Girl Old Testament Rare
Orpah
the neck or skull
עׇרְפָּה or.pah
Orpah (Hebrew: עׇרְפָּה, or.pah) means “the neck or skull”, by traditional interpretation. It appears in 2 verses across 1 book of the Bible. In 1950 it was given to 5 children in the United States. Use is long out of use. Appears in the same passages as Chilion.
The bearer in scripture
One person in scripture bears this name.
-
Orpah
spouse of Chilion
Scripture against society
The two measures, side by side
At a glance
- Verses
- 2 across 1 book
- Bearers
- 1 one person only
- Testament
- Old
- Era
- Judges
Using it today
Based on 1950 births across the United States.
| Measure | Value | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Given in 1950 | 5 | Long out of use |
| All-time total | 107 | Since records begin in 1880 |
| Peak | 15 in 1923 | Its highest year on record |
In scripture
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First appears | Ruth 1:4 |
| Last appears | Ruth 1:14 |
| Cross-references | 31 linked passages |
Names connected to this one
- Ruth co-occurrence Appears with Ruth in Ruth 1.
- Chilion co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Chilion.
- Mahlon co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Mahlon.
- Elimelech co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Elimelech.
- Ephrathah co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Ephrathah.
- Naomi co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Naomi.
Origin & meaning
A woman of the Moabites living before Israel's Monarchy, first mentioned at Rut.1.4; married to Chilion (H3630)
§ Orpah = "gazelle"
a Moabite woman, wife of Chilion, the son of Naomi, and sister-in- law of Ruth
Orpah was Naomi's daughter-in-law who stayed in Moab after the death of her husband, while Ruth accompanied Naomi to Bethlehem.
The biblical story
Orpah was the daughter-in-law of Naomi and the wife of Chilion, one of Naomi's sons (Rut.1.4). She was a Moabite woman who married into a Hebrew family that had settled in Moab due to a famine in Judah (Rut.1.1-2). After the deaths of Naomi's husband and sons, Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem (Rut.1.6-7). Initially, both Orpah and Ruth, Naomi's other daughter-in-law, insisted on accompanying her (Rut.1.10). However, Naomi urged them to return to their own families in Moab (Rut.1.11-13). Orpah eventually agreed to stay in Moab, but Ruth remained steadfast in her commitment to Naomi (Rut.1.14). Orpah's decision to stay in Moab is contrasted with Ruth's loyalty and devotion to Naomi and her God (Rut.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.
Key verses
Orpah appears in 2 verses. Here are some of the most notable:
-
And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years.
Ruth 1:4 -
And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.
Ruth 1:14
Show all 2 references
Ruth (2)
- Ruth 1:4
- Ruth 1:14