Tag Archives: Ruth 2:3

She Happened Upon It: Lexical Irony and the Grammar of Divine Providence

Καὶ ἐπορεύθη καὶ συνέλεξεν ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ κατόπισθεν τῶν θεριζόντων καὶ περιέπεσεν περιπτώματι τῇ μερίδι τοῦ ἀγροῦ Βοος τοῦ ἐκ συγγενείας Αβιμελεχ (Ruth 2:3 LXX) Introduction: A Grammatical “Coincidence”

Ruth 2:3 in the Septuagint masterfully describes what appears to be a chance event — Ruth ending up in Boaz’s field — with language that grammatically suggests randomness but theologically signals providence. The key lies in the lexical choice of περιέπεσεν περιπτώματι and the carefully structured dative expressions that frame divine orchestration through ordinary grammar.

Καὶ ἐπορεύθη καὶ συνέλεξεν ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ — Routine Action, Routinized Syntax Two Aorist Indicatives: ἐπορεύθη: aorist passive (deponent) indicative, 3rd person singular of πορεύομαι — “she went” συνέλεξεν: aorist active indicative, 3rd person singular of συλλέγω — “she gathered”

The combination is mundane: Ruth went and gathered — simple actions of gleaning.… Learn Koine Greek

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