5281. Noomi
Lexical Summary
Noomi: Naomi, Naomi's

Original Word: נָעֱמִי
Part of Speech: Proper Name Feminine
Transliteration: No`omiy
Pronunciation: noh-oh-MEE
Phonetic Spelling: (no-om-ee')
KJV: Naomi
NASB: Naomi, Naomi's
Word Origin: [from H5278 (נוֹעַם - favor)]

1. pleasant
2. Noomi, an Israelitess

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Naomi

From no'am; pleasant; Noomi, an Israelitess -- Naomi.

see HEBREW no'am

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from naem
Definition
mother-in-law of Ruth
NASB Translation
Naomi (20), Naomi's (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
נָעֳמִי proper name, feminine mother-in-law of Ruth, Ruth 1:2,3,8 18t. Ruth; ᵐ5B Νωεμειν; A Νωεμμειν Ruth 1:2, Νοεμμειν Ruth 1:3, usually Νοομει(ν); ᵐ5L Νοομι.

Topical Lexicon
Canonical Placement and Narrative Setting

Naomi’s name appears only in the Book of Ruth, a narrative set “in the days when the judges ruled” (Ruth 1:1). Her account frames the book’s movement from famine and loss to harvest and restoration, functioning as the hinge on which the plot turns.

Biographical Sketch

The wife of Elimelech, Naomi departs famine-stricken Bethlehem with her husband and sons, Mahlon and Chilion, to sojourn in Moab (Ruth 1:2). Bereaved of husband and sons (Ruth 1:3–5), she determines to return to Bethlehem after hearing “the LORD had attended to His people by providing them food” (Ruth 1:6). Her candor before God and people—“Do not call me Naomi… call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me” (Ruth 1:20)—displays a faith that wrestles but does not withdraw.

Major Episodes

1. Farewell on the Moabite Road (Ruth 1:8–18) – Naomi urges Orpah and Ruth to remain in Moab, revealing a selfless ḥesed that mirrors the covenant love later shown to her. Ruth’s famous vow (Ruth 1:16–17) testifies to Naomi’s spiritual influence.
2. Return to Bethlehem (Ruth 1:19–22) – The town’s women recognize her, yet Naomi feels “empty” (Ruth 1:21). This thematic tension of emptiness vs. fullness drives the narrative.
3. Providential Encounter (Ruth 2) – Ruth gleans in the field of Boaz. Naomi identifies Boaz as “one of our kinsman-redeemers” (Ruth 2:20), interpreting events through a lens of renewed hope.
4. Night at the Threshing Floor (Ruth 3) – Naomi orchestrates Ruth’s appeal to Boaz, demonstrating practical wisdom rooted in Mosaic law.
5. Redemption and Lineage (Ruth 4:3–17) – With Boaz’s legal redemption, Naomi receives a restored inheritance and guardianship of Obed. The women bless her: “He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age” (Ruth 4:15).

Theological Themes

Providence – Naomi’s journey shows God’s unseen hand turning famine into harvest and widowhood into lineage.

Suffering and Lament – Her honest lament legitimizes grief while trusting divine sovereignty (“the hand of the LORD has gone out against me,” Ruth 1:13).

Covenant Loyalty – Naomi’s, Ruth’s, and Boaz’s actions embody ḥesed, anticipating the steadfast love of God revealed in Christ.

Redemption – The kinsman-redeemer motif finds immediate fulfillment in Boaz and ultimate fulfillment in Jesus, descendant of the very line Naomi helps preserve.

Typological Significance

Naomi mirrors Israel—displaced, disciplined, yet destined for restoration through a Redeemer born in Bethlehem. Ruth’s grafting into Naomi’s family foreshadows Gentile inclusion, while Obed’s birth points forward to David and, ultimately, to the Messiah (Matthew 1:5–6).

Naomi in Salvation History

Obed, whom Naomi nurses (Ruth 4:16), fathers Jesse, who fathers David. Thus her personal redemption is woven into the larger tapestry that culminates in Jesus Christ, “the Root and the Offspring of David” (Revelation 22:16).

Practical Ministry Lessons

• Grief expressed within faith communities invites God’s healing.
• Mature believers can mentor younger converts toward covenant faithfulness.
• Trust in divine providence grows as one interprets circumstances through Scripture.
• Acts of ordinary kindness (gleaning, guardianship, legal advocacy) become vehicles of redemptive grace.

Related Persons and Concepts

Elimelech, Ruth, Boaz, Obed; Kinsman-Redeemer; Bethlehem Ephrathah; Famine and Harvest; Davidic Line; Divine Sovereignty.

Forms and Transliterations
וּֽלְנָעֳמִ֞י ולנעמי לְנָעֳמִ֑י לנעמי נָעֳמִ֑י נָעֳמִ֔י נָעֳמִ֖י נָעֳמִ֗י נָעֳמִ֜י נָעֳמִ֣י נָעֳמִ֤י נָעֳמִֽי׃ נָעֳמִי֙ נעמי נעמי׃ lə·nā·‘o·mî lənā‘omî lenooMi nā‘omî nā·‘o·mî nooMi ū·lə·nā·‘o·mî ūlənā‘omî ulenooMi
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Ruth 1:2
HEB: וְשֵׁם֩ אִשְׁתּ֨וֹ נָעֳמִ֜י וְשֵׁ֥ם שְׁנֵֽי־
NAS: of his wife, Naomi; and the names
KJV: of his wife Naomi, and the name
INT: and the name of his wife Naomi and the names of his two

Ruth 1:3
HEB: אֱלִימֶ֖לֶךְ אִ֣ישׁ נָעֳמִ֑י וַתִּשָּׁאֵ֥ר הִ֖יא
NAS: Then Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died;
KJV: And Elimelech Naomi's husband
INT: Elimelech husband Naomi's was left he

Ruth 1:8
HEB: וַתֹּ֤אמֶר נָעֳמִי֙ לִשְׁתֵּ֣י כַלֹּתֶ֔יהָ
NAS: And Naomi said to her two
KJV: And Naomi said unto her two
INT: said and Naomi to her two daughters-in-law

Ruth 1:11
HEB: וַתֹּ֤אמֶר נָעֳמִי֙ שֹׁ֣בְנָה בְנֹתַ֔י
NAS: But Naomi said, Return,
KJV: And Naomi said, Turn again,
INT: said Naomi Return my daughters

Ruth 1:19
HEB: וַתֹּאמַ֖רְנָה הֲזֹ֥את נָעֳמִֽי׃
NAS: Is this Naomi?
KJV: about them, and they said, [Is] this Naomi?
INT: said likewise Naomi

Ruth 1:20
HEB: תִּקְרֶ֥אנָה לִ֖י נָעֳמִ֑י קְרֶ֤אןָ לִי֙
NAS: to them, Do not call me Naomi; call
KJV: unto them, Call me not Naomi, call
INT: not call Naomi call Mara

Ruth 1:21
HEB: תִקְרֶ֤אנָה לִי֙ נָעֳמִ֔י וַֽיהוָה֙ עָ֣נָה
NAS: do you call me Naomi, since the LORD
KJV: why [then] call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD
INT: Why call Naomi the LORD has witnessed

Ruth 1:22
HEB: וַתָּ֣שָׁב נָעֳמִ֗י וְר֨וּת הַמּוֹאֲבִיָּ֤ה
NAS: So Naomi returned, and with her Ruth
KJV: So Naomi returned, and Ruth
INT: returned Naomi her Ruth the Moabitess

Ruth 2:1
HEB: וּֽלְנָעֳמִ֞י [מְיֻדָּע כ]
NAS: Now Naomi had a kinsman
KJV: And Naomi had a kinsman
INT: now Naomi acknowledge of her husband

Ruth 2:2
HEB: הַמּוֹאֲבִיָּ֜ה אֶֽל־ נָעֳמִ֗י אֵֽלְכָה־ נָּ֤א
NAS: said to Naomi, Please
KJV: said unto Naomi, Let me now go
INT: the Moabitess to Naomi go Please

Ruth 2:6
HEB: הַשָּׁ֥בָה עִֽם־ נָעֳמִ֖י מִשְּׂדֵ֥ה מוֹאָֽב׃
NAS: who returned with Naomi from the land
KJV: that came back with Naomi out of the country
INT: returned with Naomi the land of Moab

Ruth 2:20
HEB: וַתֹּ֨אמֶר נָעֳמִ֜י לְכַלָּתָ֗הּ בָּר֥וּךְ
NAS: Naomi said to her daughter-in-law,
KJV: And Naomi said
INT: said Naomi to her daughter-in-law may he be blessed

Ruth 2:20
HEB: וַתֹּ֧אמֶר לָ֣הּ נָעֳמִ֗י קָר֥וֹב לָ֙נוּ֙
NAS: and to the dead. Again Naomi said
KJV: and to the dead. And Naomi said
INT: the dead said Naomi is our relative to her the man

Ruth 2:22
HEB: וַתֹּ֥אמֶר נָעֳמִ֖י אֶל־ ר֣וּת
NAS: Naomi said to Ruth
KJV: And Naomi said unto Ruth
INT: said Naomi to Ruth

Ruth 3:1
HEB: וַתֹּ֥אמֶר לָ֖הּ נָעֳמִ֣י חֲמוֹתָ֑הּ בִּתִּ֞י
NAS: Then Naomi her mother-in-law said
KJV: Then Naomi her mother in law said
INT: said Naomi her mother-in-law to her my daughter

Ruth 4:3
HEB: לֶאֱלִימֶ֑לֶךְ מָכְרָ֣ה נָעֳמִ֔י הַשָּׁ֖בָה מִשְּׂדֵ֥ה
NAS: to the closest relative, Naomi, who has come back
KJV: unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again
INT: Elimelech sell Naomi has come of land

Ruth 4:5
HEB: הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה מִיַּ֣ד נָעֳמִ֑י וּ֠מֵאֵת ר֣וּת
NAS: from the hand of Naomi, you must also acquire
KJV: of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy
INT: the field the hand of Naomi for Ruth

Ruth 4:9
HEB: וּמַחְל֑וֹן מִיַּ֖ד נָעֳמִֽי׃
NAS: from the hand of Naomi all
KJV: and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi.
INT: and Mahlon the hand of Naomi

Ruth 4:14
HEB: הַנָּשִׁים֙ אֶֽל־ נָעֳמִ֔י בָּר֣וּךְ יְהוָ֔ה
NAS: said to Naomi, Blessed
KJV: said unto Naomi, Blessed
INT: the women to Naomi Blessed is the LORD

Ruth 4:16
HEB: וַתִּקַּ֨ח נָעֳמִ֤י אֶת־ הַיֶּ֙לֶד֙
NAS: Then Naomi took the child
KJV: And Naomi took the child,
INT: took Naomi the child and laid

Ruth 4:17
HEB: יֻלַּד־ בֵּ֖ן לְנָעֳמִ֑י וַתִּקְרֶ֤אנָֽה שְׁמוֹ֙
NAS: has been born to Naomi! So they named
KJV: born to Naomi; and they called
INT: has been born A son to Naomi gave A name

21 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 5281
21 Occurrences


lə·nā·‘o·mî — 1 Occ.
nā·‘o·mî — 19 Occ.
ū·lə·nā·‘o·mî — 1 Occ.

5280
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