ORPAH,
A Moabitish damsel, who married Chillon, the youngest of the two sons of Elimelech and Naomi, Israelites from Bethlehem-judah. Her story is included in the Book of Ruth; and though but a glimpse is afforded, the character is strikingly defined. Orpah, signifies, in the Hebrew, the open mouth, a name given her to denote her quick sensibility and lack of firmness. She was a creature of feeling, bat there was wanting the strength of will to perform what she had purposed as duty. After the death of Elimelech and his two sons, Naomi, with her two young daughters-in-law, set out to return to her own land; Orpah seemingly more earnest than Ruth to accompany Naomi. But when the trials of the undertaking were set before them, Orpah "kissed" her mother-in-law, and went "back to her people and her gods."