Texts in Conversation
In the Hebrew version of Ruth, a difficult to translate line says Ruth rested only briefly in the shelter while gleaning the fields. The Greek Septuagint changes this to say she never rested at all, highlighting her tireless devotion in the field.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Ruth 2:7
Hebrew Bible
6 The servant in charge of the harvesters replied, “She’s the young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi from the region of Moab. 7 She asked, ‘May I follow the harvesters and gather grain among the bundles?’ Since she arrived she has been working hard from this morning until now—except for sitting in the resting hut a short time.” 8 So Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen carefully, my dear! Do not leave to gather grain in another field. You need not go beyond the limits of this field. You may go along beside my female workers.
LXX Ruth 2:7
Septuagint
6 And the servant who had authority over the harvesters replied and he said, “The young lady is the Moabite woman who returned with Naomi from the land of Moab.” 7 She said, “I hope to gather and collect in the midst of the sheaves behind the harvesters.” And so she arrived and remained from morning until evening and did not stop in the field even a little. 8 So Boaz said to Ruth, “Do you not understand, daughter? Do not go into another field to gather, nor depart from this one here, but stay close behind my young women.
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Notes and References
... The last clause of 2:7 is a bit obscure. A wooden translation of the Hebrew would be ‘This is her sitting the house a little.’ The Septuagint is clearer—‘She has not rested in the field even a little’—but does not seem closely tied to the Hebrew text. The rest of the text makes it clear that Ruth is not off in the distance. Rather, whether gleaning without ceasing or in the house, she is quite near to Boaz. Despite the textual obscurities at the end of 2:7, we can say two things with confidence about Ruth at this point. She has displayed both modesty and diligence in her actions, and she is now close enough to Boaz for him to speak to her directly. ...
* 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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