Biography of Elimelech

Ruth 1

1 Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Beth Lehem of Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.

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 of Judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.

3 And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.

4 And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years.

5 And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.

Remark

We rely on a widespread tradition that Nahshon had four sons (Elimelech, Salmon, Naomi's father, and Tob), see Tan. B. III, 107; Tan. Behar 3; Baba Batra 91a; Seder 'Olam 12.

From Jewish Encyclopedia, by Emil G. Hirsch and M. Seligsohn

A man of the tribe of Judah, living in Beth Lehem of Judah at the time of the Judges (Ruth i. 2). Scarcity of food compelled him to emigrate with his family to Moab, where he died, and where one of his sons married Ruth (ib. i. 3, 4). As a relative of Boaz (ib. ii. 1, iv. 3), he was of the family of the Hezronites. But according to Rab (B. B. 91a), Elimelech, Salmon (the father of Boaz), Peloni-Almoni, and the father of Naomi were the sons of Nahshon ben Aminadab. R. Simon b. Yoḥai contends (ib.) that Elimelech was one of the chiefs of Israel, andthat his premature death was his punishment for having left the Holy Land and having settled in the land of Moab.