Widow
In the old testament the word widow in Hebrew is almanah[1] AlefLamedMemNunHeh.
The word widowhood is almon [2] AlefLamedMemNun. The word AlefLamedMem by itself means to bind or make silent.[3]
A widow is not limited to a woman whose husband was dead but it could a family that was devastated by health or other physical issues. Often the care and concern for the widow is extended to the orphan or the fatherless and the stranger(temporary inhabitant, a newcomer lacking inherited rights), and even the Levite.
The people actually held title to the land and all the power of the state remained with the people. The levites were separate from the people and therefore as the called out or Church in the wilderness the church was separate from the state.
- Deuteronomy 14:29 And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which [are] within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest.
This sharing and freewill giving could consist of whatever you produced. You could turn it into something easier to transport like money but you were expected to be generous to the levite within the gates as well as the widows.
Deuteronomy 14:27 And the Levite that [is] within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee. 28 At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates:
This same grouping of widows and orphans with levites is seen concerning festivals in:
- Deuteronomy 16:11 And thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow <0490>, that are among you, in the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to place his name there.
Deuteronomy 16:14 And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow <0490>, that are within thy gates.
Previously in Deuteronomy 10:8[4] there was reference to separating the Levites out to bear the ark but you do not need a whole tribe to carry a box or even set up a tent. Does bearing the ark have to do with bearing a responsibility.
The word bear was from the Hebrew nasa[5] which consists of the root letters NunShinAlef and can be translated lift up, bear, take, or carry but also forgive, accept, regard, exalt or respect. Was it their job to carry a box or to exalt the terms of the covenant? Was carrying the box only a symbol of a weightier matter.
The Hebrew word ark is ‘arown[6] which is the letters AlefReishVavNun. It does man a physical chest or box but the word comes from the word ‘arah[7], AlefReishHey, to pluck or gather. It is not just any box but the ark of the covenant. The word covenant was beriyth[8] BeitReishYodTav and is also translated league and confederacy. One could say that they were to bear the ark of the league or confederacy.
to stand before the LORD to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.
Deuteronomy 26:12 When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow <0490>, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled; 13 Then thou shalt say before the LORD thy God, I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house, and also have given them unto the Levite, and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow <0490>, according to all thy commandments which thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed thy commandments, neither have I forgotten them:
In about AD 150, Justin Martyr, hoping to clear the misconceptions and prejudices surrounding Christianity, wrote the Emperor Antoninus Pius in defense of the Christian faith and allegiance to Christ:
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Footnotes
- ↑ 0490 ^הנמלא^ ‘almanah \@al-maw-naw’\@ from 0488; a widow; n f; AV-widow 53, desolate house 1, desolate palace 1; 55 1) widow
- ↑ 0489 ^ןמלא^ ‘almon \@al-mone’\@ from 0481 as in 0488; n m; AV-widowhood 1; 1 1) widowhood
- ↑ 0481 ^םלא^ ‘alam \@aw-lam’\@ a primitive root; v; AV-dumb 7, put to silence 1, binding 1; 9 1) to bind 1a) (Niphal) 1a1) to be dumb 1a2) to be bound 1b) (Piel) binding (part.)
- ↑ Deuteronomy 10:8 At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.
- ↑ h05375 ^אשׂנ^ nasa’ \@naw-saw’\@ or ^הסנ^ nacah (#Ps 4:6) \@naw-saw’\@ a primitive root; v;
- ↑ 0727 ^ןורא^ ‘arown \@aw-rone’\@ or ^ןרא^ ‘aron \@aw-rone’\@ from 0717 (in the sense of gathering); n m; AV-ark 195, chest 6, coffin 1; 202 1) chest, ark 1a) money chest 1b) ark of the Covenant 2) (TWOT) coffin
- ↑ 0717 ^הרא^ ‘arah \@aw-raw’\@ a primitive root; v; AV-pluck 1, gather 1; 2 1) to pluck, gather 1a) (Qal) to pluck (grapes)
- ↑ h01285 ^תירב^ bᵉriyth \@ber-eeth’\@ from h01262 (in the sense of cutting [like 01254]); n f; AV-covenant 264, league 17, confederacy 1, confederate 1, confederate + 01167 1; 284 1) covenant, alliance, pledge 1a) between men
- “And the wealthy among us help the needy ... and willing, give what each thinks fit; and what is collected is deposited with the president, who succours the orphans and widows and those who, through sickness or any other cause, are in want, and those who are in bonds and the strangers sojourning among us, and in a word takes care of all who are in need.” Justin Martyr to Emperor Antoninus Pius (Ch. 65-67) explaining the Daily ministration of the Church which exemplifies the Christian conflict with Rome.
Justin would not trade his faith in Christ and his perfect law liberty though that faith and charity for the benefits of Rome because he knew that what they offered for his welfare was truly a snare of recompense.