Elimelech

A resident of Bethlehem, assumed to be of the tribe of Judah, who, with his wife (Naomi) and two sons (Mahlon and Kilion), who left the city for Moab at a time of famine in the days of the judges. All three men died, leaving behind only Naomi and the two Moabite wives the two sons had married. He is only mentioned in the book of Ruth, as part of the setting for the story of Naomi, Ruth and Boaz; nothing significant is actually told about him as such.

Preachers are wont to speak of how tragic it was that a man whose name means "My God is King" and living a city which means "House of Bread" should so quickly flee to seek refuge elsewhere, and especially Moab with its inglorious beginnings in incest. While such homiletical rhetorics adds colour to the sermon, we should take it with a good pitch of salt. There is nothing in the text to suggest that the author intended such a play on the names; they are simply incidental details of the circumstances. No less than a person like Abraham left to seek refuge in a foreign land to weather bad times (Gen 12:10). If Scriptures does not disparage Abraham for it, neither should we disparage Elimelect for his move to Moab, especially when all we have to base it on is a reading-into of rather innocent aspects of the text. It might even be said, in Elimelech's defence, that, at least he did not pass off Naomi as his sister! Do be careful.

☰ Open Family Tree (Generation 8)

CONCORDANCE (NIV)

Ruth 1:2-3 — The man's name was Elimelech, his wife's name Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there. Now Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died, and she was left with her two sons.

Ruth 2:1-3 — Now Naomi had a relative on her husband's side, from the clan of Elimelech, a man of standing, whose name was Boaz. [And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, "Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favour." Naomi said to her, "Go ahead, my daughter."] So she went out and began to glean in the fields behind the harvesters. As it turned out, she found herself working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech.

Ruth 4:3 — Then he [Boaz] said to the kinsman-redeemer, "Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our brother Elimelech.

Ruth 4:9 — Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, "Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelech, Kilion and Mahlon. [I have also acquired Ruth the Moabitess, Mahlon's widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from the town records. Today you are witnesses!"]