עׇרְפָּה
𐤏𐤓𐤐𐤄
Repah
H6204 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A personal name, Orpah—designating a Moabite woman in the narrative of Ruth. The name likely derives from the Hebrew root for 'neck' or 'back of the neck.' In its original sense outside of the personal name, the word's root refers to the nape of the neck, but as a proper noun here it simply serves as an identifier without direct lexical meaning beyond its etymological background. In the Ruth narrative, Orpah is the daughter-in-law of Naomi and the sister-in-law of Ruth, herself a Moabite.
Semantic Range
proper name for a Moabite woman; etymologically derives from 'nape of the neck,' with possible metaphorical association but no concrete lexical value beyond personal designation
Root / Etymology
From the root ערף (ʻ-r-p), meaning 'neck' or specifically 'back of the neck,' with the feminine nominal ending -âh; the personal name probably conveys a metaphorical association with aspects of the neck, but functions as a proper name for a Moabite woman in the book of Ruth.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, עׇרְפָּה appears exclusively as a proper noun, referring to a Moabite woman, the wife of Chilion and sister-in-law to Ruth (Ruth 1:4, 1:14). The name's etymology connects it to the common noun עֹרֶף (ʻoref), 'neck,' but there is no indication that the personal name carried a semantic value within the narrative. The meaning is unrelated to theological or religious identity—Orpah's Moabite background has ethnic and geographical, not religious, connotations. The Septuagint transliterates the name as Ορφα, retaining the original form. Later English translations sometimes imply a meaning or symbolism (e.g., turning 'back' to Naomi), but such readings are secondary and not inherent to the name itself. No attested uses of the name or root suggest the English word 'mane' is an appropriate translation; rather, the semantic range is focused on the nape of the neck, with 'mane' as a later interpretive gloss. The name is distinct from similar-sounding Hebrew words and is not used outside the context of the Ruth narrative.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine of עֹרֶף; mane; Orpah, a Moabites; Orpah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ערף (ʿ-r-p) — neck, nape, back of the neck
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H6183 | עָרִיף | in her dripping-skies |
| H6201 | עָרַף | they will break the neck |
| H6202 | עָרַף | neck-broken (feminine) |
| H6203 | עֹרֶף | their nape |
| H6205 | עֲרָפֶל | dense gloom |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6204-01 |
עָרְפָּ֔ה | arepah | HNp |
Orpah | Orpah | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences