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The term "fatherless" in the Bible typically refers to orphans or children who have lost their fathers. In ancient Israelite society, the father was the primary provider and protector of the family, and his absence often left the family vulnerable. The Bible frequently addresses the plight of the fatherless, emphasizing God's special concern for them and the community's responsibility to care for them.

Divine Concern and Protection

God's compassion for the fatherless is a recurring theme throughout Scripture. In the Old Testament, God is often described as a defender and protector of the fatherless. For instance,Psalm 68:5 declares, "A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows, is God in His holy habitation." This verse highlights God's role as a surrogate father to those who lack earthly paternal care.

Similarly,Deuteronomy 10:18 states, "He executes justice for the fatherless and widow, and loves the foreigner, giving him food and clothing." Here, God's justice and provision for the fatherless are underscored, demonstrating His commitment to their welfare.

Legal Protections and Social Responsibility

The Mosaic Law includes specific commandments to ensure the protection and provision for the fatherless. InDeuteronomy 24:17-21, the Israelites are instructed not to pervert justice due to the fatherless and to leave behind portions of their harvest for them: "Do not deny justice to the foreigner or the fatherless, and do not take a widow’s cloak as security. When you harvest the grapes of your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow."

These laws reflect a societal obligation to care for the vulnerable, including the fatherless, ensuring they are not marginalized or deprived of basic needs.

Prophetic Warnings

The prophets frequently condemned Israel for neglecting the fatherless, viewing such neglect as a sign of moral and spiritual decay.Isaiah 1:17 exhorts the people to "Learn to do right; seek justice and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless and plead the case of the widow." This call to action emphasizes the importance of justice and advocacy for those without a father.

Jeremiah 5:28 criticizes those who "do not defend the rights of the fatherless, so that they may prosper," highlighting the societal failure to uphold God's commands regarding the care of the fatherless.

New Testament Perspective

In the New Testament, the care for the fatherless is consistent with the broader Christian ethic of love and compassion.James 1:27 defines pure and undefiled religion as "to care for orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." This verse underscores the importance of practical expressions of faith through caring for the vulnerable, including the fatherless.

Conclusion

Throughout the Bible, the fatherless are depicted as a group deserving of special care and protection. God's concern for them is evident in His commands, the legal protections established in the Mosaic Law, and the prophetic calls for justice. The New Testament continues this theme, urging believers to demonstrate their faith through acts of compassion and care for those in need.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (a.) Destitute of a living father; as, a fatherless child.

2. (a.) Without a known author.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

FATHERLESS

fa'-ther-les (yathom; orphanos): The fatherless are frequently mentioned in the Old Testament, generally in association with the widow and the stranger, as typical instances of the unprotected and necessitous, who are, specially subject to oppression, and also to God's special protection. Great philanthropic regard is bestowed on this class throughout. In early legislation there is a special clause to guard them against affliction (Exodus 22:22-24). They have a still more prominent place in the Deuteronomic legislation, which gives instructions that a charitable fund be formed out of the tithe, once every three years, for the relief of the destitute (Deuteronomy 14:28, 29;Deuteronomy 26:12-14), and that gleanings be left in the cornfield, the olive garden, and the vineyard for the benefit of this class (Deuteronomy 24:19-22; compare Leviticus 19:9; 23:22, where, however, the "fatherless" are not specially mentioned). The Deuteronomist declares that God is on their side (Deuteronomy 10:18), and strongly condemns those who would oppress them (Deuteronomy 24:17;Deuteronomy 27:19). The prophets and psalmists are equally emphatic in pleading for mercy and justice to the fatherless, and in declaring that God is their special guardian (Isaiah 1:17 Jeremiah 7:6;Jeremiah 22:3 Hosea 14:3 Zechariah 7:10 Psalm 10:14;Psalm 68:5;Psalm 82:3; 146:09:00; compareProverbs 23:10). Oppressing the fatherless is frequently mentioned as a typical act of cruelty and injustice (compareJob 6:27;Job 22:9;Job 24:3, 1; 29:12; 31:16, 17, 21;Psalm 94:6 Isaiah 1:23;Isaiah 10:2 Jeremiah 5:28 Ezekiel 22:7 Malachi 3:5). Here we have instances of the prophetic passion for righteousness and compassion for the helpless, inspired by a profound sense of the value of human life. Passages in the Apocrypha reflect the same spirit (2 Esdras 2:20; Ecclesiasticus 4:10).

In the New Testament the word "fatherless" occurs but once, where James declares, in the spirit of the Old Testament prophets, that true religious ritual consists in visitation of the fatherless and widows and in moral purity (James 1:27). Here the word for "fatherless" is orphanos ("bereft," "orphaned"), which is the Septuagint translation of the Old Testament yathom. In the New Testament the Greek word is found besides only inJohn 14:18, where it means destitute of a teacher or guide (compareLamentations 5:3).

D. Miall Edwards

Greek

540. apator --fatherless
...fatherless. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: apator Phonetic Spelling:
(ap-at'-ore) Short Definition: without father, of unknown father Definition...

3737. orphanos -- an orphan
... Adjective Transliteration: orphanos Phonetic Spelling: (or-fan-os') Short Definition:
bereaved, an orphan Definition: bereaved, an orphan,fatherless, desolate...

Strong's Hebrew

3490. yathom -- an orphan
... Word Origin from an unused word Definition an orphan NASB Word Usagefatherless
(7),fatherless children (1), orphan (26), orphans (8)....

369. ayin -- nothing, nought
... and having no (1), without* (4). else, except, fail,fatherless, be gone,
incurable, neither, never,. As if from a primitive root...

Library

Question Lxxxi of the virtue of Religion
... 1. S. James says[37]: Religion clean and undefiled before God and the Father is
this: to visit thefatherless and widows in their tribulation; and to keep...

Christian Sympathy
... If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow
to fail; or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and thefatherless hath not...

The Orphan's Hymn.
... 972. CM Anonymous. The Orphan's Hymn. 1 Where shall the child of sorrow find A place
for calm repose? Thou, Father of thefatherless, Pity the orphan's woes!...

Whether Religion Directs Man to God Alone?
... It is written (James 1:27): "Religion clean and undefiled before God and the Father
is this, to visit thefatherless and widows in their tribulation, and to...

Christ's Sermon on the Mount in Manner and Contents it So...
... In the psalm he exclaims: "Defend thefatherless and the needy; do justice to the
humble and the poor; deliver the poor, and rid the needy out of the hand of...

How Antipater was Hated by all the Nation [Of the Jews] For
... Now the king made these espousals for the children, out of commiseration of them
now they werefatherless, as endeavoring to render Antipater kind to them by...

Regeneration
... when Isaiah, 1, 16.18, preaches repentance: Cease to do evil; learn to do well;
seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge thefatherless, plead for the widow...

Isaiah's Discourse
... away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil: learn to do
well; seek judgement, relieve the oppressed, judge thefatherless, plead for...

Of Righteousness.
... spoke thus: "Put away the evil of your doings from your souls; learn to do well,
seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge thefatherless, plead for the widow...

Letter to a Young Widow.
... And this is not my saying but that of the blessed prophet David for he says "He
will take up thefatherless and the widow," [336] and elsewhere he calls Him...

Thesaurus

Fatherless (44 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (a.) Destitute of a living father; as, afatherless
child. 2. (a.) Without a known author.... Standard Bible Encyclopedia.FATHERLESS....

Orphan (25 Occurrences)
... or'-fan: This word occurs once only in the Old Testament (Lamentations 5:3, where
it stands for yathom, elsewhere rendered "fatherless," and in the Septuagint...

Orphans (12 Occurrences)
... 14:18 the word there rendered "comfortless" (RV, "desolate;" marg., "orphans") properly
means "orphans." The same Greek word is rendered "fatherless" in James 1...

Widows (33 Occurrences)
... James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit
thefatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained...

Widow (71 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). Exodus 22:22 "You shall
not take advantage of any widow orfatherless child. (WEB...

Widow's (7 Occurrences)
... Deuteronomy 24:17 You shall not wrest the justice due to the foreigner, or to the
fatherless, nor take the widow's clothing to pledge; (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY...

Levite (43 Occurrences)
... Deuteronomy 14:29 and the Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with
you, and the foreigner living among you, and thefatherless, and the widow...

Foreigner (99 Occurrences)
... (WEB). Deuteronomy 10:18 He does execute justice for thefatherless and widow,
and loves the foreigner, in giving him food and clothing. (WEB)....

Oppress (57 Occurrences)
... oppress. (WEB NIV). Psalms 10:18 to judge thefatherless and the oppressed,
that man who is of the earth may terrify no more. (Root...

Alien (102 Occurrences)
... (See NIV). Deuteronomy 10:18 He does execute justice for thefatherless and widow,
and loves the foreigner, in giving him food and clothing. (See NAS NIV)....

Resources

What does it mean that God is father to the fatherless? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about how widows are to be treated? | GotQuestions.org

What is Christian Socialism? | GotQuestions.org

Fatherless: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance •Bible Dictionary •Bible Encyclopedia •Topical Bible •Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Fatherless (44 Occurrences)

James 1:27
Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit thefatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV WBS)

Exodus 22:22
"You shall not take advantage of any widow orfatherless child.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS)

Exodus 22:24
and my wrath will grow hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your childrenfatherless.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 10:18
He does execute justice for thefatherless and widow, and loves the foreigner, in giving him food and clothing.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 14:29
and the Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the foreigner living among you, and thefatherless, and the widow, who are within your gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that Yahweh your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 16:11
and you shall rejoice before Yahweh your God, you, and your son, and your daughter, and your male servant, and your female servant, and the Levite who is within your gates, and the foreigner, and thefatherless, and the widow, who are in the midst of you, in the place which Yahweh your God shall choose, to cause his name to dwell there.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 16:14
and you shall rejoice in your feast, you, and your son, and your daughter, and your male servant, and your female servant, and the Levite, and the foreigner, and thefatherless, and the widow, who are within your gates.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 24:17
You shall not wrest the justice due to the foreigner, or to thefatherless, nor take the widow's clothing to pledge;
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 24:19
When you reap your harvest in your field, and have forgot a sheaf in the field, you shall not go again to get it: it shall be for the foreigner, for thefatherless, and for the widow; that Yahweh your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 24:20
When you beat your olive tree, you shall not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the foreigner, for thefatherless, and for the widow.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 24:21
When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not glean it after yourselves: it shall be for the foreigner, for thefatherless, and for the widow.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 26:12
When you have made an end of tithing all the tithe of your increase in the third year, which is the year of tithing, then you shall give it to the Levite, to the foreigner, to thefatherless, and to the widow, that they may eat within your gates, and be filled.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 26:13
You shall say before Yahweh your God, "I have put away the holy things out of my house, and also have given them to the Levite, and to the foreigner, to thefatherless, and to the widow, according to all your commandment which you have commanded me: I have not transgressed any of your commandments, neither have I forgotten them:
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 27:19
'Cursed is he who wrests the justice due to the foreigner,fatherless, and widow.' All the people shall say,'Amen.'
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV NIV)

Job 5:15
But he keeps safe from their sword those who have no father, and the poor from the power of the strong.
(See RSV)

Job 6:27
Yes, you would even cast lots for thefatherless, and make merchandise of your friend.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV NIV)

Job 22:9
You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of thefatherless have been broken.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV NIV)

Job 24:3
They drive away the donkey of thefatherless, and they take the widow's ox for a pledge.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV)

Job 24:9
There are those who pluck thefatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS RSV NIV)

Job 29:12
Because I delivered the poor who cried, and thefatherless also, who had none to help him,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV NIV)

Job 31:17
or have eaten my morsel alone, and thefatherless has not eaten of it
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS RSV NIV)

Job 31:21
if I have lifted up my hand against thefatherless, because I saw my help in the gate,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS YLT RSV NIV)

Psalms 10:14
But you do see trouble and grief. You consider it to take it into your hand. You help the victim and thefatherless.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV NIV)

Psalms 10:18
to judge thefatherless and the oppressed, that man who is of the earth may terrify no more.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV NIV)

Psalms 68:5
A father of thefatherless, and a defender of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Psalms 82:3
"Defend the weak, the poor, and thefatherless. Maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Psalms 94:6
They kill the widow and the alien, and murder thefatherless.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV NIV)

Psalms 109:9
Let his children befatherless, and his wife a widow.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Psalms 109:12
Let there be none to extend kindness to him, neither let there be any to have pity on hisfatherless children.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Psalms 146:9
Yahweh preserves the foreigners. He upholds thefatherless and widow, but the way of the wicked he turns upside down.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Proverbs 23:10
Don't move the ancient boundary stone. Don't encroach on the fields of thefatherless:
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Isaiah 1:17
Learn to do well. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed. Judge thefatherless. Plead for the widow."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV NIV)

Isaiah 1:23
Your princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves. Everyone loves bribes, and follows after rewards. They don't judge thefatherless, neither does the cause of the widow come to them.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV NIV)

Isaiah 9:17
Therefore the Lord will not rejoice over their young men, neither will he have compassion on theirfatherless and widows; for everyone is profane and an evildoer, and every mouth speaks folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS RSV NIV)

Isaiah 10:2
to deprive the needy from justice, and to rob the poor among my people of their rights, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make thefatherless their prey!
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV NIV)

Jeremiah 5:28
They are grew fat, they shine: yes, they overpass in deeds of wickedness; they don't plead the cause, the cause of thefatherless, that they may prosper; and the right of the needy they don't judge.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV NIV)

Jeremiah 7:6
if you don't oppress the foreigner, thefatherless, and the widow, and don't shed innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your own hurt:
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV NIV)

Jeremiah 22:3
Thus says Yahweh: Execute justice and righteousness, and deliver him who is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence, to the foreigner, thefatherless, nor the widow; neither shed innocent blood in this place.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS RSV NIV)

Jeremiah 49:11
Leave yourfatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let your widows trust in me.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS RSV)

Lamentations 5:3
We are orphans andfatherless; Our mothers are as widows.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS RSV NIV)

Ezekiel 22:7
In you have they set light by father and mother; in the midst of you have they dealt by oppression with the foreigner; in you have they wronged thefatherless and the widow.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Hosea 14:3
Assyria can't save us. We won't ride on horses; neither will we say any more to the work of our hands,'Our gods!' for in you thefatherless finds mercy."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NIV)

Zechariah 7:10
Don't oppress the widow, nor thefatherless, the foreigner, nor the poor; and let none of you devise evil against his brother in your heart.'
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV NIV)

Malachi 3:5
I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against the perjurers, and against those who oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and thefatherless, and who deprive the foreigner of justice, and don't fear me," says Yahweh of Armies.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NIV)

Subtopics

Fatherless

Fatherless: A Curse on Those Who Oppress

Fatherless: A Type of Zion in Affliction

Fatherless: Afflict Not

Fatherless: Blessedness of Taking Care of

Fatherless: Daughters of Zelophehad

Fatherless: Defend

Fatherless: Defraud Not

Fatherless: do No Violence To

Fatherless: Esther

Fatherless: Find Mercy in God