Elimelech was Naomi's husband from Bethlehem who died in Moab.
husband of Naomi (RUT 1:2)
Lineage: God › Adam › Seth › Enos › Cainan › Mahalaleel › Jared › Enoch › Methuselah › Lamech › Noah › Shem › Arphaxad › Cainan › Salah › Eber › Peleg › Reu › Serug › Nahor › Terah › Abraham › Isaac › Jacob › Judah › Pharez › Hezron › Caleb › Hur › Salma › Elimelech
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en
Elimelech
my God is king
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en
Elimelech
· Also called · H458 none · RUT 1:2 G-d [El] is [my] king
- en Elimelek · Also called
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he
אֱֽלִימֶ֡לֶךְ
eliymelekh · H458 · RUT 1:2 G-d [El] is [my] king
- he אֱלִימֶ֫לֶךְ · H0458
- el Αβιμελεχ Abimelex · none · RUT 1:2
- bg Елимелех
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Conditional birth estimate · c. 1622 BC – 1590 BC
Conditional birth bounds under generation assumptions; not attested parental ages, biological limits or a lifespan.
Below are relatives with a selected birth year, the generations separating them, and the interval allowed by each anchor. Each relative’s page shows available dates and sources. The overall estimate uses the intersection of the allowed intervals.
| Relative / anchor year | Generations | Conditional interval |
|---|---|---|
| Pharez · 1722 BC Ancestor |
5 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1622 BC – 1497 BC |
| Jacob · 1835 BC Ancestor |
7 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1695 BC – 1520 BC |
| Isaac · 1895 BC Ancestor |
8 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1735 BC – 1535 BC |
| Rebekah · 1876 BC Ancestor |
8 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1716 BC – 1516 BC |
| Abraham · 1995 BC Ancestor |
9 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1815 BC – 1590 BC |
| Sarah · 1985 BC Ancestor |
9 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1805 BC – 1580 BC |
| Terah · 2125 BC Ancestor |
10 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1875 BC – 825 BC |
| Nahor · 2156 BC Ancestor |
11 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1881 BC – 726 BC |
| Haran · 2056 BC Ancestor |
11 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1781 BC – 626 BC |
| Serug · 2186 BC Ancestor |
12 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1886 BC – 626 BC |
| Reu · 2218 BC Ancestor |
13 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1893 BC – 528 BC |
| Peleg · 2248 BC Ancestor |
14 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1898 BC – 428 BC |
| Eber · 2282 BC Ancestor |
15 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1907 BC – 332 BC |
| Salah · 2312 BC Ancestor |
16 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1912 BC – 232 BC |
| Arphaxad · 2347 BC Ancestor |
18 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1897 BC – 7 BC |
| Shem · 2447 BC Ancestor |
19 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1972 BC – AD 24 |
| Noah · 2948 BC Ancestor |
20 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2448 BC – 348 BC |
| Lamech · 3130 BC Ancestor |
21 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2605 BC – 400 BC |
| Methuselah · 3317 BC Ancestor |
22 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2767 BC – 457 BC |
| Enoch · 3382 BC Ancestor |
23 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2807 BC – 392 BC |
| Jared · 3544 BC Ancestor |
24 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2944 BC – 424 BC |
| Mahalaleel · 3609 BC Ancestor |
25 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2984 BC – 359 BC |
| Cainan · 3679 BC Ancestor |
26 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3029 BC – 299 BC |
| Cain · 4004 BC Ancestor |
26 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3354 BC – 624 BC |
| Enos · 3769 BC Ancestor |
27 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3094 BC – 259 BC |
| Adam · 4004 BC Ancestor |
27 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3329 BC – 494 BC |
| Eve · 4005 BC Ancestor |
27 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3330 BC – 495 BC |
| Seth · 3874 BC Ancestor |
28 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3174 BC – 234 BC |
Elimelech was a man from Bethlehem in Judah, the husband of Naomi and the father of Mahlon and Chilion (Rut 1:2). During a time of famine, Elimelech and his family moved to the country of Moab (Rut 1:1-2). While in Moab, Elimelech died, leaving Naomi a widow (Rut 1:3). Naomi's sons, Mahlon and Chilion, married Moabite women named Ruth and Orpah, but they also died after about ten years (Rut 1:4-5). After the death of her husband and sons, Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem, and her daughter-in-law Ruth accompanied her (Rut 1:6-22). Elimelech's family had owned land in Bethlehem, which was later acquired by Boaz, a relative who married Ruth (Rut.4.3,9). Through this marriage, Elimelech's lineage was preserved, and his family's property remained within the clan.
God his king, a man of the tribe of Judah, of the family of the Hezronites, and kinsman of Boaz, who dwelt in Bethlehem in the days of the judges. In consequence of a great dearth he, with his wife Naomi and his two sons, went to dwell in the land of Moab. There he and his sons died (Ruth 1:2, 3; 2:1, 3; 4:3, 9). Naomi afterwards returned to Palestine with her daughter Ruth.
Sources: BibleData (CC BY 4.0, Elimelech_1) · STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0, Elimelech@Rut.1.2-) · Theographic Bible Metadata (CC BY-SA 4.0, elimelech_1134)