He evil entreateth the barren that beareth not: and
doeth not good to the widow.

This verse of Scripture deals with
an important subject to all Eastern people, and is referred to throughout the
Bible many times. Let us begin with a literal translation of this verse:
"The wicked one wrongs the barren wife; and to the widow no compassion
shows."
According to Eastern culture, a
wife is looked down upon if she has no children. Also the childless widow, who
has no future chance of bearing children, is thought of as being cursed of God.
Widows seldom remarry in the East,
unless there is an available mate within the family. The account of
Ruth, the daughter-in-law of Naomi, is an example of such a case.
The barren wife and childless
widows are kept separated from the rest of the family during the times of
weddings and other ceremonies because it is thought that their presence may
bring curses.
Job 3:20, 21, "Wherefore is light given to him that is in
misery, and life unto the bitter in soul; Which long for death, but it cometh
not; and dig for it more than forbidden treasures." This is the very
condition in which childless widows and barren wives find themselves. Many
times the childless widows will simply go away: give their property to the
temple and start walking. This is called a pilgrimage. They just walk, perhaps
hundreds of miles, toward some holy city. They beg food along the way and lie
down to sleep most anywhere, when they arrive at a holy place; they say a
prayer and die. They are perfectly healthy, but there is nothing left to
live for. They think that God has taken their husband as a curse to them, so
they want to die. (Really only the devil could inflict such a cause or be so
convincing in an accusation.) If they die in a holy place they believe they
will go to heaven.
In contrast, those who have
children are thought to be especially blessed. In Psalm 127, it says, "…children
are a heritage of the Lord: ... As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so
are children of the youth. "
Sara, the wife of Abraham, was
barren, yet in her old age after ". . . it ceased to be with her after the
manner of women," she gave birth to Isaac. Minoah’s wife was barren, but
by a promise of God she bare Samson. Elizabeth, the wife of Zacharias was
barren, yet bare a son by promise, John. Her comment after she had conceived
was, "Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me,
to take away my reproach among men." [Luke 1:25].
You have a much better life here
in the West on this point. If a woman loses her husband, she very often will
marry again. If she does not desire to marry again, there are many worth while
things she can do and still remain needed and acceptable in the culture of the
West. God does not wrong the barren wife, neither does He lack compassion on
the childless widow. God is Spirit, and loves and blesses the lives of all
those who belong to Him.
Bishop K.C. Pillai, D.D. |