Elimelech

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

This man was the husband of Naomi, whom we read of with such honourable testimony for her faith in God, in the book of Ruth; and as so much is contained in that sweet fragment of sacred Scripture, in allusion to the Lord Jesus Christ, I thought it proper to notice in this place, this name. The whole of the book of Ruth is interesting, not only as a true history of events which took place in the church, but, like that of Joseph, is typical and figurative of higher things. The certain man, there spoken of, going down from Bethlehem-judah, the land of bread, to sojourn in Moab, the city of destruction, becomes no unapt representation of our first father, who, like the Samaritan our Lord describes, going down from Jerusalem, the holy city, to Jericho, the cursed city, fell among thieves. ( Luke 10:30) And as the persons of this certain man and his family were types of others, so their names were significant also of their history. Elimelech means, my God, a king; Naomi signifies, a pleasant one; and their sons, Mahlon and Chilion, sickness and consumption; for such will always be the fruits of leaving Jesus for the world. (See  Ruth 1:1 -  Ruth 4:22 throughout.)

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

ELIMELECH . The husband of Naomi and father of Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem-Judah (cf.   1 Samuel 17:12 ). He is spoken of as if he were the head of a clan in the tribe of Judah (cf.   Ruth 2:1;   Ruth 2:3 ). This would be the Hezronites (  1 Chronicles 2:9 , cf.   Genesis 46:12 ).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Elim'elech. (My God Is King). A man of the tribe of Judah, and of the family of the Hezronites, who dwelt in Bethlehem-Ephrata, h in the days of the Judges. (B.C. 1312). In consequence of a great death in the land, he went with his wife, Naomi, and his two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, to dwell in Moab, where he and his sons died without posterity.  Ruth 1:2-3, etc.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

("my God is king".) Of the family of Hezron of Judah, kinsman of Boaz, residing in Bethlehem Ephratah under the judges. In a famine he and his wife Naomi, with their two sons, went to Moab, where he and his sons died, and from whence Naomi returned a childless widow with Ruth. (See Boaz ; Ruth; Naomi )

Morrish Bible Dictionary

Inhabitant of Bethlehem-judah, husband of Naomi, and father-in-law of Ruth. He went to Moab on account of a famine and died there.  Ruth 1:2,3;  Ruth 2:1,3;  Ruth 4:3,9 .

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Ruth 1:2,3 2:1,3 4:3,9

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Ruth 1:2-3 Ruth 4:3

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A Bethlehemite, husband of Naomi,  Ruth 1:2 .

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ē̇ - lim´e - lek ( אלימלך , 'ĕlı̄melekh , "my God is king"; Ἀβειμέλεχ , Abeimélech , Ἀλιμέλεκ , Alimélek ): Elimelech was a member of the tribe of Judah, a native of Bethlehem Judah, a man of wealth and probably head of a family or clan (Rth 1:2, Rth 1:3; Rth 2:1, Rth 2:3). He lived during the period of the Judges, had a hereditary possession near Bethlehem, and is chiefly known as the husband of Naomi, the mother-in-law of Ruth and ancestress of David the king. Because of a severe famine in Judea, he emigrated to the land of Moab with his wife and his sons, Mahlon and Chilion. Not long afterward he died, and his two sons married Moabite women, Ruth and Orpah. Ten years in all were spent in Moab, when the two sons died, and the three widows were left. Soon afterward Naomi decided to return to Judah, and the sequel is told in the Book of Ruth. See Ruth; Naomi .

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Hebrews Elime'lek, אלִֵימֶלֶךְ God is his King; Sept. Ε᾿Λιμέλεκ ; Josephus, Ε᾿Λιμέλεχος , Ant. 5:9, 1), a man of the tribe of Judah, and of the family of the Hezronites and kinsman of Boaz, who dwelt in Bethlehem-Ephratah in the days of the judges. B.C. cir. 1368. In consequence of a great dearth in the land he went with his wife Naomi, and his two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, to dwell in Moab, where he and his sons died without posterity ( Ruth 1:2-3;  Ruth 2:1;  Ruth 2:3;  Ruth 4:3;  Ruth 4:9). (See Ruth).

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Elim´elech (God the king), a native of Bethlehem, husband of Naomi, and father by her of two sons, Mahlon and Chilion. In a time of scarcity he withdrew with his family into the land of Moab, where he died [[[Naomi; Ruth]]]