Difference between revisions of "Ox"

<p> '''Ox.''' There was no animal in the rural economy of the Israelites, or indeed in that of the ancient Orientals generally, that was held in higher esteem, than the ox and deservedly so, for the ox was the animal, upon whose patient labors depended, all the ordinary operations of farming. </p> <p> Oxen were used for ploughing, &nbsp;Deuteronomy 22:10; &nbsp;1 Samuel 14:14; etc.; </p> <p> for treading out corn, &nbsp;Deuteronomy 25:4; &nbsp;Hosea 10:11; etc.; </p> <p> for draught purposes, when they were generally yoked in pairs, &nbsp;Numbers 7:3; &nbsp;1 Samuel 6:7; etc.; </p> <p> as beasts of burden, &nbsp;1 Chronicles 12:40; </p> <p> their flesh was eaten, &nbsp;Deuteronomy 14:4; &nbsp;1 Kings 1:9; etc.; </p> <p> they were used in the sacrifices; </p> <p> cows supplied milk, butter, etc. &nbsp;Deuteronomy 32:14; &nbsp;2 Samuel 17:29; &nbsp;Isaiah 7:22. </p> <p> Connected with the importance of oxen, in the rural economy of the Jews, is the strict code of laws, which was mercifully enacted by God, for their protection and preservation. The ox that threshed the corn was by no means to be muzzled; he was to enjoy rest on the [[Sabbath]] , as well as his master. &nbsp;Exodus 23:12; &nbsp;Deuteronomy 5:14. The ox was seldom slaughtered. &nbsp;Leviticus 17:1-6. </p> <p> It seems clear from &nbsp;Proverbs 15:17 and &nbsp;1 Kings 4:23, that cattle were, sometimes, stall-fed, though as a general rule, it is probable that they fed in the plains, or on the hills of Palestine. The cattle that grazed at large in the open country would no doubt, often become fierce and wild, for it is to be remembered that, in primitive times, the lion and other wild beasts of prey roamed about Palestine. Hence, the force of the Psalmist's complaint of his enemies. &nbsp;Psalms 22:13. </p>

<p> &nbsp;Job 1:14 (c) As in other cases where these two animals are mentioned together, the ox represents the believer who has been made clean by the sacrifice of the lamb, while the ass, an unclean animal, represents the unsaved man who has not been redeemed. In this case the oxen were producing value for their owner, and this the [[Christian]] does. The ass was eating up what the owner had, and was not producing any value. This is as the sinner does. </p> <p> &nbsp;Isaiah 1:3 (b) This type represents the Christian who is more interested in his blessed Lord than he is in His gifts. The ass represents the unsaved, who is more interested in the gifts than in the Giver. </p> <p> &nbsp;Isaiah 32:20 (c) Our Lord is teaching us that His people should be busy at profitable work for Him among all people (the waters), and that we should have a part in sending forth those who will labor for our Lord in every clime and nation. </p> <p> &nbsp;Isaiah 66:3 (b) Our Lord uses this strange language to express His feelings about those who come to Him with a good offering from a bad heart. These people were enemies of our Lord while they were performing the religious rites prescribed by the law of Moses. They were hypocrites, and the Lord saw through their hypocrisy. </p> <p> &nbsp;Ezekiel 1:10 (b) This symbol represents the Lord [[Jesus]] as the servant of GOD and the servant of man. The ox lives entirely for the service of others. It is a beast of burden and is used for no other purpose. Our Lord JESUS was GOD's servant, as we read in &nbsp;Isaiah 42:1. He also came to serve us, as we read in &nbsp;Luke 22:27. This same figure is used about our Lord in &nbsp;Ezekiel 10:14, and again in &nbsp;Revelation 4:7. </p> <p> &nbsp;1 Corinthians 9:9 (b) By this figure the Lord is describing our obligation to the servant of GOD who preaches and teaches in the church of GOD. As the animal who works for his owner is entitled to the food, so the servant of GOD is entitled to remuneration from those whom he serves. </p>

<p> The male of the beeve kind when grown, synonymous in the Bible with BULL; a clean animal, by the [[Levitical]] law; much used for food, &nbsp;1 Kings 19:21 , and constituting no small part of the wealth of the Hebrews in their pastoral life, &nbsp;Genesis 24:35 &nbsp; Job 1:14 &nbsp; 42:12 . Oxen were used in agriculture for ploughing, &nbsp;1 Kings 19:19; and for treading out the grain, during which they were not to be muzzled, &nbsp;1 Corinthians 9:9 , but well fed, &nbsp;Isaiah 30:24 . The testing of a new yoke of oxen is still a business of great importance in the East, as of old, &nbsp;Luke 14:19 . A passage in Campbell's travels in South Africa well illustrates the proverbial expression, "as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke," &nbsp;Jeremiah 31:18 : "I had frequent opportunities of witnessing the conduct of oxen when for the first time put into the yoke to assist in dragging the wagons. On observing an ox that had been in yoke beginning to get weak, or his hoofs to be worn down to the quick by treading on the sharp gravel, a fresh ox was put into the yoke in his place. When the selection fell on an ox I had received as a present from some African king, of course one completely unaccustomed to the yoke, and attempting to make its escape. At other times such bullocks say down upon their sides or back, and remained so in defiance of the Hottentots, though two or three of them would be lashing them with their ponderous whips. Sometimes, from pity to the animal, I would interfere, and beg them to be less cruel. Cruel,' they would say, it is mercy; for if we do not conquer him now, he will require to be so beaten all his life.'" </p> <p> The "wild ox," mentioned in &nbsp;Deuteronomy 14:5 , is supposed to have been a species of stag or antelope. See [[Bulls Of Bashan]] </p>

<div> '''1: '''''Βοῦς''''' ''' (Strong'S #1016 — Noun Masculine — bous — booce ) </div> <p> denotes an "ox" or "a cow," &nbsp;Luke 13:15; &nbsp;14:5,19; &nbsp;John 2:14,15; &nbsp;1—Corinthians 9:9 (twice); &nbsp; 1—Timothy 5:18 . </p> <div> '''2: '''''Ταῦρος''''' ''' (Strong'S #5022 — Noun Masculine — tauros — tow'-ros ) </div> <p> Latin taurus, is translated "oxen" in &nbsp;Matthew 22:4; &nbsp;Acts 14:13; "bulls" in &nbsp;Hebrews 9:13; &nbsp;10:4 . </p>

<p> OX, n. plu. oxen. pron. ox'n. </p> <p> The male of the bovine genus of quadrupeds, castrated and grown to his size or nearly so. The young male is called in [[America]] a steer. The same animal not castrated is called a bull. These distinctions are well established with us in regard to domestic animals of this genus. When we speak of wild animals of this kind, ox is sometimes applied both to the male and female, and in zoology, the same practice exists in regard to the domestic animals. [[Sop]] in common usage, a pair of bulls yoked may be sometimes called oxen. We never apply the name ox to the cow or female of the domestic kind. Oxen in the plural may comprehend both the male and female. </p>

<p> (See [[Bull]] .) The law prohibiting the slaughter of clean beasts in the wilderness, except before the tabernacle, at once kept [[Israel]] from idolatry and tended to preserve their herds. During the 40 years oxen and sheep were seldom killed for food, from whence arose their lustings after flesh (&nbsp;Leviticus 17:1-6). </p>

<p> <strong> OX. </strong> An ancestor of [[Judith]] ( Jdt 8:1 ). </p>

<p> <b> OX. </b> —See Animals, vol. i. p. 63b. </p>

<p> ( '''''῎Ωξ''''' , Vulg. ''Idox'' ) '','' given (&nbsp;Judith 8:1) as the son of Joseph, and father of Mereri, among the ancestors of Judith (q.v.). </p>