Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 22:22
Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.
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).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Afflict – A word including all cold and contemptuous treatment. See Deu 10:18. Contrast the blessing, Deu 14:29.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
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.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
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.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Ye shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. Who have no friends, husband, or father to be on their side and protect them, and are weak and helpless to defend themselves, and therefore it must be barbarous to do them any injury, either to their persons or property; no one ought to be afflicted and distressed by another, either in body or mind, or substance, and especially such as have no helper, not any to assist them and sympathize with them; for this is a law for every man, as Jarchi observes, is binding upon all; only the Scripture speaks of these, because of their weakness, and because they are more frequently afflicted than others, cruel and unmerciful men taking the advantage of their inability to defend themselves.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Verses 22-24:
Those who are weak and defenseless are special objects of God’s care. This is especially true of widows and orphans, who have none to provide for or to protect them. In this event, God becomes their Protector, and He promises sure and swift vengeance upon any who would mistreat them. See De 24:17; 27:19; Ps 84:6; Isa 1:17, 23.
One who “afflicted” a widow or orphan exposed his own children to the same sort of ill-treatment he inflicted upon them.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Exo 22:22. Ye shall not afflict any widow, &c. The humanity of the Divine law is always discernible: none are so helpless and pitiable, as widows and orphans: God therefore enjoins, under the severest penalties, a tender regard to them; while he condescends himself to be called the Father of the fatherless, and the Husband of the widow; nay, and even vouchsafes himself to become their Judge and Avenger: I will surely hear their cry, &c. Exo 22:23-24. See Deu 10:18. Psa 68:5.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
How precious these tokens of divine love to peculiar situations. Pro 22:22-23 ; Psa 12:5 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
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.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
widow, or fatherless. Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Species), App-6, put for all kinds of helpless ones.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Deu 10:18, Deu 24:17, Deu 27:19, Psa 94:6, Psa 94:7, Isa 1:17, Isa 1:23, Isa 10:2, Eze 22:7, Zec 7:10, Jam 1:27
Reciprocal: Exo 2:23 – cry Job 6:27 – the fatherless Job 29:12 – the fatherless Job 36:6 – poor Psa 109:31 – to save Pro 23:11 – General Isa 5:7 – he looked Hos 14:3 – for Mat 23:14 – for ye Jam 5:4 – the cries
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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.