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. Oxen were used for ploughing, (22:10; 1 Samuel 14:14) etc.; for treading out corn, (25:4; Hosea 10:11) etc.; for draught purposes, when they were generally yoked in pairs, (Numbers 7:3; 1 Samuel 6:7) etc.
; as beasts of burden, (1 Chronicles 12:40) their flesh was eaten, (14:4; 1 Kings 1:9) etc.; they were used in the sacrifices; cows supplied milk, butter, etc. (32:14; 2 Samuel 17:29; Isaiah 7:22) 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.
(Exodus 23:12; 5:14) The ox was seldom slaughtered. (Leviticus 17:1-6) It seems clear from (Proverbs 15:17) and 1Kin 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. (Psalms 22:13)
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible on 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 ble…
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia