Emphasis Preaching Journal

The Old Testament law of levirate marriage (see Deuteronomy 25:5-10) provided a kind of social security for widows, especially childless widows. In that patriarchal society women were dependent upon their husbands. In their old age there would be none to care for them except their children. So a childless widow was in a precarious position. Thus the law of levirate marriage was intended to be a blessing upon society.