WIDOW

A custom was prevalent in patriarchal times, Ge 38:1-30, and was afterwards confirmed by the Mosaic law, De 25:5-10, that a widow without children, in order to preserve the family name and inheritance, should marry the brother of her deceased husband; or he failing his nearest kinsman, Ru 3:12,13 4:1-11 Mt 22:23-30. The high-priest was forbidden to marry a widow, Le 21:14. The humanity and justice of true religion are shown in the Bible, as might be expected, by numerous indications that God and the friends of God sympathize with the sorrows, supply the wants, and defend the rights of the widow, Ex 22:22-24 De 16:11 24:17,19 Ps 68:5 Isa 1:17 10:2 Jer 22:3 Mt 23:14. The apostolic church was not negligent in providing for widows, Ac 6:1-3 1Ti 5:16; and James makes this duty an essential part of true piety, Jas 1:27. Heathenism, on the contrary, makes those who have been slaves to a husband’s caprices during his life, either victims upon the funeral pile at his death, or forlorn and hopeless sufferers under destitution and contempt. The duties of Christian widows are specified in 1Ti 5:3-16.

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WIDOW. → Vows of, binding Nu 30:9 → When they are daughters of priests, they are to be supported by their fathers Le 22:13 → Priests forbidden to marry Le 21:14 → Marriage of, authorized Ro 7:3; 1Co 7:39 → Widows' dower
* See DOWRY

→ UNCLASSIFIED SCRIPTURES RELATING TO Ex 22:22-24; De 10:18; 14:28,29; 16:11-14; 24:17,19-21; 25:5-10; 27:19; Job 22:5,9; 24:3,21; 29:13; 31:16,22; Ps 68:5; 94:6; 146:9; Pr 15:25; Isa 1:17,23; 10:1,2; Jer 7:6,7; 22:3; 49:11; Eze 22:7; Zec 7:10; Mal 3:5; Mt 23:14; Mr 12:40; Lu 20:47; 1Co 7:8,9; 1Ti 5:3-6,9-12,16 → INSTANCES OF
* Naomi Ru 1:3
* Ruth Ru 1; 2; 3; 4
* The widow of Zarephath, who sustained Elijah during a famine 1Ki 17
* The woman whose sons Elisha saved from being sold for debt 2Ki 4:1-7
* Anna Lu 2:36,37
* The woman who gave two mites (leptas) in the temple courtyard Mr 12:41-44; Lu 21:2
* The widow of Nain, whose only son Jesus raised from the dead Lu 7:11-15
* See WOMEN
* See MARRIAGE, Levirate (brother-in-law)

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widow. Widow, v.t. to deprive of any thing, strip, endow

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Wid″ow (?), n. [[OE. widewe, widwe, AS. weoduwe, widuwe, wuduwe; akin to OFries. widwe, OS. widowa, D. weduwe, G. wittwe, witwe, OHG. wituwa, witawa, Goth. widuw�, Russ. udova, OIr. fedb, W. gweddw, L. vidua, Skr. vidhavā; and probably to Skr. vidh to be empty, to lack; cf. Gr. � a bachelor. ����. Cf. Vidual.]] A woman who has lost her husband by death, and has not married again; one living bereaved of a husband. “A poor widow.” Chaucer. Grass widow. See under Grass. — Widow bewitched, a woman separated from her husband; a grass widow. — Widow-in-mourning (Zoöl.), the macavahu. — Widow monkey (Zoöl.), a small South American monkey (Callithrix lugens); — so called on account of its color, which is black except the dull whitish arms, neck, and face, and a ring of pure white around the face. — Widow's chamber (Eng. Law), in London, the apparel and furniture of the bedchamber of the widow of a freeman, to which she was formerly entitled.