אֱלִימֶלֶךְ
𐤀𐤋𐤉𐤌𐤋𐤊
Elimelekhe
H458 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Personal name: Elimelech. Composed of two elements: 'El' (God) and 'melekh' (king), yielding the meaning 'My God is king' or 'God is king.' Used as the name of a Bethlehemite Israelite in the period of the Judges (notably, Naomi's husband in the Book of Ruth). The name reflects a theophoric structure common in Israelite onomastics, expressing a statement or aspiration regarding the deity and kingship.
Semantic Range
personal name; 'My God is king'; 'God is (the) king'; Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, an Israelite from Bethlehem in the period of the Judges
Root / Etymology
Compound of אֵל ('El', God) + מֶלֶךְ ('king'), with the first-person singular pronominal suffix implied ('my God is king'), though the pronominal element is not explicit. Root components: א-ל (ʾ-l) and מ-ל-ך (m-l-k).
Historical & Contextual Notes
The name 'Elimelech' appears uniquely in Ruth 1–2, describing the husband of Naomi, an Israelite from Bethlehem in the Judges period. Theophoric names incorporating 'El' are frequent among Israelites, often expressing devotion or relationship to the deity. The construction likely conveys either 'My God is king' as a theological declaration or 'God is king,' a royalist affirmation in the period before monarchy was established in Israelite society. The personal name's meaning thus may reflect religious or social attitudes during a time of leadership transition. There is no implication of later religious or ethnic terms ('Jew/Judean') in the period in which the name occurs. English translations render the form as 'Elimelech,' following the transliteration, which faithfully preserves the onomastic nature. In later tradition, names of similar form continue in different communities, but the biblical usage is restricted to a single individual. Contrasts to similar names (e.g., Abimelech) highlight the interchange of divine and royal elements in Israelite personal names.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from אֵל and מֶלֶךְ; God of (the) king; Elimelek, an Israelite; Elimelech.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אל, מלך (ʾ-l; m-l-k) — might, deity; kingship, rule, reign
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H458-01 |
אֱֽלִימֶ֡לֶךְ | elimelekhe | HNp |
Elimelech | My God is King | Elimelekhe | 4 |
H458-02 |
לֶ/אֱלִימֶ֑לֶךְ | leelimelekhe | HR/Np |
Elimelech | to My-God-is-King | to Elimelekhe | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
6 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H458-01 |
Ruth 1:2 | אֱֽלִימֶ֡לֶךְ | elimelekhe | HNp |
Elimelech | My God is King | Elimelekhe |
H458-01 |
Ruth 1:3 | אֱלִימֶ֖לֶךְ | elimelekhe | HNp |
Elimelech | My God is King | Elimelekhe |
H458-01 |
Ruth 2:1 | אֱלִימֶ֑לֶךְ | elimelekhe | HNp |
of Elimelech | My God is King | Elimelekhe |
H458-01 |
Ruth 2:3 | אֱלִימֶֽלֶךְ | elimelekhe | HNp |
of Elimelech | My God is King | Elimelekhe |
H458-02 |
Ruth 4:3 | לֶ/אֱלִימֶ֑לֶךְ | leelimelekhe | HR/Np |
Elimelech | to My-God-is-King | to Elimelekhe |
H458-02 |
Ruth 4:9 | לֶֽ/אֱלִימֶ֔לֶךְ | leelimelekhe | HR/Np |
to Elimelech | to My-God-is-King | to Elimelekhe |