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Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

WIDOW

A woman whose husband has died. In the Scriptures, widows are often listed with the fatherless and orphans (Dt 14:29; 16:11; 24:19-20; 26:12; Ps 94:6). Laws were passed to make special provision for this group and to protect them against the unscrupulous. The primary law had to do with levirate marriage—i.e., the closest kin would marry the widow (if she was without a son) to continue the family line (see discussion under Marriage).

The plight of the widow was recognized in the number of laws designed for her protection and even survival. God was her legal protector (Ps 68:5) and saw that she was provided with the essentials of food and clothing (Dt 10:18). Those who denied her justice were cursed by God (27:19). At harvesttime the widow might glean the grain in the fields, as well as some grapes and olives (Dt 24:19; Ru 2:2, 7, 15-19), and she was also eligible for some assistance from the third-year tithe. Nevertheless, the poverty of widows and the cruel treatment extended to them was so widespread that frequent reference is made to it (Jb 24:21; Ps 94:6; Is 1:23; Mal 3:5). A special law provided that the widow’s garment could not be used as security for a loan (Dt 24:17).

In the early Christian church there was a recognized group of widows eligible to receive charity. They were generally those over 60 years of age who had been faithful to their husband, were in poverty, had no relatives to support them, and had lived blameless lives filled with Christian good works (1 Tm 5:9-16).