(ב) וְשֵׁ֣ם הָאִ֣ישׁ אֱֽלִימֶ֡לֶךְ וְשֵׁם֩ אִשְׁתּ֨וֹ נׇעֳמִ֜י וְשֵׁ֥ם שְׁנֵֽי־בָנָ֣יו ׀ מַחְל֤וֹן וְכִלְיוֹן֙ אֶפְרָתִ֔ים מִבֵּ֥ית לֶ֖חֶם יְהוּדָ֑ה וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ שְׂדֵֽי־מוֹאָ֖ב וַיִּֽהְיוּ־שָֽׁם׃
(2) The man’s name was Elimelech, his wife’s name was Naomi, and his two sons were named Mahlon and Chilion—Ephrathites of Bethlehem in Judah. They came to the country of Moab and remained there.
כְּתִיב: ״מַחְלוֹן וְכִלְיוֹן״, וּכְתִיב: ״יוֹאָשׁ וְשָׂרָף״ – רַב וּשְׁמוּאֵל; חַד אָמַר: ״מַחְלוֹן״ וְ״כִלְיוֹן״ שְׁמָן, וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָן ״שָׂרָף״ וְ״יוֹאָשׁ״? ״יוֹאָשׁ״ – שֶׁנִּתְיָאֲשׁוּ מִן הַגְּאוּלָּה, ״שָׂרָף״ – שֶׁנִּתְחַיְּיבוּ שְׂרֵיפָה לַמָּקוֹם.
The Gemara returns to its discussion of the story of Ruth. It is written: “Mahlon and Chilion” (Ruth 1:2), and it is written elsewhere: “Joash and Saraph, who had dominion in Moab” (I Chronicles 4:22). Apparently, both names refer to the same individuals who married Moabite wives. Rav and Shmuel disagreed with regard to their true names. One says: Their given names were Mahlon and Chilion, and why were they called by the names Saraph and Joash? One was called Joash [yoash] because they despaired [nitya’ashu] of the redemption of Eretz Yisrael, as they established themselves in Moab and lived there for many years. The other was called Saraph, because they were liable to receive the punishment of burning [sereifa] for their sins against God, because they left their community.