Week 8 Ruth 2
The writer uses a tantalizing phrase when he describes Ruth going out to find work to support herself & Naomi. The bible I’m reading says that she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz.
I’ve read the story before so I know it’s vitally important that Ruth connects with Boaz. She has to. But the story makes it seem like a coincidence. An accident. Like she could have ended up at someone else’s farm.
I don’t know any details about ancient land ownership or about the average size of agricultural holdings so it’s hard to say what the chances were of Ruth meeting Boaz. Let’s say there were ten landowner-farmers in Bethlehem. That left Ruth with a 1:10 chance of meeting Boaz. (Personally I think that ten farmers in the area is a low number. But even a one-in-ten chance isn’t really the best of odds.)
I checked a few other bible versions. They all give a similar it-just-so-happened impression of bumping-into-each-other synchrony.
It seems like pure luck landed Ruth at Boaz’ farm. Nothing about the Lord pulling-strings. If Ruth was the only bible book I ever read then it would sound like a story of the stars-aligning.
But I think the writer knew that a bible reader would figure out quick enough that – as usual – the Lord was behind the scene. Some things can (safely) be taken for granted.
Note: quote from Ruth 2:3 (NASB)