עׇרְפָּה (or.pah)
or.pah
Orpah
N:N-F-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-F-P
Word Overview
The name Orpah (עֹרְפָּה) means "gazelle" in Hebrew. It appears only twice in the Bible, both times in the book of Ruth. She is introduced as a Moabite woman who married Mahlon, one of Naomi’s sons, making her the sister-in-law of Ruth.
Orpah plays a brief but significant role in the narrative’s opening conflict. When Naomi urges her daughters-in-law to return to their own people, Orpah kisses Naomi goodbye and chooses to go back to Moab (Ruth 1:14). This decision contrasts sharply with Ruth’s famous commitment to stay with Naomi. The name itself, evoking a swift and graceful animal, fits a character who moves quickly from one life to another, ultimately returning to her homeland rather than following a new path.
While Ruth becomes an ancestor of King David and Jesus, Orpah represents the natural human choice to return to familiar surroundings. Her story highlights the weight of Ruth’s decision without diminishing its value. The text does not judge Orpah’s choice as wrong, but simply records it as the alternative path taken by one who loved Naomi yet could not follow her.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Orpah means "gazelle," evoking an image of grace and speed. In the book of Ruth, she represents a very human response to loss. When Naomi urged her daughters-in-law to return home, Orpah kissed her goodbye and chose to go back to Moab. This was not necessarily a failure of faith, but a natural choice to return to familiar surroundings when the path ahead seemed too difficult.
Her decision highlights the immense courage it took for Ruth to stay. By recording Orpah’s departure without judgment, the text shows that following God’s call often requires leaving behind what is comfortable and known. It reminds us that loyalty and love can look different in different seasons of life.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [was] Orpah1×
- Orpah1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- עָרְפָּה֙1×
- עָרְפָּ֔ה1×
Key Verses
-
Ruth 1:4
They took for themselves wives of the women of Moab. The name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other was Ruth. They lived there about ten years.
This verse introduces Orpah by name, establishing her identity as a Moabite wife who shares the same fate and family ties as Ruth.
-
Ruth 1:14
They lifted up their voices and wept again; then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth stayed with her.
Here Orpah kisses Naomi goodbye, marking the decisive moment she chooses to return to her homeland while Ruth remains.