A woman whose husband has died. The Scriptures often list widows with the fatherless and orphans (Deuteronomy 14:29; 16:11; 24:19–20; 26:12; Psalm 94:6). There were laws to make special provision for this group. The laws protected them against people who tried to mistreat them. The primary law had to do with levirate marriage. This meant that the closest relative would marry the widow if she had no son. This was so the family line could continue (see discussion under Marriage).
Widows in Israel
Many Old Testament laws recognized the difficulties of the widow. God designed these laws to protect and ensure the survival of the widow. God was her legal protector (Psalm 68:5). He made sure she had the essentials of food and clothing (Deuteronomy 10:18). God pronounced a curse on those who denied her justice (27:19). At harvest-time, the widow could glean the grain in the fields. She was also allowed some grapes and olives (Deuteronomy 24:19; Ruth 2:2, 7, 15–19). The law also qualified her to receive some help from the third-year tithe. Yet, widows were often poor and given cruel treatment. Frequent references in the Bible attest to this widespread abuse (Job 24:21; Psalm 94:6; Isaiah 1:23; Malachi 3:5). A special law ordered that the garment of a widow could not become security for a loan (Deuteronomy 24:17).
Widows in the Early Church
In the early Christian church there was a recognized group of widows. The church qualified them to receive charity. There were several requirements that qualified them. These women need to be at least 60 years of age. They must have been a faithful wife. The church also required that they be poor with no relatives to support them. The church required them to be blameless and devoted to Christian good works (1 Timothy 5:9–16).