Kilion’s Moabite wife and, like Ruth, Naomi’s daughter-in-law. (Compare Ruth 1:3-5 with 4:10.) When Naomi’s husbands, Orpah and Ruth, died, these three childless widows set out from Moab to Bethlehem. At a certain place, Naomi encouraged his two daughters-in-law to return to their mothers’ houses and marry in Moab, but both insisted to Naomi: “No, but with you we will return to your people.” Orpah had treated his mother-in-law kindly and must have been very fond of her. (Ruth 1: 8-10) His desire to stay with Naomi may have been in part because he had enjoyed life in an Israelite family. Naomi, however, stressed that these two Moabites might very well have to remain widows in Judah when they returned to her, since she had little hope of remarrying to bear children, and even then she was sure she would. that Orpah and Ruth would not want to wait until their children grew up and could comply with the levirate law. Orpah’s affection and appreciation were not enough for him to continue with Naomi in the face of that possible future, so, after crying a lot, he said goodbye to Naomi and Ruth, and returned “to his people and his gods.” (Ruth 1:3-15.)
Source: Dictionary of the Bible