Chilion is a biblical figure mentioned in the Book of Ruth, part of the Old Testament. He is one of the two sons of Elimelech and Naomi, the other being Mahlon. The family is from Bethlehem in Judah, and they relocate to Moab due to a severe famine in their homeland. Chilion's account is primarily found in Ruth 1:1-5.

Family Background and Migration to Moab

Chilion's family is of the tribe of Judah, residing in Bethlehem. During the time of the judges, a period marked by social and spiritual upheaval, a famine strikes the land. Elimelech, seeking sustenance and survival for his family, decides to move to the country of Moab, a neighboring region east of the Dead Sea. This decision reflects the dire circumstances faced by the family, as Moab was traditionally an enemy of Israel.

Marriage and Life in Moab

In Moab, Chilion marries Orpah, a Moabite woman. His brother Mahlon marries Ruth, another Moabite. These marriages are significant as they represent unions between Israelites and Moabites, which were generally discouraged due to religious and cultural differences. The marriages, however, highlight the integration and adaptation of the family into Moabite society during their sojourn.

Death and Its Implications

Chilion's life in Moab is short-lived. The Bible records that both Chilion and his brother Mahlon die, leaving their widows, Orpah and Ruth, childless. Ruth 1:5 states, "Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and without her husband." The deaths of Elimelech, Mahlon, and Chilion leave Naomi in a vulnerable position, bereft of her immediate family and without male protection or provision, which was crucial in the ancient Near Eastern context.

Theological and Historical Significance

Chilion's account, though brief, sets the stage for the unfolding narrative of the Book of Ruth. His death, along with that of his brother and father, catalyzes Naomi's return to Bethlehem and Ruth's famous declaration of loyalty to her mother-in-law and the God of Israel. The absence of male heirs in Naomi's family underscores the themes of loss, providence, and redemption that permeate the book.

Chilion's marriage to Orpah and subsequent death also serve as a backdrop to the contrast between Orpah and Ruth's responses to Naomi's plight. While Orpah returns to her people and gods, Ruth clings to Naomi, leading to her eventual role in the lineage of King David and, by extension, Jesus Christ, as outlined in the genealogy presented in the Gospel of Matthew.

Cultural Context

The narrative of Chilion and his family reflects the broader cultural and historical context of Israel during the time of the judges. The period was characterized by cycles of apostasy, oppression, and deliverance, with the Israelites frequently turning away from God and facing the consequences of their disobedience. The famine that drives Elimelech's family to Moab can be seen as part of these cycles, illustrating the physical and spiritual challenges faced by the people of Israel.

In summary, Chilion's life and death, though not extensively detailed in the biblical text, play a crucial role in the narrative arc of the Book of Ruth, highlighting themes of loyalty, divine providence, and the unfolding of God's redemptive plan through seemingly ordinary and tragic circumstances.Chilion

finished; complete; perfect

The pining one, the younger son of Elimelech and Naomi, and husband of Orpah, Ruth's sister (Ruth 1:2; 4:9). CHILION

kil'-i-on (kilyon, "pining," "wasting away"): One of the two sons of Elimelech and Naomi, "Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem-judah" (Ruth 1:2). With his mother and brother he came into Moab and there both married Moabite women, Orpah being the name of Chilion's wife and Ruth that of the wife of Mahlon (Ruth 4:9, 10). Both died early and Orpah remained in Moab while Ruth accompanied Naomi back to Bethlehem. When Boaz married Ruth he "bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's, and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi" (Ruth 4:9).

W. L. Walker

5507. chilioi -- a thousand
... thousand. (chilia) -- 8 Occurrences. (chilias) -- 2 Occurrences. (chilion) --
1 Occurrence. 5506, 5507. chilioi. 5508 . Strong's Numbers.
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5507.htm - 7k3630. Kilyon -- a son of Naomi
... 3629, 3630. Kilyon. 3631 . a son of Naomi. Transliteration: Kilyon Phonetic
Spelling: (kil-yone') Short Definition: Chilion. ... Chilion. ...
/hebrew/3630.htm - 6k

The Devotion of Ruth
... the territory of Moab. His name was Elimelech and his wife's Naomi, and
his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. After they had been ...
//christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/the devotion of ruth.htm

The Story of Ruth, the Gleaner
... about six miles south of Jerusalem. His wife's name was Naomi, and his
two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. For some years the crops ...
/.../marshall/the wonder book of bible stories/the story of ruth the.htm

Scriptural Poems; Being Several Portions of Scripture Digested ...
... His name Elimelech, his eldest son Was called Mahlon, t'other Chilion, His wife
was Naomi, Ephrathites they were: They went to Moab and continued there: Where ...
/.../scriptural poems being several portions.htm

The Purport of Ancient Scholia, and Notes in Mss. On the Subject ...
... throughout. See more on this subject hi the Appendix (G). [232] tessara eisin
euangelia kephalaion chilion hekaton hexekontaduo. The ...
/.../chapter viii the purport of.htm

Chilion (3 Occurrences)
...CHILION. ... When Boaz married Ruth he "bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that
was Chilion's, and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi" (Ruth 4:9). WL Walker. ...
/c/chilion.htm - 8k

Chilion's (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Chilion's (1 Occurrence). Ruth 4:9 Boaz said to
the elders, and to all the people, "You are witnesses this ...
/c/chilion's.htm - 6k

Chil'Ion (3 Occurrences)
Chil'Ion. Chilion, Chil'Ion. Chilion's . ... Ruth 1:5 And Mahlon and Chilion died
both of them; and the woman was left of her two children and of her husband. ...
/c/chil'ion.htm - 7k

Naomi (25 Occurrences)
... The lovable; my delight, the wife of Elimelech, and mother of Mahlon and Chilion,
and mother-in-law of Ruth (1:2, 20, 21; 2:1). Elimelech and his wife left the ...
/n/naomi.htm - 17k

Kilion (3 Occurrences)
... Ruth 1:2 The name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and
the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem Judah. ...
/k/kilion.htm - 7k

Elimelech (6 Occurrences)
... king. Because of a severe famine in Judea, he emigrated to the land of
Moab with his wife and his sons, Mahlon and Chilion. Not ...
/e/elimelech.htm - 10k

Mahlon (4 Occurrences)
... Ruth 1:2 The name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and
the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem Judah. ...
/m/mahlon.htm - 8k

Na'omi (21 Occurrences)
... Ruth 1:2 The name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and
the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem Judah. ...
/n/na'omi.htm - 11k

Elim'elech (6 Occurrences)
... Ruth 1:2 And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi,
and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Beth-lehem in ...
/e/elim'elech.htm - 8k

Chilmad (1 Occurrence)

/c/chilmad.htm - 8k

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus