Animals/Fowl Cattle/calf
The fifth day the LORD God commanded the earth to bring creatures and the cattle was mentioned. Man would have dominion over them. Calves were used for a sacrifice sin offering. Cattle were used for food. Cattle/ Calf were also used symbolically.
Cattle/ Calf in general
The fifth day the LORD God commanded the earth to bring forth the creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. Then the LORD created man in their image, and after their likeness and gave man dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth. (Genesis 1:24-26). The LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature that was the name it would be. (Geneses 2:19-20).
The day the LORD told Noah to build an ark He also commanded Noah and his family to gather every beast after his kind, and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth after his kind, and every fowl after his kind, every bird of every sort. And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life. (Genesis 7:14-15). The flood was forty days and all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth, and every man: all that was in the dry land, died. Every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark. (Genesis 7:21-23).
The LORD God spoke unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, He establishes His covenant with them and with their seeds after them.
And with every living creature that is with them, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with them; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth. The LORD God established His covenant with them; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there anymore be a flood to destroy the earth. (Genesis 9:8-10).
One of the grandsons of Enoch Jabal was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle. (Genesis 4:20).
The LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, the LORD God of the Hebrews, said to ”Let my people go, that they may serve me.” If Pharaoh refused to let them go the hand of the LORD will be upon their cattle which is in the field, and there shall be a very grievous murrain upon them. (Exodus 9:3; Psalms 78:48).
The Philistines used two cows to draw the ark (1 Samuel 6:7).
The fortified, city shall be desolate, and the habitation forsaken, and left like a wilderness: there shall the calf feed, and there shall he lie down, and consume the branches thereof. (Isaiah 27:10).
Cattle/calf were used as Sacrifice for a Sin Offering:
Seven bulls, rams, lambs and goats for a sin offering (2 Chronicles 29:21). Those who minister unto the LORD God in the priest’s office were instructed to take one young bullock, and two rams without blemish, and unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened tempered with oil, and wafers unleavened anointed with oil: of wheaten flour shalt thou make them. And they shall put them into one basket, and bring them in the basket, with the bullock and the two rams to consecrate the priests. (Exodus 29:1-3). A young bull was used for a sin offering. They were to take the blood and put it on the four horns or like the projections on the altar and on the outer court of the temple. They were instructed to take the bullock also of the sin offering, and he shall burn it in the appointed place of the house, without the sanctuary. (Ezekiel 43:19-21).
A young calf was used for a sacrifice sin offering. (Leviticus 9:2, 8). The LORD spoke unto Moses, offer his oblation for all his vows, and for all his freewill offerings, which they will offer unto the LORD for a burnt offering. They shall offer at their own will a male without blemish, of the beef, of the sheep, or of the goats. (Leviticus 22:17-19).
The LORD spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, this is the ordinance of the law which the LORD hath commanded, saying, speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke: a heifer which has not been worked. Eleasar the priest, shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times: And one shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn. A man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation: it is a purification for sin. (Numbers 19:1-4).
If one be found slain in the land which the LORD God gave them to possess, lying in the field, and it was not known who had slain him: Then the elders and the judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the cities which are round about the one that was slain. It shall be, that the city which is next unto the slain man, even the elders of that city shall take an heifer, which had not been worked with, and which had not drawn in the yoke. The elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto a rough valley, which is neither eared nor sown, and shall strike off the heifer’s neck there in the valley. (Deuteronomy 21:1-4).
A calf was used as a sacrifice that sealed the covenant. The LORD gave men that had transgression of His covenant and did not perform the words of the covenant which they had made before Him, when they cut the calf in two, and passed between the parts thereof. The princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the land, which passed between the parts of the calf. (Jeremiah 34:18ñ19).
Cattle was also used as a peace and meat offering as a sweet savor unto the LORD. (Numbers 15:11).
Burnt sacrifices of fatlings, with the incense of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah. (Psalm 66:15);
Cattle/ Calf were used for Food
Cattle were considered to be clean animals and could be eaten. (Deuteronomy 14:4).
The LORD appeared unto Abraham in the plains of Mamre. Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hastened to dress it. (Genesis 18:7).
Saul had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night. Saul, was exceedingly troubled, because of the words the prophet Samuel said. A woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was exceedingly troubled, and said unto him, Behold, your handmaid has obeyed your voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which you spoke unto me. The woman had a fat calf in the house; and she hasted, and killed it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake unleavened bread thereof. nd she brought it before Saul, and before his servants; and they did eat. Then they rose up, and went away that night. (1 Samuel 28:20-25).
It shall come to pass in that day, that a man shall nourish a young cow, and two sheep; and it shall come to pass, for the abundance of milk that they shall give he shall eat butter: for butter and honey shall every one eat that is left in the land. (Isaiah 7:21-22).
The parable of the prodigal son upon his return home the father brought the fattened calf and kill it. This his son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. (Luke 15:23-24).
Cattle/ Calf were used Symbolically
The calf became associated with idol worship, because of the golden calf. When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, from getting the Ten Commandments from the LORD God. The people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt. Aaron told them to break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of their wives, sons, and daughters, and bring them unto him. Aaron then fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it into a molten calf. He then said they were the gods, which brought them up out of the land of Egypt. (Exodus 32:1-4).
There will be a time when the wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. (Isaiah 11:6).
The youthfulness of the calf suggested playful strength and boundless energy. (Psalm 29:6).
Ezekiel saw a whirlwind come out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire to take, itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire. Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man. And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings. And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot: and they sparkled like the color of burnished brass. (Ezekiel 1:4-7). John saw four living creatures first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. The four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. (Revelation 4:7-8).
For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, said the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and you shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. (Malachi 4:2).
It was neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by the very own blood Jesus entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctified to the purifying of the flesh. Then how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9: 12-14). It is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. When Jesus came into the world, His body had been prepared to be the Sacrifice and offering. (Hebrews 10:4-5).
Cite Article Source
MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “Cattle/ Calf:.” Becker Bible Studies Library Feb 2015.< https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2312,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015, February) “Cattle/ Calf:.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2312,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015) “Cattle/ Calf:.” Becker Bible Studies Library (February), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2312, (accessed).
