### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **Machlôwn**, represented by `{{H4248}}`, means **sick**. It is derived from the word חָלָה and is the name of an Israelite. It appears **4 times** across **4 unique verses** in the Bible, exclusively within the book of Ruth. His identity is central to the narrative of loss, migration, and eventual redemption that unfolds in the story.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, **Machlôwn** `{{H4248}}` is introduced as one of the two **sons** `{{H1121}}` of Elimelech and Naomi. He is an **Ephrathite** `{{H673}}` from **Bethlehemjudah** `{{H1035}}``{{H3063}}` who travels with his family to the country of **Moab** `{{H4124}}` [[Ruth 1:2]]. In Moab, both **Machlôwn** and his brother Chilion **died** `{{H4191}}`, leaving their mother Naomi a widow without her **two** `{{H8147}}` sons [[Ruth 1:5]]. After his death, he is identified as the husband of **Ruth** `{{H7327}}` the **Moabitess** `{{H4125}}`, and his inheritance becomes a key part of the transaction where **Boaz** `{{H1162}}` purchases all that belonged to Elimelech's family [[Ruth 4:9-10]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related individuals and concepts are crucial to understanding the story of **Machlôwn**:
* `{{H3630}}` **Kilyôwn** (Chilion): The brother of **Machlôwn**, whose name is almost always mentioned alongside his. They shared the same fate, dying in Moab and leaving their mother bereaved [[Ruth 1:5]].
* `{{H458}}` **ʼĔlîymelek** (Elimelech): The father of **Machlôwn**. His decision to move the family to Moab initiates the events of the story, and his death, along with that of his sons, creates the need for a kinsman-redeemer [[Ruth 1:2]].
* `{{H7327}}` **Rûwth** (Ruth): The **Moabitess** `{{H4125}}` **wife** `{{H802}}` of **Machlôwn**. Her loyalty to Naomi after his death is a cornerstone of the book, and her marriage to Boaz fulfills the duty of raising up a **name** `{{H8034}}` for the dead [[Ruth 4:10]].
* `{{H1162}}` **Bôʻaz** (Boaz): The kinsman who **purchased** `{{H7069}}` the inheritance of **Machlôwn** and his family, ensuring their lineage would not be **cut off** `{{H3772}}` from among their **brethren** `{{H251}}` [[Ruth 4:9-10]].
### Theological Significance
The story of **Machlôwn** carries significant theological weight, primarily through his absence.
* **Preservation of Inheritance:** The central conflict resolved in the book of Ruth is the potential loss of the family line. Boaz's act of purchasing Mahlon's property and marrying his widow is explicitly to "raise up the name of the dead upon his **inheritance** `{{H5159}}`" [[Ruth 4:10]]. This underscores the biblical importance of maintaining familial lineage and patrimony.
* **Death and Redemption:** Mahlon's death, along with his brother's, represents a moment of profound loss and emptiness for Naomi [[Ruth 1:5]]. This tragedy, however, becomes the catalyst for the demonstration of God's redemptive plan through the loyalty of a foreign **woman** `{{H802}}`, Ruth, and the faithfulness of a kinsman, Boaz.
* **Covenantal Faithfulness:** The narrative pivots on the legal and social responsibilities within Israel. The crisis created by the deaths of **Machlôwn** and Chilion is resolved through the actions of Boaz, who fulfills his role as a redeemer by buying `{{H7069}}` the land and raising up an heir for the deceased [[Ruth 4:9]], highlighting a theme of faithfulness that extends beyond immediate family to the wider community and its covenantal obligations.
### Summary
In summary, **Machlôwn** `{{H4248}}` is a pivotal, though tragic, figure in the biblical narrative. His name, meaning **sick**, foreshadows his early death, which sets the stage for the book of Ruth's central themes of loss, loyalty, and redemption. While he is not an active character for long, his posthumous identity as the husband of Ruth and the son of Elimelech is the legal basis for the kinsman-redemption performed by **Boaz** `{{H1162}}`, the ancestor of David. The story of **Machlôwn** powerfully illustrates how God's sovereign plan can work through human tragedy to preserve a heritage and perpetuate a line of promise.
TRV