Children whose parents are dead; a vulnerable group of people to whom God shows special kindness. He expects his people to do the same. Those who exploit them incur God's judgment.
Orphans as symbols
Of weakness
Psalm 82:3 See also Job 29:12; Isaiah 9:17
Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; uphold the rights of the afflicted and oppressed.
Of disgrace
Lamentations 5:1–3 See also Psalm 109:9, Psalm 109:12
Remember, O LORD, what has happened to us. Look and see our disgrace! Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our houses to foreigners. We have become fatherless orphans; our mothers are widows.
God cares for orphans
Deuteronomy 10:18 See also Psalm 10:14, Psalm 10:17–18, Psalm 68:5, Psalm 146:9; Jeremiah 49:11; Hosea 14:3
He executes justice for the fatherless and widow, and He loves the foreigner, giving him food and clothing.
God expects his people to care for orphans
They are not to be oppressed
Zechariah 7:10 See also Deuteronomy 24:17, Deuteronomy 26:12–13; Jeremiah 22:3
Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. And do not plot evil in your hearts against one another.’
Caring for them brings blessing
Deuteronomy 24:19 See also Deuteronomy 14:28–29; Isaiah 1:17; Jeremiah 7:5–7; James 1:27
If you are harvesting in your field and forget a sheaf there, do not go back to get it. It is to be left for the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.
Exploitation of orphans is a mark of wickedness
Psalm 94:5–6 See also Job 6:27, Job 22:9, Job 24:3, Job 24:9, Job 31:17, Job 31:21; Isaiah 1:23; Jeremiah 5:28; Ezekiel 22:7
They crush Your people, O LORD; they oppress Your heritage. They kill the widow and the foreigner; they murder the fatherless.
God punishes those who oppress orphans
Deuteronomy 27:19 See also Exodus 22:22–24; Proverbs 23:10–11; Isaiah 10:1–4; Malachi 3:5
‘Cursed is he who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
Orphans are included among God's people
Deuteronomy 16:11, Deuteronomy 16:14
Jesus Christ includes those who are spiritually fatherless
John 14:18 See also Galatians 4:5, Galatians 4:7
I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
Examples of orphans
Genesis 11:27–28 Lot; Numbers 27:1–5 the daughters of Zelophedad; Esther 2:7 Esther
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.