1 Timothy 5:13

Contextual Overview

³Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. ³ Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. ³ Honor widows who are widows indeed; ³Honor widows who are widows indeed, ³If a widow needs a hand, be the first to offer it. ³ Give honour to widows who are truly widows. ³ Honour widows who are really widows; ³ Support widows who are genuinely widows. ³ Honor widows who are widows indeed. ³ Honour widows that are widows indeed. But if any widow have children or grand children, let these learn first to shew piety at home,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

to be: Proverbs 31:27, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-11

wandering: Leviticus 19:16, Proverbs 20:19, Luke 10:7, Acts 20:20

busybodies: 2 Thessalonians 3:11, 1 Peter 4:15

speaking: Acts 20:30, Titus 1:11, James 3:10

Reciprocal: Genesis 34:1 - the daughter Genesis 34:7 - thing Proverbs 6:12 - walketh Proverbs 7:11 - her feet Proverbs 14:23 - but Matthew 20:3 - standing Acts 17:21 - spent Romans 12:11 - slothful Romans 13:7 - honour to Ephesians 4:31 - evil speaking 1 Thessalonians 4:11 - and to do Titus 2:5 - keepers 2 Peter 1:8 - barren

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And withal they learn to be idle,.... Being at ease, and without labour, living at the expense of the church: "wandering about from house to house"; having nothing else to do: such an one is what the Jews z call אלמנה שובבית, "the gadding widow"; who, as the gloss says,

"goes about and visits her neighbours continually; and these are they that corrupt the world.''

Of this sort of women must the Jews be understood, when they say a, it is one of the properties of them to be יוצאניות "going out", or gadding abroad, as Dinah did; and that it is another to be

דבריות, "talkative", which agrees with what follows:

and not only idle, but tattlers also; full of talk, who have always some news to tell, or report to make of the affairs of this, or the other person, or family:

and busy bodies; in the matters of other persons, which do not concern them:

speaking things which they ought not; which either are not true, and, if they are, are not to be spoken of, and carried from place to place: this is a very great inconvenience, the apostle observes, arising from the admission of such young widows to be relieved and maintained at the church's charge.

z T. Bab. Sota, fol. 22. 1. a Bereshit Rabba, sect. 45. fol. 40. 3.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And withal - In addition to the prospect that they may marry again, there are other disadvantages which might follow from such an arrangement, and other evils to be feared which it is desirable to avoid.

They learn to be idle - That is, if supported by the church, and if without the settled principles which might be expected in those more aged and experienced, it may be feared that they will give themselves up to an indolent life. There would be a security in the age and established habits of these more advanced in life, which there could not be in their case. The apostle does not mean that widows are naturally disposed to be idle, but that in the situation referred to there would be danger of it.

Wandering about from house to house - A natural consequence of supposing that they had nothing to do, and a practice not only profitless, but always attended with mischief.

Tattlers also - Literally, “overflowing;” then overflowing with talk; praters, triflers. They would learn all the news; become acquainted with the secrets of families, and of course indulge in much idle and improper conversation. Our word “gossipers” would accurately express the meaning here. The noun does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament. The verb occurs in John 3:10; rendered, “prating against.”

And busy-bodies - see the notes on 2 Thessalonians 3:11. The word means, probably, “working all round, overdoing,” and then “an intermeddler.” Persons who have nothing to do of their own, commonly find employment by interesting themselves in the affairs of their neighbors. No one likes to be wholly idle, and if anyone is not found doing what he ought to do, he will commonly be found engaged in doing what he ought not.

Speaking things which they ought not - Revealing the concerns of their neighbors; disclosing secrets; magnifying trifles, so as to exalt themselves into importance, as if they were entrusted with the secrets of others; inventing stories and tales of gossip, that they may magnify and maintain their own consequence in the community. No persons are commonly more dangerous to the peace of a neighborhood than those who have nothing to do.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 13. And withal they learn to be idle — They do not love work, and they will not work.

Wandering about from house to house — Gadding, gossiping; never contented with home; always visiting.

And not only idle — If it went no farther, this would be intolerable; but they are tattlers-tale-bearers; whisperers; light, trifling persons; all noise and no work.

Busybodies — Persons who meddle with the concerns of others; who mind every one's business but their own.

Speaking things which they ought not. — Lies, slanders, calumnies; backbiting their neighbours, and everywhere sowing the seed of dissension.