a dead man being carried out: In Judaism, a large crowd of mourners and intense wailing signified great love for the person who died. In some cases, people hired people to mourn.
Widows were the most vulnerable members of society, and God had special concern for them (Exodus 22:22; Deuteronomy 10:18; 27:19). This widow’s only son was her means of support and hope for the future. His death was a terrible loss (see Jeremiah 6:26; Amos 8:10; Zechariah 12:10).