the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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Bible Encyclopedias
Orpah
The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia
or 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).
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Singer, Isidore, Ph.D, Projector and Managing Editor. Entry for 'Orpah'. 1901 The Jewish Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tje/o/orpah.html. 1901.
