CHILION and Mahlon were the two sons of Elimelech and Naomi ( Ruth 1:1-2 ). They married women of the Moabites Mahlon marrying Ruth, and Chilion Orpah ( Ruth 4:10 ) and after a sojourn of ten years in Moabite territory died there. Chilion means ‘wasting away.’ Mahlon means ‘sickly.’ Neither of these names occurs elsewhere in the Bible. The two names occur in varying order in Ruth 1:2; Ruth 4:9 , so that no conclusion can be drawn as to which was the elder.