Naomi — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Wife of Elimelech and the mother of Mahlon and Chilion. A member of Judah’s tribe, she lived in Bethlehem during the period of the judges. Her story is told in the book of Ruth. Because of a severe famine in Canaan, Naomi temporarily resettled with her family in the land of Moab, east of the Dead Sea (Ru 1:1-2). Following the death of her husband and two sons in Moab (vv 3-5), Naomi returned to Bethlehem with Ruth, her Moabitess daughter-in-law (vv 8-22). Upon meeting her friends, she told them not to call her Naomi, meaning “pleasant,” but Mara, meaning “bitter,” for she said, “I went away full, but the Lord has brought me home empty” (vv 20-21, NLT). Naomi’s domestic problems were eventually resolved when Ruth married Boaz, Elimelech’s near kin (chs 2–4 OET RUT 2:1–23 · OET RUT 3:1–18 · OET RUT 4:1–22).

Show passage in OET: RUT 1:1–2

OET-RV RUT 1:1

1 Back in the time when the tribal leaders ruled Yisrael (Israel), there was a drought which caused a shortage of food, so a man from the town of Beyt -Lehem (Bethlehem) in the Yehudah (Judah) region went to live in the country of Moav (Moab) for a while, taking his wife and their two sons.

OET-RV RUT 1:2

2 The man’s name was Elimelek and he was married to No’omi (Naomi), and their sons’ names were Mahlon and Kilyon. (They were part of the Efratah clan from Beyt-Lehem in Yehudah.) They travelled to the Moav countryside and lived there.

OET-LV RUT 1:1

1 And_he/it _was in_the _days _of the _judges of _the _judging and_he/it _was a _famine on _the_earth and_he/it _went a _man from_Bēyt- food/grain/bread Yəhūdāh/(Judah) to_sojourn in_the _region(s)_of Mōʼāⱱ he and_his/its_woman/wife and_the _two _of sons _of_his.

OET-LV RUT 1:2

2 And_name _of the_man was_ʼElīmelek and_name _of his/its_wife/woman was_Noˊₒmī and_name _of the _two _of sons _of_his was_Maḩlōn and_Kilion ʼEfrātī from_Bēyt- food/grain/bread Yəhūdāh and_they _came the _region(s)_of Mōʼāⱱ and_they _were there.

Show passage in OET: RUT 1:3–5

OET-RV RUT 1:3

3 Then No’omi’s husband Elimelek died, and she was left with her two sons.

OET-RV RUT 1:4

4 Eventually they married women from there in Moav—Orpah and Ruth. But after No’omi and her sons had lived in Moav for about then years,

OET-RV RUT 1:5

5 Mahlon and Kilyon both also died, and No’omi was left without her husband or her two sons.

OET-LV RUT 1:3

3 And_ ʼElīmelek the _husband _of Noˊₒmī _he/it _died and_ she and_the _two _of sons _of_her _she _was _left.

OET-LV RUT 1:4

4 And_they _took to/for_them wives Mōʼāⱱites the _name _of the_one(f) was_Orpah and_name _of the_second(fs) was_Rūt and_they _lived there about_ten years.

OET-LV RUT 1:5

5 And_ also both _of_them Maḩlōn and_Kilion _they _died and_ the_woman _she _was _left from_both _of children _of_her and_from_husband _of_her.

Show passage in OET: RUT 1:20–21

OET-RV RUT 1:20

20 But No’omi told them not to call her ‘No’omi’ (which means ‘pleasant’) but to call her ‘Mara’ (meaning ‘miserable’) because she said, “The almighty God has made my life very miserable.

OET-RV RUT 1:21

21 I went away content with a family, but Yahweh has brought me back with a void. So why call me ‘No’omi’? You see, Yahweh has testified against me—the powerful God has brought misfortune on me.”

OET-LV RUT 1:20

20 And_she/it _said to_them do _not call to_me Noˊₒmī call to_me Mara if/because the_almighty he _has _caused _bitterness to_me exceedingly.

OET-LV RUT 1:21

21 I full I _went and_empty bring _back_me YHWH to/for_what do _you(pl)_call to_me Noˊₒmī and_YHWH he _has _testified against_me and_the_almighty he _has _done _harm to_me.

Jump to OET RUT 1:1–2 section.

Jump to OET RUT 1:3–5 section.

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