Ox

The unit of the bovine species (177 bakdr, as horse, ass, sheep) without reference to age or sex. It includes bud, bullock, cow, heifer, andcalf. Nevertheless, each of these has a special name, as seen below. SAér is sometimes tr® ‘ ox,’ and sometimes ‘ bull’ or ‘bullock.’ The Aramaic form n ἐγ corresponds exactly with the Arab. Gr. ταύρος, and Lat. taurus. In those languages, however, it refers esp. to the dull.

Sometimes, for emphasis, shér is coupled with 15x ehad, meaning then a single ox (Nu 15", Neh 518), Rarely it is used collectively (Gn 325, 1S 22" oxen,’ Dt 15” ‘bullock,’ Jg 6% w= par-hash-shér, lit. bull of the ox,’ AV ‘young bullock,’ RV ‘ bullock’). Shér is also used metaphorically yw 23 ‘ the first- ling of his bullock’ (Dt 33"), to indicate the favoured position of Joseph. Ww py AV ‘digged down a wall’ (Gn 495), is more correctly tr? RV ‘houghed an ox.’ Another Heb.

term for ‘oxen’ is o'c>x [only in plur.J. Its only occurrences are Pr 144, Is 30% (where oxen are spoken of as used in tillage), Ps 87 (oxen subject to man), Dt 713 28% 18. δὶ (their increase [Ὁ a blessing), Bull, bullock, cow, kine.—1. 15 par (fem. πῇ» ἄγαλ, the female of the bovine species). When intended to refer to a young bull there is often added 79373 (Ex 29! etc.) ; once in construct state with shdr, Wwe =‘ bullock of the ox’ (Jg 6”); once in apposition, 19 =‘ ox-bullock,’ i.e.

‘ bullock of the oxen’ (Ps 69°). Par and pdrdh are usually employed to designate bulls or heifers for sacrifice. They are, however, occasionally used otherwise (Ps 2213 etc.) 2. 12x ’abbir. A metaphorical term, derived from the idea of his strength and valour (Ps 224 50", Is 347). In the same metaphorical sense it is used to designate the horse (Jer 815 478, AV ‘strong horses, RV ‘strong ones’ 50%, AV ‘bulls,’ m. ‘steeds,’ RV ‘strong horses’). 3.

\xn ἐδ δ (Dt 14°), AV ‘ wild ox,’ RV ‘ antelope’; xin ἐδ (Is 51”), AV ‘wild bull,’ RV ‘antelope.’ In the absence of any certainty as to the species it is better to adopt oryx, after the LXX (Dt 14° ὄρυξ. In Is 51” LXX has ὡς σευτλίον ἡμίεφθον, ‘like a half- cooked beetroot’) and Vulg., and to suppose that the wild animal here eeeeniteal is Oryx beatriz, formerly confounded with Antilope leucoryx, Pall. Itis found on the borders of the Syrian desert.

The horns are sold in Damascus and Jerusalem ; they are over 3 ft. long. The creature is between 34 and 4 ft. high. Its lower parts and a portion of the face are sandy white, and the rest of the face, back, and flanks tawny. Calf, heifer.—:y ‘égel, is the young of the bovine species, irrespective of sex. Vith the feminine suflix, πο; ‘eg/a@h, either ‘a single calf,’ irrespective of sex (Dt 218), or ‘a young cow’ (Is 72).

Heifer is the tr® once of mp pdrdh (Nu 193), usually of ‘eglah (Dt 21%, Jg 14% etc.) See HEIFER. There is no evidence that the buffalo, Bos bubalus, L., was known in Bible times. It is now common in the marshy districts, where it can wallow in the mud, but always as a domestic, not a wild animal. It is common in the Haleh region, in the plain of Esdraelon, the Jordan Valley, and about Hems and Hama, The Scripture allusions to oxen and their con- geners are too numerous to be cited.

They were used for ploughing (1 K 19), for draught, yoked in one or more pairs (Nu 73), as beasts of burden (1 Ch 12 etc.), for treading out the corn (Dt 25 etc.), for food (Dt 14), sacrifices (Gn 15° etc.), dairy purposes (Dt 32, Is 7%, 2S 17%). Herds were investments of wealth (Job 15 42"). The pasture ounds of Palestine and Syria were extensive. xen were also ee and fattened in stalls (1 Καὶ 4%, Pr 15", Lk 13").

In the winter they were fed on stubble and straw, ¢ibn (Is 117) and ‘clean (AVm ‘leavened,’ RV ‘ savoury’) provender’ (30%). The Mosaic law provided for their ppeeeection (Ex 2213, Dt 25). The ox is found only where water is abundant and there is green pasture in spring- time. Most of the cattle of the Holy Land at resent are of inferior breeds. Probably this is ut a part of the degeneracy of the country.

The best races of animals would thrive there, and even now one sometimes sees fine specimens of horned cattle. See CATTLE. G. E. Post.