New International VersionSo she went out, entered a field and began to glean behind the harvesters. As it turned out, she was working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelek.
New Living TranslationSo Ruth went out to gather grain behind the harvesters. And as it happened, she found herself working in a field that belonged to Boaz, the relative of her father-in-law, Elimelech.
English Standard VersionSo she set out and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers, and she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the clan of Elimelech.
Berean Standard BibleSo Ruth departed and went out into the field and gleaned after the harvesters. And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech.
King James BibleAnd 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.
New King James VersionThen she left, and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers. And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.
New American Standard BibleSo she left and went 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.
NASB 1995So she departed and went 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.
NASB 1977So she departed and went 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.
Legacy Standard BibleSo she went. And she came and gleaned in the field after the reapers. And it so happened that she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.
Amplified BibleSo Ruth went and picked up the leftover grain in a field after the reapers; and she happened to stop at the plot of land belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.
Christian Standard BibleSo Ruth left and entered the field to gather grain behind the harvesters. She happened to be in the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was from Elimelech’s family.
Holman Christian Standard BibleSo Ruth left and entered the field to gather grain behind the harvesters. She happened to be in the portion of land belonging to Boaz, who was from Elimelech’s family.
American Standard VersionAnd 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.
English Revised VersionAnd 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.
GOD'S WORD® TranslationSo Ruth went. She entered a field and gathered the grain left behind by the reapers. Now it happened that she ended up in the part of the field that belonged to Boaz, who was from Elimelech's family.
Good News TranslationSo Ruth went out to the fields and walked behind the workers, picking up the heads of grain which they left. It so happened that she was in a field that belonged to Boaz.
International Standard VersionSo she went out, proceeded to the field, and gleaned behind the harvesters. And it happened that she came to the portion of land belonging to Boaz, of the family of Elimelech.
NET BibleSo 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.
New Heart English BibleShe 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.
Webster's Bible TranslationAnd 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. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleSo Ruth departed and went out into the field and gleaned after the harvesters. And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech.
World English BibleShe 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. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd 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.
Young's Literal Translation 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.
Smith's Literal TranslationAnd 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. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleShe 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.
Catholic Public Domain VersionAnd so she went and gathered the ears of grain after the completion of the reaping. But it happened that this field was owned by Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.
New American BibleSo she went. The field she entered to glean after the harvesters happened to be the section belonging to Boaz, of the clan of Elimelech.
New Revised Standard VersionSo she went. She came and gleaned in the field behind the reapers. As it happened, she came to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleSo Ruth went to glean ears of wheat after the reapers; and it happened that she came upon a portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimeleck.
Peshitta Holy Bible TranslatedAnd Ruth went to collect the gleaning after the reapers, and she came into a section of the field of Baaz, son of the family of Alimalek OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And 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.
Brenton Septuagint TranslationAnd 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.
Additional Translations ... Audio Bible
Context Boaz Meets Ruth… 2And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go into the fields and glean heads of grain after someone in whose sight I may find favor.” “Go ahead, my daughter,” Naomi replied. 3So Ruth departedand went outinto the fieldand gleanedafterthe harvesters.And she happenedto cometo the partof the fieldbelonging to Boaz,who wasfrom the clanof Elimelech.4Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and said to the harvesters, “The LORD be with you.” “The LORD bless you,” they replied.…
Cross References Proverbs 16:9A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
Genesis 24:27saying, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not withheld His kindness and faithfulness from my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives.”
Psalm 37:23The steps of a man are ordered by the LORD who takes delight in his journey.
1 Samuel 9:16-17“At this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you are to anoint him ruler over My people Israel; he will save them from the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked upon My people, because their cry has come to Me.” / When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD told him, “Here is the man of whom I spoke; he shall rule over My people.”
Matthew 10:29-31Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. / And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. / So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Romans 8:28And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.
Genesis 50:20As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this—to preserve the lives of many people.
1 Kings 19:19So Elijah departed and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve teams of oxen, and he was with the twelfth team. Elijah passed by him and threw his cloak around him.
2 Kings 8:1-6Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, “Arise, you and your household; go and live as a foreigner wherever you can. For the LORD has decreed that a seven-year famine will come to the land.” / So the woman had proceeded to do as the man of God had instructed. And she and her household lived as foreigners for seven years in the land of the Philistines. / At the end of seven years, when the woman returned from the land of the Philistines, she went to the king to appeal for her house and her land. ...
Acts 17:26-27From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands. / God intended that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.
Ephesians 1:11In Him we were also chosen as God’s own, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything by the counsel of His will,
Genesis 24:12-14“O LORD, God of my master Abraham,” he prayed, “please grant me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. / Here I am, standing beside the spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. / Now may it happen that the girl to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who responds, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels as well’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. By this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.”
1 Samuel 6:7-12Now, therefore, prepare one new cart with two milk cows that have never been yoked. Hitch the cows to the cart, but take their calves away and pen them up. / Take the ark of the LORD, set it on the cart, and in a chest beside it put the gold objects you are sending back to Him as a guilt offering. Then send the ark on its way, / but keep watching it. If it goes up the road to its homeland, toward Beth-shemesh, it is the LORD who has brought on us this great disaster. But if it does not, then we will know that it was not His hand that punished us and that it happened by chance.” ...
2 Samuel 24:16But when the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the LORD relented from the calamity and said to the angel who was destroying the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand now!” At that time the angel of the LORD was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
Esther 6:1-11That night sleep escaped the king; so he ordered the Book of Records, the Chronicles, to be brought in and read to him. / And there it was found recorded that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the eunuchs who guarded the king’s entrance, when they had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes. / The king inquired, “What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this act?” “Nothing has been done for him,” replied the king’s attendants. ...
Treasury of Scripture 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 to Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech. gleaned 1 Thessalonians 4:11,12 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; … 2 Thessalonians 3:12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. hap was [heb] hap happened 2 Kings 8:5 And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored a dead body to life, that, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, thisis the woman, and thisis her son, whom Elisha restored to life. Esther 6:1,2 On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king… Matthew 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. Jump to Previous AllotmentBelongingBoazBo'azChancedCuttersDepartedElimelechElim'elechHarvestersHeadsHerselfKindredLightPartPortionPropertyReapersTurnedJump to Next AllotmentBelongingBoazBo'azChancedCuttersDepartedElimelechElim'elechHarvestersHeadsHerselfKindredLightPartPortionPropertyReapersTurnedRuth 2 1.Ruth gleans in the field of Boaz4.Boaz takes notice of her8.and shows her great favor18.That which she got, she carries to NaomiSo Ruth departed and went out into the fieldRuth's departure signifies her proactive nature and willingness to provide for herself and Naomi. In the cultural context of ancient Israel, widows often faced poverty and marginalization. Ruth's decision to glean reflects the Mosaic Law's provision for the poor, as seen in Leviticus 19:9-10 and Deuteronomy 24:19, which allowed the needy to gather leftover crops. This act of gleaning demonstrates Ruth's humility and determination. and gleaned after the harvesters.
Gleaning was a common practice in ancient Israel, where landowners were instructed to leave the edges of their fields unharvested for the poor and foreigners. Ruth, a Moabite, was both a foreigner and a widow, making her eligible to glean. This practice highlights God's provision for the marginalized and sets the stage for Ruth's encounter with Boaz, a man of standing in the community. And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz,
The phrase "she happened" suggests a divine orchestration rather than mere coincidence. In the biblical narrative, God's providence is often at work behind the scenes. Boaz's field becomes a place of blessing and protection for Ruth, illustrating how God guides and provides for those who trust in Him. This moment foreshadows the unfolding of God's plan for Ruth and Naomi's redemption. who was from the clan of Elimelech.
Boaz's connection to Elimelech, Naomi's deceased husband, is significant. In the cultural and legal context of Israel, the concept of the kinsman-redeemer (goel) was crucial. A kinsman-redeemer had the responsibility to protect the interests of needy family members, as outlined inLeviticus 25:25-55. Boaz's role as a potential redeemer for Ruth and Naomi is a central theme in the book, symbolizing Christ's redemptive work for humanity. Persons / Places / Events 1. RuthA Moabite widow who demonstrates loyalty and faithfulness by staying with her mother-in-law, Naomi, and seeking to provide for them both. 2. BoazA wealthy and influential man from Bethlehem, belonging to the clan of Elimelech. He is a relative of Naomi's deceased husband and plays a significant role as a kinsman-redeemer. 3. FieldThe setting where Ruth goes to glean. Fields were divided among different owners, and Ruth "happens" to glean in Boaz's field, which is significant for the unfolding of God's providential plan. 4. GleaningThe act of collecting leftover crops from farmers' fields after they have been harvested. This was a provision in the Law of Moses for the poor and foreigners ( Leviticus 19:9-10). 5. Clan of ElimelechThe family line to which both Naomi's deceased husband and Boaz belong, highlighting the potential for Boaz to act as a redeemer for Ruth and Naomi. Teaching Points Divine ProvidenceRuth's "happening" upon Boaz's field is not mere chance but a demonstration of God's providential care and guidance. We can trust that God is at work in our lives, even in seemingly random events. Faithfulness in ActionRuth's decision to glean reflects her commitment to Naomi and her willingness to work hard. Our faith should be demonstrated through our actions and dedication to serving others. God's Provision for the VulnerableThe law of gleaning shows God's heart for the poor and the foreigner. As believers, we are called to care for those in need and provide opportunities for them to thrive. The Role of CommunityBoaz's field represents a community that follows God's laws and provides for the less fortunate. We should strive to create communities that reflect God's love and justice. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1.What is the meaning of Ruth 2:3?
2.How does Ruth 2:3 demonstrate God's providence in Ruth's life choices?
3.What can we learn from Ruth's diligence and humility in Ruth 2:3?
4.How does Ruth 2:3 connect to God's provision in Matthew 6:33?
5.How can we apply Ruth's example of hard work in our daily lives?
6.What role does divine guidance play in our decision-making, as seen in Ruth 2:3?
7.How does Ruth 2:3 demonstrate God's providence in everyday life?
8.What is the significance of Ruth "happening" to glean in Boaz's field?
9.How does Ruth 2:3 reflect the theme of divine guidance?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Ruth 2?
11.What are the key events in Ruth's story?
12.What is the story and significance of the Book of Ruth?
13.What is the significance of Ruth and Boaz's story?
14.Does luck or divine will guide our lives?What Does Ruth 2:3 Mean So Ruth departed“So Ruth departed” • Ruth acts on her earlier pledge to Naomi (Ruth 1:16–17), showing that commitment must move from words to deeds (James 2:17). • Her departure is immediate and purposeful, reflecting the same obedient spirit seen in Abraham when he “went” at God’s command (Genesis 12:4). • The scene underscores God’s faithfulness to the widow and foreigner, as promised inDeuteronomy 10:18.
went out into the field“and went out into the field” • Ruth steps into an unfamiliar workplace, trusting God’s provision just as Israel trusted Him for manna in the wilderness (Exodus 16:4). • Fields represent God-given opportunity:Psalm 24:1 reminds us the earth is the Lord’s, so every field ultimately belongs to Him. • Her initiative echoesProverbs 31:17, where the virtuous woman “sets about her work vigorously.”
and gleaned after the harvesters“and gleaned after the harvesters” • Gleaning was God’s safety net for the needy (Leviticus 19:9–10;Deuteronomy 24:19). Ruth lays hold of that promise without shame. • Working “after the harvesters” shows humility; she does not demand a front-row place (Luke 14:10). • Her readiness to labor parallels Paul’s exhortation to “work with your own hands” (1 Thessalonians 4:11–12).
And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz“And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz” • What looks like coincidence is God’s providence (Proverbs 16:9;Romans 8:28). • Boaz’s field positions Ruth for blessing, much like Joseph’s “chance” meeting inGenesis 37:15–17 that steered him toward Egypt and God’s purposes. • God often guides through everyday choices, confirmingPsalm 37:23: “The steps of a man are ordered by the LORD.”
who was from the clan of Elimelech“who was from the clan of Elimelech” • This detail links Boaz to Naomi’s family line, opening the door for the kinsman-redeemer role (Leviticus 25:25;Ruth 3:12). • God is quietly weaving redemption into family history, anticipating Christ, our ultimate Redeemer (Galatians 4:4–5). • The mention of Elimelech connects past sorrow (Ruth 1:5) to future hope, echoingIsaiah 61:3—beauty for ashes.
summaryRuth 2:3 paints an everyday scene—walking to a field and gathering leftovers—yet every phrase reveals God’s sovereign care. Ruth’s obedient steps, humble labor, and seemingly random arrival in Boaz’s field demonstrate that God directs willing hearts to places of provision and redemption. (3) Her hap was to light on.--Literally, her hap happened.A chance in outward seeming, yet a clear shaping of her course by unseen hands. Her steps were divinely guided to a certain field, that God's good purposes should be worked out. Verse 3. - Ruth, having obtained the con. sent of her mother-in-law, went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers. That is, she "went forth," viz., from the city, "and came to the cornfields, and gleaned." "There are some," says Lawson, "whose virtue and industry lie only in their tongues. They say, and do not. But Ruth was no less diligent in business than wise in resolution." The later Jews had a set of fantastic bylaws concerning gleaning, detailed by Maimonides. One of them was, that if only one or two stalks fell from the sickle or hand of the reaper, these should be left lying for the gleaners; but if three stalks fell, then the whole of them belonged to the proprietor (see Carpzov's 'Collegium Rabbinico-Biblicum,' p. 242). Happily for Ruth, her steps were so ordered that the field which she entered as a gleaner belonged to Elimelech's kinsman, Boaz. And it so happened, runs the story, that it was the portion of the fields that belonged to Boas, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew So Ruth departedוַתֵּ֤לֶךְ(wat·tê·leḵ)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1980:To go, come, walkand went outוַתָּבוֹא֙(wat·tā·ḇō·w)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 935:To come in, come, go in, gointo the fieldבַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה(baś·śā·ḏeh)Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7704:Field, landand gleanedוַתְּלַקֵּ֣ט(wat·tə·laq·qêṭ)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 3950:To pick up, to gather, to gleanafterאַחֲרֵ֖י(’a·ḥă·rê)Preposition
Strong's 310:The hind or following partthe harvesters.הַקֹּצְרִ֑ים(haq·qō·ṣə·rîm)Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 7114:To dock off, curtail, to harvestAnd she happenedוַיִּ֣קֶר(way·yi·qer)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7136:To light upon, to bring about, to impose timbersto comeמִקְרֶ֔הָ(miq·re·hā)Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 4745:Something met with, an accident, fortuneto the partחֶלְקַ֤ת(ḥel·qaṯ)Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 2513:Smoothness, flattery, an allotmentof the fieldהַשָּׂדֶה֙(haś·śā·ḏeh)Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7704:Field, land[belonging] to Boaz,לְבֹ֔עַז(lə·ḇō·‘az)Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1162:Boaz -- 'quickness', an ancestor of David, also a pillar before the templewho [was]אֲשֶׁ֖ר(’ă·šer)Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834:Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order thatfrom the clanמִמִּשְׁפַּ֥חַת(mim·miš·pa·ḥaṯ)Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 4940:A family, circle of relatives, a class, a species, sort, a tribe, peopleof Elimelech.אֱלִימֶֽלֶךְ׃(’ĕ·lî·me·leḵ)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 458:Elimelech -- 'God is king', the husband of Naomi
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OT History: Ruth 2:3 She went and came and gleaned (Ru Rut.) |
