Exodus 22:22

Exo 22:22 Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.

Ver. 22. Or fatherless child.] With God "the fatherless findeth mercy." {Hos 14:3} Widows and orphans are God’s clients, taken into his protection.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Exo_22:22-24

Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.

Gods care for the widow and fatherless

I. That widows and orphans have claims upon our regard.

1. They have claims upon our sympathy. Their stay, comfort, defence is gone. What state can be more sorrowful and helpless!

2. They have claims upon our protection and help. Our resources are only held in stewardship for Gods purposes, and to what better purpose could they be applied, both as regards its intrinsic merits and the Divine will concerning it.

II. That widows and orphans have special privileges.

1. God has legislated for them. Not in the dry and hard manner in which penal and ceremonial codes are obliged to be enacted, but in a way which throws them on the broad and better principles of humanity and love.

2. God stands in a peculiar relation to them (Psa_68:5). In the absence of their natural guardians He takes them under His wing.

3. God is always ready to help them; to hear their cry (Exo_22:23; Jer_49:11).

III. That any oppression of the widow and fatherless will be rigorously punished (Exo_22:24).

1. The oppressor is left to the righteous judgment of God, who will surely avenge His own (Luk_18:7).

2. The oppressor is left to the terrible retribution of a hard and cruel heart, which inflicts as much punishment on the subject as on the object.

3. The oppressor is left to the certain contempt and execration of his fellow-men.

Husbands and fathers, learn--

1. To provide for the wants of those whom you may leave behind to mourn your loss.

(1) Make diligent use of your time, and save all you can for them.

(2) Your life is uncertain, insure it.

(3) We dont know what a day or an hour may bring forth, have all your affairs in order so as not to add perplexity to trouble already too heavy to be borne. It is afflicting them, not to do so (see 1Ti_5:8).

2. Then, having made a proper use of means, leave them with calm faith in the power and goodness of their Father in heaven.

3. Help the widow and the orphan, as your wife may be left a widow and your children fatherless. (J. W. Burn.)

Verse 25-27. Any of My people that is poor.

Judgment on an usurer

There was once in this church a poor widow, and she wanted £20 to begin a small shop. Having no friends, she came to me, her minister; and I happened to know a man--not of this church--who could advance the money to the poor widow. So we went to this man--the widow and I--and the man said he would be happy to help the widow. And he drew out a bill for £20, and the widow signed it, and I signed it too. Then he put the signed paper in his desk, and took out the money and gave it to the widow. But the widow, counting it, said, Sir, there is only £15 here. It is all right, said the man; that is the interest I charge. And as we had no redress, we came away. But the widow prospered. And she brought the £20 to me, and I took it myself to the office of the man who lent it, and I said to him, Sir, there is the f20 from the widow. And he said, Here is the paper you signed; and if you know any other poor widow, I will be happy to help her in the same way. I said to him, You help the widow! Sir, you have robbed this widow, and you will be damned! And, my friends, I kept my eye on that man. Before six months were over God smote him, and he died. (Wm. Anderson, D. D.)

Regard for the poor and needy

While General Grant was President of the United States, he was at one time the guest of Marshall Jewell, at Hartford, Conn. At a reception tendered him by the Governor, where all the prominent men of the State were gathered, a roughly-pencilled note, in a common envelope, signed by a woman, was handed him. It was put into his hands by a young politician, who thought it a good joke that an old woman in tatters should presume to intrude upon the President at such a time. You need not bother about her; I sent her away--told her you were not here to be bored, the young man said to Grant. The Presidents answer much surprised the politician. Where is this woman; where can I find her? he inquired, hurrying from the room. The letter he held in his hand, written poorly in pencil, told a sorrowful story. It said in substance: My son fought in your army, and he was killed by rebel bullets while fighting for you. Before he died he wrote me a letter which told how noble a man you were, and said you would look out for his mother. I am poor, and I havent had money or influence to get anybody interested in me to get a pension. Dear General, will you please help me for my dead boys sake? Sadly the woman had turned away from the mansion, her last hope dead. A servant pointed her out to President Grant, walking slowly up the street. The old soldier overtook her quickly. She was weeping, and turned towards him a puzzled face as he stopped her and stood bareheaded in the moonlight beside her. The few words the great, kind man spoke turned her tears into laughter, her sorrow into joy. The pension before refused her came to her speedily, and her last days were spent in comfort. (Christian Age.)

Take care of the poor

Take care of the poor, and the Lord will take care of you, was the wise counsel of a bishop to a candidate for ordination.

The profit of helping the poor

The welfare of the lowest is bound up with that of the highest, so that the injury done to the meanest subject is, as Solon said, an insult upon the whole constitution, and a blow at the prosperity of all. Sir Robert Peel gave his daughter, on her birthday, a splendid riding-habit, and rode by her side for an airing in the park, his heart swelling with pride that be could call such a maiden daughter! At once, however, she fell sick of the most malignant type of typhus fever, and despite all medical skill and parental care died. A careful inquiry as to the source of the germs of the fatal disease revealed the fact that the poor seamstress, who had embroidered that robe in a wretched attic, had been compelled to use it to cover her husband when he shivered with the chills of the deadly fever. And from that garret of poverty the infection of death passed into the mansion of the Premier. Society has her own ways of avenging our neglect of her poorest and neediest children. In one bundle are we all bound up, for weal or woe. We give, though we do not always know it, to save ourselves, not alone to save others. Ignorance and idleness are handmaids of vice, as intelligence and industry are handmaids of virtue. God sees that no one is so much profited as ourselves by those gifts to His poor, which are corrective of self-indulgence, expansive of our noblest sympathies, educative of our highest nature, and which, while they help to lift humanity to a higher level, as surely lift ourselves with the rest. (Christian Age.)

Pious poverty

I have no legacy to leave my children but pious poverty, Gods blessing, and a fathers prayers. (R. Prideaux.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Exo 22:22. Ye shall not afflict the widow, or fatherless child — That is, ye shall comfort and assist them, and be ready upon all occasions to show them kindness. In making just demands from them, their condition must be considered who have lost those that should protect them; and no advantage must be taken against them, nor any hardship put upon them, which a husband or a father would have sheltered them from.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

22:22-23 The widow, the orphan, and the foreigner were in a helpless and economically disadvantaged position. God, by his protective stance toward these persons, demonstrated that he does not value people on the basis of their power or wealth, the standards accepted by most humans. Instead, God values people because they share his image (Gen 1:27).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 22. Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.] It is remarkable that offences against this law are not left to the discretion of the judges to be punished; God reserves the punishment to himself, and by this he strongly shows his abhorrence of the crime. It is no common crime, and shall not be punished in a common way; the wrath of God shall wax hot against him who in any wise afflicts or wrongs a widow or a fatherless child: and we may rest assured that he who helps either does a service highly acceptable in the sight of God.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

22. The helpless widow, and orphan, not to be oppressed. The widow, the orphan, and the ‘sojourner,’ as liable in various ways to suffer from rapacious judges, and hard-hearted moneyed men, are constantly commended to the philanthropic regard of the Israelite in Dt. (Deu_10:18, Deu_14:29, Deu_16:11; Deu_16:14, Deu_24:17; Deu_24:19-21, Deu_26:12-13, Exo_27:19); so in the prophets, Jer_7:6; Jer_22:3; cf. Isa_1:17, and elsewhere. Contrast Job’s conduct (Job_31:16-17; Job_31:21).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And my wrath shall wax hot,.... Against those that afflict them, being so devoid of humanity, compassion, and tenderness, and so guilty of oppression and injustice, which are aggravated by the circumstances of the persons they ill treat, and therefore the more provoking to God:

and I will kill you with the sword; with the sword of death, says the Targum of Jonathan; it designs one of God's sore judgments, the sword of an enemy; the meaning is, that when such evils should become frequent among them, God would suffer a neighbouring nation to break in upon them in an hostile way, and put them to the sword; hence it follows:

and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless; be in the same circumstances with those they have injured, and therefore should consider not only the destruction that would come upon themselves, being cutoff by the sword, but the case of their families; and how, could they be sensible of it, they would like to have their wives and children used as they have used the widows and fatherless.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Afflict - A word including all cold and contemptuous treatment. See Deu 10:18. Contrast the blessing, Deu 14:29.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Vers. 22-24. Law against oppressing widows and orphans. With the stranger are naturally placed the widow and orphan; like him, weak and defenceless; like him, special objects of God"s care. The negative precept here given was followed up by numerous positive enactments in favour of the widow and the orphan, which much ameliorated their sad lot. (See Exo_23:11; Lev_19:9, Lev_19:10; Deu_14:29 Deu_16:11, 14 24:19-21 26:12, 13) On the whole, these laws appear to have been fairly well observed by the Israelites; but there were times when, in spite of them, poor widows suffered much oppression. (see Psa_94:6; Isa_1:23; Isa_10:2; Jer_7:3-6 Jer_22:3; Zec_7:10; Mal_3:5 Mat_23:14) The prophets denounce this backsliding in the strongest terms.

Ye shall not afflict. The word translated "afflict" is of wide signification. including ill-usage of all kinds. "Oppress," and even "vex," are stronger terms.

Vers. 22-24. The treatment of the widow and the fatherless.

This injunction is even more humiliating to receive than the preceding one. It was bad enough to find those who had been foreigners in Egypt oppressing foreigners among themselves, and forgetting their own sufferings and deliverances. Still the slight excuse was available that as God"s mercy to Israel receded into the past, and became a mercy to a former generation rather than a present one (at least, so it might be plausibly put), it was only too likely to be forgotten. Men are unable to make the past stand with any power against the influences of the present. But here are those, the widow and the fatherless, whom Nature in her ever fresh and living power, marks out herself as irresistible objects for pity and succour. What a disgrace to human nature that an injunction not to afflict the widow and fatherless should be necessary! And yet common observation only too often and sadly tells us that the widow and fatherless children may easily become the victims of an inconsiderate and unscrupulous self-seeking,.which in its practical results is as afflicting as the most deliberate cruelty. It is a very beautiful element of God"s revelation of himself in the Scriptures, that he is so often set before us as caring for the fatherless and the widow, and denouncing those who do not care for them. Widows in their needs, and his supply for their needs, appear in some of the most prominent scenes of the sacred page. Observe the provision that was made for the fatherless and the widow, along with the Levite and the stranger, to eat of the tithe of the yearly produce, (Deu_14:29) and also to get their share in the rejoicings at the feast of weeks and the feast of tabernacles. (Deu_16:11-14) The neighbour"s raiment might be taken to pledge under certain conditions, but a widow"s raiment was not to be taken in pledge at all. (Deu_24:17) The forgotten sheaf in the field, and the gleanings of the olive boughs and of the vineyards, were to be left for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow; (Deu_24:19-21) and cursed was he to be who perverted the judgment of the same. (Deu_27:19) When God sustained Elijah, at the time of judicial drought and famine in the land, he sustained the widow and the fatherless at the same time; and who knows how many widows and fatherless besides? It is part of the praise which is due to God in song, that he relieves the fatherless and the widow. A Father of the fatherless, and a Judge of the widows is God, in his holy habitation. (Psa_68:5 Psa_146:9) There can thus be no mistake about God"s interest in those who are left without their natural provider and protector. But then on the other hand, these very same Scriptures which assure us of God"s concern, remind us of man"s cruelty, unrighteousness, and oppression. Job tells us of those who drive away the ass of the fatherless, and take the widow"s ox for a pledge; (Exo_24:3) and it was part of memory"s brightening, as he thought upon his happier past, that he had delivered the fatherless and caused the widow"s heart to sing for joy. God sent Isaiah to the hypocrites, the formal religionists who satiated God with ceremonial observances, to bid them turn to the realities of righteousness; and one of the foremost things among these was to judge the fatherless and plead for the widow. The faithful city had fallen, until those whose duty it was to judge the fatherless, and have the cause of the widow come to them, had sunk into companions of thieves and seekers of bribes. In the parable of the judge who feared not God, neither regarded man, we may be sure there is great significance beyond the purpose for which it was spoken. While first of all it teaches the need of importunity in prayer, it reminds us also how hard it is for the feeble woman, whose sphere has been the seclusion of home, to come out in the world and make her way against the oppressor and against the judge, who would be quick enough to listen to her if she was only rich, and could bribe him. By sheer carelessness and thoughtlessness, by the sin of omission even more than the sin of commission, we may fall into the wickedness of afflicting the widow and the fatherless; and to be on the alert to succour them is the only way in which we can effectually guard against this wickedness. We see that even in the Church of Christ, and in those first days when all that believed were together, and had all filings in common when all seemed so beautiful and promising, heaven fairly begun on earth even then, and only too soon, the widows began to complain that theywere neglected in the daily ministrations. Some of this perhaps was mere mendicant grumbling, but much of it would have a real cause. The only way we can keep the oppressor"s heart out of us is to have the heart living and acting under the power of a Divinely-inspired love. It is a first principle of Christian ethics that if we are not doing good, we are doing ill; and we may be parties to the worst oppression, even when we are not thinking of oppression at all. In what a light does this Mosaic injunction bring out the teaching of James as to that practical element in pure religion of visiting the fatherless and the widow. If the Christian his opportunities, his motives, his consolations, his resources to help and advise being what they are does not visit the fatherless and the widow, depend upon it others will with very different designs. The greatest promptitude and decision are needed to anticipate the action of the rapacious and selfish. Y.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Ye shall not afflict the widow or fatherless child - That is, ye shall comfort and assist them, and be ready upon all occasions to shew them kindness. In making just demands from them, their condition must be considered who have lost those that should protect them: they are supposed to be unversed in business, destitute of advice, timorous, and of a tender spirit; and therefore must be treated with kindness and compassion, and no advantage taken against them, nor any hardship put upon them, which a husband or a father would have sheltered them from.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

You must not mistreat any widow or fatherless child

This can be stated in positive form. AT: "You must treat all widows and fatherless children fairly" (See: Double Negatives)

widow

"woman whose husband has died"

fatherless child

"orphan" or "child with no parents"

I will kill you with the sword

To be killed "with the sword" is a metonym that means a person will die violently, or perhaps fighting in a war. AT: "you will die a violent death" (See: Metonymy)

translationWords

wrong

afflicted

anger

sword

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

אם ענה תענה אתו IF THOU AFFLICT THEM IN ANY WISE — This is an elliptical phrase — the text threatens but breaks off and does not specify immediately the punishment which will fall upon those who do this. We have the same in, (Genesis 4:15) “Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain …” it threatens but does not specify the punishment. So, here, too: “If thou afflict them in any wise”, — this is a threat, as much as to say: “in the end you will get your deserts!” Why are you certain to get them? “Because (כי) if (אם) they cry at all unto Me, I will surely hear their cry”.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

IF THOU AFFLICT HIM IN ANY WISE. “This is an elliptical verse; it threatens, but does not explain the punishment needed to complete the sense of the verse. It is like the verse, therefore, whosoever slayeth Cain, which does not explain what the punishment is. Here too, if thou afflict him in any wise, is an expression of determination to inflict punishment, as if to say: ‘In the end you will get your deserts. Why? For if he cry unto Me I will hear him, and I will avenge him.’” This is Rashi’s language. But it is not correct [to interpret a verse on the basis of such a long omission, in order to complete the sense]. The witness he brings [i.e., the verse about Cain] also does not testify to that [kind of long omission]. But it is possible that the word ki [generally translated “for”], here means “if,” for this is one of the usages of the word ki, and is generally translated: “for if he cry.” But with the word ki understood as “if”, the verse would read: “if if he cry,” as explained further on in the text. and the verse thus states: “if if he cry at all unto Me, I will surely hear his cry,” the repetition of the word “if” being used in order to show the gravity and importance of the matter, similar in usage to these phrases; hamiblie ein k’varim [generally translated: “Was it because there were no graves…?” — but literally: “was it because there were ‘no no’ graves…?”]; harak ach b’Mosheh [generally translated: “hath the Eternal indeed spoken only with Moses”, but literally: “‘only only’ with Moses].” The correct interpretation appears to me to be that He is stating: “If thou afflict him in any wise, if he will only just cry at all unto Me I will at once hear his cry: he does not need anything else at all, for I will save him and avenge his cause from you. And the reason for this is that you oppress him because [you think] he has no one to help him against you, but behold he has more help than anyone else. For other people will try to find saviors to save them, and helpers to avenge their cause, and perhaps they cannot profit nor deliver, while this one will be saved by the Eternal merely through his crying out, and He will take vengeance from you, for The Eternal is a jealous and avenging G-d.” There are many verses to a similar effect. Thus, that which He said, Rob not the weak, because he is weak, neither crush the poor in the gate; for the Eternal will plead their cause, means: “rob not the poor merely because he is poor and has no helpers, nor crush the poor in your gates, for the Eternal will plead on their behalf.” Similarly He said, And enter not into the fields of the fatherless, for their Redeemer is strong;, 23:10-11. the Eternal of hosts is His Name,. for they have a Redeemer Who is stronger and closer to them than all people have. Here also He said, that just by his cry, the fatherless will be saved. Likewise: For as the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, except it water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, and give seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth; it shall not return unto Me void, except it accomplish that which I please. In both phrases [except it water — except it accomplish] He is stating that they will do nothing else other than to water the earth immediately, and so also will My word do that which I please. Thus the meaning of the word ki [ki im hirvah — ki im asah: except it water — except it accomplish] has the sense of “but.” And so also: ‘ki im’ (but) I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred.

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

If you do mistreat him. In the previous verse “mistreat” is in the plural, whereas in this verse it is in the singular. This indicates that whoever witnesses the mistreating of a stranger, a widow or an orphan and does not intervene is reckoned as if he committed the deed himself.

Ibn Ezra on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0); and “Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.