In biblical times, widows were often among the most vulnerable members of society, lacking the protection and provision typically afforded by a husband. The Mosaic Law and the teachings of the prophets frequently emphasize the importance of caring for widows, alongside orphans and foreigners, as a measure of righteousness and justice. However, the Scriptures also highlight the wickedness of those who exploit widows, particularly through the taking of pledges.

The taking of pledges, or collateral, from widows is explicitly condemned in the Bible as an act of injustice. In the book of Job, one of the accusations against the wicked is that they "drive away the donkey of the fatherless and take the widow’s ox in pledge" (Job 24:3). This imagery underscores the heartlessness of depriving a widow of her means of livelihood, as an ox would have been essential for plowing fields and sustaining her household.

The prophet Isaiah also speaks against those who prey upon widows, describing them as those who "turn aside the needy from justice and rob the poor of My people of their rights, so that widows may be their spoil and they may plunder the fatherless" (Isaiah 10:2). This passage highlights the broader societal corruption where the powerful exploit the defenseless, including widows, for their gain.

In the New Testament, Jesus condemns the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy and exploitation of widows. He warns, "They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will receive greater condemnation" (Mark 12:40). Here, the religious leaders are criticized for their outward piety while engaging in practices that harm the most vulnerable, including the taking of property from widows.

The biblical mandate is clear: God's people are called to protect and provide for widows, not to exploit them. The taking of pledges from widows is a grievous sin, reflecting a heart that is far from the justice and mercy that God requires. Throughout Scripture, the treatment of widows serves as a litmus test for the righteousness of individuals and societies, with the exploitation of widows being a mark of wickedness that incurs divine judgment.Job 24:3
They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Hebrews xi. 20-22
... thou that from the beginning the wicked have enjoyed ... Certainly what must take place,
does take place: to ... enumerating even women that were harlots, and widows. ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of st john and hebrews/homily xxvi hebrews xi 20-22.htm

After Eutropius Having Been Found Outside the Church had Been ...
... you may not be perverted by the suspicion of wicked men ... way, take that"or if not
that, then take this ... to them: some have married once, others are widows in the ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/homily ii after eutropius having.htm

Letter cxxv. To Rusticus.
... their maiden sisters and unite themselves to strange widows. ... against every one that
you would take him for ... can only be that we may "practise wicked works with ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cxxv to rusticus.htm

Who is the Rich Man that Shall be Saved?
... pious old men, orphans dear to God, widows armed with ... issuing forth for highway robbery,
they take him along ... For he turned wicked and abandoned, and at last a ...
/.../clement/who is the rich man that shall be saved/who is the rich man.htm

English Version of the Second Helvetic Confession, AD 1566.
... And we take sin to be that natural corruption of man, derived or spread from our ...
And, what is more, even as we do grow in years, so by wicked thoughts, words ...
/.../english version of the second.htm

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