ELIMELECH . The husband of Naomi and father of Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem-Judah (cf. 1 Samuel 17:12 ). He is spoken of as if he were the head of a clan in the tribe of Judah (cf. Ruth 2:1; Ruth 2:3 ). This would be the Hezronites ( 1 Chronicles 2:9 , cf. Genesis 46:12 ).