Lexical Summary Kilyon: Kilyon Original Word: כִּלְיוֹן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Chilion A form of killayown; Kiljon, an Israelite -- Chilion. see HEBREW killayown NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom kalah Definition a son of Naomi NASB Translation Chilion (3). Brown-Driver-Briggs כִּלְיוֺן proper name, masculine one of Naomi's sons Ruth 1:2,5; Ruth 4:9, ᵐ5 Κελαιων, Ξελαιων, Ξελεων, ᵐ5L Ξελλαιων (on etymology compare Jerome; see LagOnom. ed. 2, 62, 5). Topical Lexicon Biblical Narrative Context Kilion appears exclusively in the Book of Ruth, woven into the opening and closing movements of the narrative that chronicles Naomi’s journey from Bethlehem to Moab and back again. Set “in the days when the judges ruled” (Ruth 1:1), the account provides a bridge between the turbulent era of the Judges and the dawning monarchy under David. Kilion, together with his brother Mahlon, forms part of the family through whom God ultimately advances His redemptive plan in Israel. Family and Lineage • Father: Elimelech, an Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah (Ruth 1:2). Though Kilion dies childless in Moab, his family connection cements his indirect participation in the genealogy of David—and by extension, of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:5-6). Occurrences in Scripture 1. Ruth 1:2 – Introduces Kilion and Mahlon as the sons accompanying Elimelech and Naomi to Moab during famine. Historical Setting A famine drives Elimelech’s family eastward across the Jordan into Moab—territory frequently at odds with Israel. The sons’ marriages to Moabite women reflect a season of assimilation that compromises covenant identity (cf. Deuteronomy 23:3-6). Their subsequent deaths leave Naomi destitute, underscoring the precariousness of life outside the promised land and heightening the drama of Ruth’s loyal return. Theological and Ministry Reflections 1. Consequences of Leaving Covenant Provision: Kilion’s untimely death in Moab underscores the tension between practical survival and covenant fidelity. While Scripture does not overtly condemn the move, the narrative’s emptiness motif (“I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty,” Ruth 1:21) invites reflection on the cost of distancing oneself from the Lord’s appointed place and people. Lessons for Today • Personal choices, even those that seem minor or pragmatic, carry generational repercussions. Connection to Redemption Theme Although Kilion himself leaves no heirs, his name is preserved within the legal declaration of Boaz in Ruth 4:9, ensuring that the family inheritance remains intact. That legal act sets the trajectory toward David’s throne and, ultimately, the advent of “great David’s greater Son.” Kilion’s brief appearance testifies that no life is insignificant in the tapestry of God’s redeeming work, and that every thread—whether vibrant or somber—finds its place within the fabric of Scripture’s unified witness to the gospel. Forms and Transliterations וְכִלְי֑וֹן וְכִלְיוֹן֙ וכליון לְכִלְי֖וֹן לכליון lə·ḵil·yō·wn lechilYon ləḵilyōwn vechilyOn wə·ḵil·yō·wn wəḵilyōwnLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ruth 1:2 HEB: בָנָ֣יו ׀ מַחְל֤וֹן וְכִלְיוֹן֙ אֶפְרָתִ֔ים מִבֵּ֥ית NAS: [were] Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites KJV: Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites INT: sons Mahlon and Chilion Ephrathites of Bethlehem Ruth 1:5 Ruth 4:9 3 Occurrences |
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