Widows

In ancient times, widows were usually poor because most women did not inherit anything from their husbands. All property was inherited by sons. In Old Testament times, a widow wore special clothes to show she was a widow. The Old Testament Law had a rule that the Israelites were to use some of the Levites’ tithes to feed widows. God would punish anyone who cheated or harmed widows.

The prophet Elijah stayed with a poor widow in Zarephath during a three-year famine. God provided food for them. Using the power of God, Elijah brought the dead son of the widow back to life. In the New Testament, the early church in Jerusalem appointed seven men to see that widows had enough food. The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy that the church should help older widows if they had no relatives to care for them.