initially started the journey but ultimately kissed her mother-in-law farewell and returned to her people. This decision contrasts sharply with Ruth's famous loyalty ('where you go I will go'). Orpah represents the understandable choice to remain with one's own people, while Ruth's choice led to inclusion in the Messianic line.
Senses
1. sense 1 — A feminine proper noun designating Ruth's Moabite sister-in-law. The name appears in Ruth 1:4 (introducing her) and 1:14 (describing her departure). The consistent transliteration across languages ('Orpá,' 'Orpa') preserves the Hebrew name. While often contrasted negatively with Ruth, the narrative presents Orpah's choice sympathetically—she blessed Naomi and left honorably. Her decision represents the expected course; Ruth's path was the extraordinary one. 2×
AR["عَرْفَةُ"]·ben["অর্পা"]·DE["Orpa"]·EN["Orpah"]·FR["Orpa"]·heb["ערפה"]·HI["ओरपा"]·ID["Orpa"]·IT["Orpa"]·jav["Orpa"]·KO["오르바가", "오르바였고"]·PT["'Orpah"]·RU["Орпа"]·ES["Orpá"]·SW["Orpa"]·TR["Orpa"]·urd["عرفہ", "عرفہ-نے"]
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)H???? 2. (1002×)G2424 1. (924×)G3754 1. that (content clause) (881×)H2009 1. presentative particle: behold, look (881×)H0589 1. I (first person singular pronoun) (874×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† עָרְפָּה n.pr.f. sister-in-law of Ruth, Ru 1:4, 14, Ορφα.