Christian Pure

Widows in the Bible: Who They Were and What God Commanded for Them

Christian Pure Team

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Summary

  • The Bible calls God “a judge of the widows” (Psalm 68:5), and the law of Moses forbids Israel to afflict any widow, promising that God will hear her cry (Exodus 22:22–23).
  • Its widows include Tamar, Naomi, Orpah, Ruth, Abigail, Bathsheba, the widow of Zarephath, Anna, the widow of Nain and the poor widow who gave two mites; Judith is in the Catholic and Orthodox Old Testaments.
  • Deuteronomy 24:19–21 leaves the forgotten sheaf, olives and grapes for the widow, and Leviticus 19:9–10 leaves the corners of the field for the poor.
  • Levirate marriage asked a dead man’s brother to marry his childless widow so his name would not be lost (Deuteronomy 25:5–10).
  • Jesus raised the only son of a widow at Nain and praised the widow who gave “all her living” (Mark 12:44).
  • The church in Jerusalem fed its widows daily (Acts 6:1), and Paul told families to provide for their own widows first (1 Timothy 5:4–8).
  • A widow is “at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 7:39), and Scripture honours widows who married again and widows who did not.

The Bible tells the stories of many widows, and it takes their side. It calls God “a judge of the widows” (Psalm 68:5), and his law told Israel to feed and protect them. Jesus raised a widow’s only son, and the first church fed its widows every day. Naomi, Ruth and Anna are among the best known. Behind all of it is a promise God made in the law of Moses: “Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.…

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Bibliography (Click to show)
  • King James Version (public domain), via BibleGateway: Genesis 23:2; 25:1; 38:6–19, 24–26; Exodus 22:22–24; Leviticus 19:9–10; 21:14; 22:13; Numbers 27:8–11; 30:8–9; Deuteronomy 10:18; 14:28–29; 16:11; 24:17–21; 25:5–10; 27:19; 34:8; Ruth 1:3–21 (with 1:19); 2:3; 4:10–17; 1 Samuel 25:39–42; 2 Samuel 11:26–27; 1 Kings 17:8–24; 2 Kings 4:1–7; Psalm 68:5; 146:9; Proverbs 15:25; Isaiah 1:17; 54:4–7; Ezekiel 24:16–18, 24; Mark 12:38–44; Luke 2:27–38; 4:25–26; 7:11–17; 18:1–8; John 19:26–27; Acts 6:1–6; 9:36–41; Romans 7:2–3; 1 Corinthians 7:8–9, 39–40; 1 Timothy 5:3–16; James 1:27. Douay-Rheims (1899 American edition, public domain), via BibleGateway: Judith 8:1–8; 16:26; Luke 2:37. BibleGateway
  • Polycarp, Epistle to the Philippians, chapter 4, trans. Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1 (1885). New Advent
  • Mishnah Yevamot 4:10, William Davidson English edition (Koren Noé, with commentary by Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz). Sefaria
  • Albert Barnes, Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, and Charles John Ellicott (ed.), Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers, on 1 Timothy 5:9 and 5:12. Bible Hub, 1 Timothy 5:9; Bible Hub, 1 Timothy 5:12
  • Strong’s Hebrew 490, almanah, and Strong’s Greek 5503, chera. Bible Hub, H490; Bible Hub, G5503

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