RUTH 2:3 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) So Ruth left and went to the countryside where she picked up heads of grain after the harvesters, and it just so happened that that part of the countryside belonged to Boaz who was Elimelek’s relative.

Key: khaki:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

BrLXX Καὶ ἐπορεύθη· καὶ ἐλθοῦσα συνέλεξεν ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ κατόπισθε τῶν θεριζόντων· καὶ περιέπεσε περιπτώματι τῇ μερίδι τοῦ ἀγροῦ Βοὸζ, τοῦ ἐκ τῆς συγγενείας Ἐλιμέλεχ.
(Kai eporeuthaʸ; kai elthousa sunelexen en tōi agrōi katopisthe tōn therizontōn; kai periepese periptōmati taʸ meridi tou agrou Booz, tou ek taʸs sungeneias Elimeleⱪ. )

BrTr And she went; and came and gleaned in the field behind the reapers; and she happened by chance to come on a portion of the land of Booz, of the kindred of Elimelech.

ULT So she left and went to glean in the field after the reapers. And her chance chanced upon the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelek.

UST So Ruth went. When she got to the fields, she followed the harvesters and picked up grain. The part of the field that she was working in just happened to belong to Boaz, Elimelek’s relative.

OEB So she went to glean in the field after the reapers. As it happened, she was in that part of the field which belonged to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.

WEBBE She went, and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.

WMBB (Same as above)

MSG ^(3-4)And so she set out. She went and started gleaning in a field, following in the wake of the harvesters. Eventually she ended up in the part of the field owned by Boaz, her father-in-law Elimelech’s relative. A little later Boaz came out from Bethlehem, greeting his harvesters, “God be with you!” They replied, “And God bless you!”

NET So Ruth went and gathered grain in the fields behind the harvesters. Now she just happened to end up in the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech.

LSV And she goes and comes and gathers in a field after the reapers, and her chance happens—the portion of the field is Boaz’s who [is] of the family of Elimelech.

FBV So she went and picked up grain the reapers had left behind. She happened to be working in a field that belonged to Boaz, a relative of Elimelech.

T4T So Ruth went to the fields and began to pick up some of the left-over grain. And it happened that she was working in a field that belonged to Boaz, the man from the clan of her dead father-in-law, Elimelech!

LEB So she went and came and gleaned in the field behind the reapers. And she happened by chance upon the tract of field _⌊belonging to_⌋[fn] Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech.

2:3 Literally “was for”

BBE And she went, and came and took up the heads of grain in the field after the cutters; and by chance she went into that part of the field which was the property of Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.

Moff No Moff RUTH book available

JPS And she went, and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and her hap was to light on the portion of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.

ASV And she went, and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on the portion of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.

DRA She went therefore and gleaned the ears of corn after the reapers. And it happened that the owner of that field was Booz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.

YLT And she goeth and cometh and gathereth in a field after the reapers, and her chance happeneth — the portion of the field is Boaz's who [is] of the family of Elimelech.

Drby And she went; and she came and gleaned in the fields after the reapers; and she chanced to light on an allotment of Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.

RV And she went, and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on the portion of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.

SLT And she will go, and come and gather in the field after the reapers; and she will happen from chance upon a part of the field to Boaz, who was from the family of Elimelech.

Wbstr And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her lot was to light on a part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.

KJB-1769 And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.[fn]

2.3 hap…: Heb. hap happened

KJB-1611 And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her [fn]happe was to light on a part of the fielde belonging vnto [fn]Boaz, who was of the kinred of Elimelech.
(And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her happen was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.)

2:3 Heb, happe happened.

2:3 Called Mat. 1.5.Booz.

Bshps And she went, and came to the fielde, and gathered after the reapers: and so it was, that the same fielde parteyned vnto Booz, whiche was of the kinred of Elimelech.
(And she went, and came to the field, and gathered after the reapers: and so it was, that the same field pertained unto Booz, which was of the kindred of Elimelech.)

Gnva And she went, and came and gleaned in the fielde after the reapers, and it came to passe, that she met with the portion of the fielde of Boaz, who was of the familie of Elimelech.
(And she went, and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers, and it came to pass, that she met with the portion of the field of Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. )

Cvdl She wete on, & came & gathered after ye reapers in ye feld. And it fortuned that the same felde was the enheritaunce of Boos, which was of the kynred of Elimelech,
(She went on, and came and gathered after ye/you_all reapers in ye/you_all feld. And it fortuned that the same field was the inheritance of Boos, which was of the kindred of Elimelech,)

Wycl Therfor `sche yede, and gaderide eeris of corn after the backis of reperis. Forsothe it bifelde, that `thilke feeld hadde a lord, Booz bi name, that was of the kynrede of Elymelech.
(Therefore she went, and gathered ears of corn after the backs of reperis. For_certain/Truly it befeld/happened_to, that that field had a lord, Booz by name, that was of the kindred of Elymelech.)

Luth Sie ging hin, kam und las auf, den Schnittern nach, auf dem Felde. Und es begab sich eben, daß dasselbe Feld war des Boas, der von dem Geschlecht Elimelechs war.
(They/She went there/therefore, came and read on/in/to, the reapern after, on/in/to to_him field. And it gifted itself/yourself/themselves even/just, that the_same field what/which the Boas, the/of_the from to_him descendant Elimelechs was.)

ClVg Abiit itaque et colligebat spicas post terga metentium. Accidit autem ut ager ille haberet dominum nomine Booz, qui erat de cognatione Elimelech.[fn]
(He_went_away therefore and neckgebat ears_of_corn after back they_will_reap/harvestium. Accidit however as ager he/that_one would_have master by_name Booz, who/which was from/about kinship Elimelech. )

2.3 Accidit. Quia sancta Ecclesia ad Christum pertinet, cujus sponsa et corpus est. De quo dicitur: Fortitudo mea et laus mea Dominus Psal. 117.. Et alibi-Dominus fortis et potens. Dominus potens in prælio Psal. 23.. Ipse est cognatus Elimelech, qui de Bethlehem et de stirpe David natus, testimonium habet a lege et prophetis. Hic verba salutis et pacis familiæ suæ attulit, in cujus nativitate cecinerunt angeli, Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra, etc. Luc. 2.. Cui venienti in Jerusalem obvia turba clamavit, dicens: Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini Matth. 21..

2.3 Accidit. Because holy Assembly/Church to Christ/Messiah belongs, whose bride and body it_is. From/About where it_is_said: Fortitudo my and praise my Master Psal. 117.. And alibi-Master strong/powerful and powerful. Master powerful in/into/on battle Psal. 23.. Exactly_that it_is relative Elimelech, who/which from/about Bethlehem and from/about stock David born, testimony has from lawfully and prophets. Here/This words health and of_peace families his/her_own brought, in/into/on whose birth cecinerunt messengers/angels, Glory in/into/on high to_God, and in/into/on earth/land, etc. Luc. 2.. To_whom they_will_comei in/into/on Yerusalem obvia crowd shouted, saying: Blessed who/which he_came in/into/on by_name Master Matth. 21..

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 2:1–23: Ruth gathered grain in a field belonging to Boaz

This third section in the book of Ruth tells how Ruth met Boaz. Since Naomi and Ruth were poor at this time, Ruth asked Naomi for permission to glean in the grain fields in order to find them some food.

Ruth chose a field in which to glean. Although she did not know it, the man who owned that field, Boaz, was a relative of Elimelech. Boaz had heard about Ruth already, but he had not met her. He was sympathetic and kind to her that day, and told her to continue to work in his field during the rest of the harvest time.

That evening, Ruth returned home and told Naomi that the owner of the field where she had gleaned was called Boaz and that he had treated her well. Naomi was very pleased. She encouraged Ruth to continue to work there just as Boaz had invited her to do.

Here are some other examples of section headings:

Ruth Meets Boaz (ESV)

Ruth Works in the Field of Boaz (NET)

2:3a

So Ruth departed and went out into the field and gleaned after the harvesters.

¶ And Ruth went out of the village to the field and began to gather up leftover grain there behind the workers who were harvesting/cutting it.
¶ So Ruth left Naomi and went to the fields. She began to pick up grain/barley in a field behind the harvest workers.

So: After receiving permission from Naomi, Ruth went and began to glean. The BSB (and other English versions) connects 2:3 to 2:2 with the conjunction So to indicate that what Ruth did was as a result of what Naomi said in 2:2c (“Go”). Connect these verses in a way that is natural in your language.

Ruth departed and went out into the field and gleaned: Ruth left her home in the village and went out to the fields. She chose a field in which to work and started to gather the leftover grain there.

gleaned: See the translation advice at 2:2 under “and glean heads of grain.”

after the harvesters: This means that Ruth walked along picking up grain after and behind the workers who were harvesting the grain.

harvesters: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as harvesters refers to workers who cut or reap grain or grass using some type of cutting tool. The harvesters in Ruth’s time would have used a curved knife called a sickle. Here the term may be used to include all the workers who had a part in the harvest, both the cutters and those who followed behind to gather the cut grain.

2:3b

And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz,

It was by luck/chance that the field belonged to Boaz,
It so happened that she had entered a field whose owner was Boaz,
She did not know at that time that she was working/gleaning in a field that belonged to Boaz.

And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz: The Hebrew words that the BSB translate as she happened to are more literally “her chance chanced upon.”Bush (Word), Hubbard (NICOT) and Schipper (AY) all give this as the literal rendering in their commentaries. Of the many fields in which she could have chosen to glean, Ruth happened to go to one that belonged to Boaz, a relative of her deceased father-in-law, Elimelech. From a human point of view, this was an accidental or unplanned event. It appears that Ruth did not know who owned the field in which she worked. At the same time, the reader of the book of Ruth can understand that God was behind the choice of field.

You should translate this in a way that indicates that Ruth’s choice of this particular field was not intentional on her part. It was coincidental. Here are some other ways to translate these words:

and, as luck would have it, it was the piece of land belonging to Boaz (NJPS)

Chance led her to a plot of land belonging to Boaz (NJB)

It just so happened that the field belonged to Boaz (NCV)

2:3c

who was from the clan of Elimelech.

who was of/from the same clan as Elimelech.
He was the relative who belonged to the same extended family that Elimelech belonged to.

who was from the clan of Elimelech: Boaz was from the same clan or extended family as Elimelech, Ruth’s father-in-law. This is repeated here for emphasis.

Parallel RUTH 2:3

Section 2:1–23: Ruth gathered grain in a field belonging to Boaz

2:3a

2:3b

2:3c

The Setting of Ruth