NOEMI. - Wife of Elimelech, from Bethlehem, mother-in-law of Ruth (v.); in Hebrew No'ōmī "gracious," an appellation that occurs in the poem of 'Anat (IV AB, 2, 16; 3, 11; C. Virolleaud, in Syria, 17 [1936], p. 150 ff.), in the texts of Rās Samrah.

Driven by famine, Elimelech with N. and his two sons takes refuge in Moab, where he dies. The sons marry two Moabite women, and they too die. N. decides to return to her homeland and urges her daughters-in-law Orpah and Ruth to provide for themselves by returning to their families. Ruth does not abandon her and comes with her to Bethlehem. N. thinks of settling her devoted daughter-in-law and succeeds in marrying her to Boaz, her wealthy relative. At the birth of Obed, N. receives the congratulations of the Bethlehemite women; she adopts the child and becomes his nurse (Ruth 1-4). N. is an example of trust and humble submission to divine Providence, and of maternal solicitude.

Bibliography2 works

BIBL.: A. Vaccari, La S. Bibbia, II, Florence 1947, pp. 153-162; R. Tamisier, in La Ste Bible (ed. L. Pirot, 3), Paris 1949, pp. 309-26.

Francesco Spadafora

@incollection{ec8_noemi, author = {Spadafora, Francesco}, title = {Noemi}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {VIII}, pages = {1910--1911}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1952}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/noemi} }

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