Orphan

Occurrences in the Bible

The orphan appears chiefly in the Law, the poetic books, and the Prophets.

• The Law: Exodus 22:22-24 commands, "Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child," and warns that God Himself will punish those who disobey.
• Provisions in Deuteronomy: Deuteronomy establishes several safeguards for the orphan.
• The tithe brought at the end of every third year is to be eaten by the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow (Deuteronomy 14:28-29).
• At harvest, what remains in the field, on the olive trees, and in the vineyard is to be left as their portion (Deuteronomy 24:19-21).
• They are to be included in the feasts of Weeks and Tabernacles (Deuteronomy 16:11, 14).
• Whoever perverts their judgment is cursed (Deuteronomy 27:19).
• Psalms: Psalm 68:5 calls God "a father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows." Psalm 146:9 likewise declares that the Lord "relieveth the fatherless and widow."
• The Prophets: Isaiah 1:17 demands, "judge the fatherless, plead for the widow." Jeremiah 7:6 and 22:3, Zechariah 7:10, and Malachi 3:5 also denounce the oppression of the fatherless as a sin of the covenant community.
• Job and Lamentations: In his defense, Job says that he delivered "the fatherless, and him that had none to help him" (Job 29:12). Lamentations 5:3 likens the ruined people to orphans: "We are orphans and fatherless."
• A figure raised as an orphan: Esther lost her parents and was brought up by her cousin Mordecai (Esther 2:7).

Background

The Hebrew word yatom primarily denotes a child who has lost his or her father, which is why English Bibles often render it "fatherless." In ancient Israel, land, property, and legal protection passed through the father. Consequently, even if the mother was still living, a child without a father found it difficult to secure a livelihood and defend his or her rights. This is also why Scripture frequently groups the orphan with the widow and the landless stranger. Other kings of the ancient Near East likewise presented the protection of orphans and widows as a virtue of the ruler; the epilogue of the Code of Hammurabi is a well-known example of such records.

Significance Across Scripture

In the Old Testament, the treatment of the orphan serves as a measure of God's character and of justice within the community. The New Testament carries this theme forward. James 1:27 defines pure religion as "to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." In John 14:18, Jesus promises His disciples, "I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you" (the Greek word rendered "comfortless" is orphanos, "orphans"). In context, this saying is tied to His promise to send the Holy Spirit.

Interpretation and Points of Discussion

• Social justice or personal charity: Interpreters differ in emphasis when reading the prophetic texts on protecting the orphan. Some read them as demanding justice in social structures and institutions; others read them as calling for charitable deeds and almsgiving by individuals and the church. The two readings are not mutually exclusive, and both regard caring for orphans as a practice of faith.
• Range of the term: Today "orphan" usually means a child who has lost both parents, but the biblical yatom also includes a child who has lost only the father.
• Connections beyond the text: Preachers sometimes expound the orphan passages together with the theme of "adoption" in Romans 8:15 or Galatians 4:5. This is a theological connection; Paul does not use the word "orphan" in these verses.

In the Korean Church

As the number of war orphans grew in the immediate aftermath of the Korean War, churches and mission organizations began operating orphanages and sponsorship programs. The work of World Vision (formerly known in Korea as Sunmyunghoe) and Compassion Korea is likewise known to have begun with aid to war orphans. Today the Korean church frequently cites James 1:27 as the basis for sermons encouraging overseas child sponsorship, support for child-care institutions, and adoption, as well as for ministries of service.