What about Orpah?

 

You may never have heard about Orpah but I’m sure that you have heard about Ruth, the Moabite daughter-in-law of Naomi who eventually married a rich landowner named Boaz.

Well, Orpah was also Naomi’s daughter-in-law. She, a Moabite like Ruth, was married to one of Naomi’s sons but now both sons were dead and Naomi, also widowed and without her sons, thought it best that if they were to have any chance of survival, they should all return to their own people, she to the Israelites and her daughters-in-law to their mothers.

Naomi told her daughters-in-law, “Each of you should go back home to your mother. You have been very kind to me and my sons who are now dead. So I pray that the Lord will be just as kind to you. I pray that the Lord will help each of you find a husband and a good home.” Naomi kissed her daughters-in-law, and they all started crying. (Ruth 1:8-9 ERV)

Ruth clung to Naomi, but Orpah chose to go back home to her mother.

Then Orpah kissed Naomi goodbye, but Ruth hugged her and stayed. Naomi said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her own people and her own gods. You should do the same.” (Ruth 1: 14-15 ERV)

We are not told anything more about Orpah after she went back to her mother, all we can do is speculate about what may have become of her.

In choosing to go back to what she’d left behind so long ago, and the fact that she has faded into obscurity, we can only deduce that Orpah may have gone back to living an idolatrous way of life.

Long story not too long…

The Moabites were descendants of Moab who was born of the incestuous union between Lot and his eldest daughter (see Genesis 19:30-38) making the Israelites and the Moabites relatives. Throughout the years, these two peoples experienced much interaction through altercation, so there was much history between them.

In Numbers 22-24 we read about Moab as it plays a role in the story of Balaam and the talking donkey and in the time of the judges there was a considerable amount of travel between Judah and Moab.

It was in the days of the judges that Naomi’s husband, Elimelech, had taken her and their two sons to Moab from Judah in an effort to escape a famine; it was there that their sons met and married Ruth and Orpah.

Throughout the years there were many prophesies of destruction levied against Moab because of their sin against God and His chosen people. Isaiah 16:6 points out Moab’s prevailing sin aside from idolatry.

We have heard of Moab’s pride how great is her arrogance! of her conceit, her pride and her insolence; but her boasts are empty. (NIV)

And this is what Orpah chose to go back to despite having lived with a family of Israelites, despite her exposure to Israel’s God.

Now, Orpah had every intention to go with Naomi to Judah as she had initially left with her but with her mother-in-law entreating both she and Ruth to return to Moab, she obviously had a change of heart, accepted Naomi’s argument and turned back.

Naomi must have been very concerned not only about her own welfare but that of both her daughters-in-law, as Judah would have held great uncertainty for three widowed women, two of whom were young foreigners.

We can only imagine that her decision to return to her mother, her own people and her gods would not have been made lightly, and we can see from the text that she was indeed heartbroken to leave the people whom she obviously loved deeply.

Orpah’s return to Moab signified her return to the Moabite culture and customs and the estrangement from everything she may have learnt being in an Israelite household – a return to the gods of Moab was a rejection of the God of Israel.

Orpah must have known of the challenges she would face upon her return to Moab but perhaps the thought of the ridicule she would be subjected to as a young widow in a foreign land far outweighed the challenges in her own homeland, making her choose what she considered the easy road, unwilling to take that leap of faith.

It is not easy to step into uncertainty; it requires strong faith to take a leap of faith and perhaps Orpah did not possess such faith.

What about you; are you willing to step into uncertainty, to take a leap of faith into what is unfamiliar?

When faced with a difficult decision, do you choose to trust God and move forward on a new but seemingly bumpy road, or do you return to the road you’ve been on before?

On this Christian journey, challenges will arise, as Jesus said,

“…in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.] (John 16:33 AMP)

It isn’t easy when you attempt to traverse this spiritual road on your own but clinging to Jesus and following His lead in faith makes for a much easier journey.

Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him, and He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way]. (Proverbs 3:5-6 AMP)

Beloved, we cannot afford to be Orpahs, we cannot afford to turn back to where we’ve come from because it seems easier, convenient, or familiar. 

Orpah did not have the privilege of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, but you and I do so, we, by the power of His Spirit in us, need to master the art of walking by faith and not by sight (ref. 2 Corinthians 5:7), trusting in and relying confidently in our Lord to direct and establish our every step along the way.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “What about Orpah?” ©2026 June 8, 2026