Texts in Conversation
In the Hebrew version of Ruth, Naomi blames the El Shaddai, shown as the overpowering ‘Sovereign One,’ for emptying her life. The Greek Septuagint translates this as ‘the sufficient one,’ softening God to be 'enough' rather than 'overwhelming'.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Ruth 1:20
Hebrew Bible
19 So the two of them journeyed together until they arrived in Bethlehem.When they entered Bethlehem, the whole village was excited about their arrival. The women of the village said, “Can this be Naomi?” 20 But she replied to them, “Don’t call me ‘Naomi’! Call me ‘Mara’ because the Sovereign One has treated me very harshly. 21 I left here full, but the Lord has caused me to return empty-handed. Why do you call me ‘Naomi,’ seeing that the Lord has opposed me, and the Sovereign One has caused me to suffer?”
LXX Ruth 1:20
Septuagint
19 Thus they walked together until they were in Bethlehem. The entire city was in an uproar about her, and they said, “Is this woman Naomi?” 20 And she said to the women, “Do not call me Naomi any longer. Call me Bitter, for the sufficient one has put bitterness in me. 21 I went away full, and the Lord returned me empty. So why do you call me Naomi since the Lord humbled me, and the one who is sufficient embittered me?
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Notes and References
... An interesting aspect for the book of Ruth in relation to its date is the translation of the divine name Shaddai with ὁ ἱκανός (Ruth 1:20). This surprising rendering becomes comprehensible when one divides the word שׁדי into שׁ and די, that is, into the relative particle and the word 'enough.' This leads to the translation 'who is enough' or 'the sufficing one': ὁ ἱκανός. This neat interpretation of the otherwise inexplicable divine name fits well with the content of the book: Ruth, who affiliated with the God of Israel and moved to Judah with her mother-in-law, is richly blessed by this God. ...
Kreuzer, Siegfried
The Bible in Greek: Translation, Transmission, and Theology of the Septuagint
(p. 88) SBL Press, 2015
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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