Naomi נׇעֳמִי
Israelite woman, mother-in-law of Ruth.
Who is Naomi in the Bible?
Naomi was an Israelite woman from Bethlehem whose story is told in the Book of Ruth (Ruth 1:2). After her husband Elimelech and both of her sons died while living in Moab, Naomi returned to Bethlehem with her daughter-in-law Ruth, who refused to leave her (Ruth 1:3-18). So bitter was Naomi over her losses that she asked to be called "Mara," meaning bitter, declaring that the Almighty had dealt very bitterly with her (Ruth 1:20). Though she believed herself to be empty and forsaken, Naomi's faithfulness and care for Ruth ultimately led to Ruth's marriage to Boaz and the birth of Obed, who became the grandfather of King David (Ruth 4:13-17). Naomi's story demonstrates God's redemptive grace and shows how suffering and loss can be transformed into blessing and hope within God's providence.
Biography
Naomi, later known as Mara, was an Israelite woman from Bethlehem who played a significant role in the Book of Ruth. She was the wife of Elimelech and the mother of Mahlon and Chilion.
During a time of famine, Naomi and her family moved to the land of Moab. While there, her sons married Moabite women, Ruth and Orpah. Tragically, Elimelech and both of Naomi's sons died, leaving her widowed and childless (Rut.1.1-5).
Hearing that the famine in Israel had ended, Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem. She encouraged her daughters-in-law to remain in Moab, but Ruth insisted on accompanying her (Rut.1.6-18). Upon their arrival in Bethlehem, Naomi expressed her bitterness, saying, "Call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me" (Rut.1.20). The name "Mara" means "bitter" in Hebrew.
Naomi played a crucial role in guiding Ruth and helping her find security and provision. She instructed Ruth to glean in the fields of Boaz, a relative of Elimelech (Rut.2.1-3). Later, Naomi encouraged Ruth to seek marriage with Boaz as a kinsman-redeemer, following Israelite custom (Rut.3.1-4).
Through Boaz and Ruth's marriage, Naomi's lineage was preserved. When their son Obed was born, the women of Bethlehem declared to Naomi, "Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer" (Rut.4.14). Obed became the grandfather of King David, making Naomi an ancestor of both David and, ultimately, Jesus Christ.
Naomi's story is one of loss, faithfulness, and redemption. Her journey from bitterness to joy, through the love and loyalty of Ruth and the providence of God, has made her an enduring example of faith and resilience.
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In Scripture
1 biblical bookRuth 5 verses
- Ruth 1:2
"The man’s name was Elimelech, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah, and they entered the land of Moab and settled there."
- Ruth 1:3
"Then Naomi’s husband Elimelech died, and she was left with her two sons,"
- Ruth 1:8
"Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you to your mother’s home. May the LORD show you loving devotion, as you have shown to your dead and to me."
- Ruth 1:11
"But Naomi replied, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you go with me? Are there still sons in my womb to become your husbands?"
- Ruth 1:19
"So Naomi and Ruth traveled until they came to Bethlehem. When they entered Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women of the town exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”"
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | נׇעֳמִי |
| Named | Hebrew | מָרָא |
Naomi
7">Ru 1:2-4:17). She went with her husband to the land of Moab, and after his death returned to Bethlehem. When greeted on her return, she told the women of the town to call her, not no`omi ("pleasantness"), but marah ("bitterness"), "for," she said, "the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me." She advised Ru in her dealings with Boaz, and afterward nursed their child.ith Anaitis (equalsAnahita), the Asian Artemis. She was the Venus, but sometimes the Diana, of the Romans. There are many variants of the name: Anaea (Strabo xvi.738), Aneitis (Plut. Artax. xxvii), Tanais (Clement of Alexandria, loc. cit.), also Tanath, sometimes in Phoenician inscriptions, Tanata, Anta (Egyptian). In 2 Macc 1:13 ff, a fictitious account is given of the death of Antiochus Epiphanes, in a temple of Nanaea in Persia, by the treachery of Nanaea's priests. The public treasury was often placed in Nanaea's temple; this, Epiphanes was anxious to secure under the pretext of marrying the goddess and receiving the money as dowry. The priests threw down great stones "like thunderbolts" from above, killed the king and his state and then cut off their heads. But 1 Macc 1 ff, which is more reliable, gives a different account of the death of Epiphanes after an attempt to rob a rich temple in Elymais. The account of 2 Macc 1:13 ff must be mere legend, as far as Epiphanes is concerned, but may have been suggested or colored by the story of the death of Antiochus the Great, who met his death while plundering a temple of Belus near Elymais (Strabo xvi.l.18; Diod. Sic. 573; Justin, xxxii.2). The temple of Nanaea referred to in 2 Macc 1:13 ff may be identified with that of Artemis (Polyb. xxxi.11; Josephus, Ant, XII, ix, 1) or Aphrodite (Appian, Syriac. 66; Rawlinson, Speaker's Comm.).
The name may mean "my joy," "my bliss," but is perhaps better explained according to the traditional interpretation as "the pleasant one."
David Francis Roberts
na'-fath-dor (Jos 12:23 the Revised Version margin).
See DOR.
na'-fish (naphish; Naphes, D, Naph