Oxen
Oxen were brought as an offering before the LORD, six covered wagons, and twelve oxen; a wagon for two of the princes, and for each one an ox: and they brought them before the tabernacle. Cheese of oxen was given to David and his people to eat when they were hungry. The LORD God had Laws concerning the Oxen. Oxen used for labor. Oxen used symbolically.
Oxen Used For Food
Saul was told that the people sin against the LORD, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, you have transgressed: roll a great stone unto me this day. And Saul said, disperse yourselves among the people, and say unto them, bring me hither every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and slay them here, and eat; and sin not against the LORD in eating with the blood. And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and slew them there. (1 Samuel 14:33-34).
And sheep, and cheese of kine (oxen), for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat: for they said, the people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness. (2 Samuel 17:29).
And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En-rogel, and called all his brethren the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah the king’s servants. (1 Kings 1:9).
Ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, beside harts, and roe-bucks, and fallow-deer, and fatted fowl. (1 Kings 4:23).
And after certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that he had with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramoth-gilead. (2 Chronicles 18:2).
Oxen Used as a Sacrifice
And they brought their offering before the LORD, six covered wagons, and twelve oxen; a wagon for two of the princes, and for each one an ox: and they brought them before the tabernacle. (Numbers 7:3).Two oxen was used for sacrifice of peace offerings. (Numbers 7:17, 23, 29, 35, 41, 53, 59, 65, 71, 77, 83, 87, 88).
Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.
(Numbers 22:40).
Oxen and the Law of the LORD
If an ox gore a man or a woman that they die: then the ox shall be surely stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be quit. But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in time past, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath not kept him in, but that he hath killed a man or a woman; the ox shall be stoned, and his owner also shall be put to death. If there be laid on him a sum of money, then he shall give for the ransom of his life whatsoever is laid upon him. Whether he have gored a son, or have gored a daughter, according to this judgment shall it be done unto him. If the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant; he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned. And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit, and not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall therein; The owner of the pit shall make it good, and give money unto the owner of them; and the dead beast shall be his. And if one man’s ox hurt another’s, that he die; then they shall sell the live ox, and divide the money of it; and the dead ox also they shall divide. Or if it be known that the ox hath used to push in time past, and his owner hath not kept him in; he shall surely pay ox for ox; and the dead shall be his own. (Exodus 21:28-36).
If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. (Exodus 22:1).
If a man deliver unto his neighbor an ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any beast, to keep; and it die, or be hurt, or driven away, no man seeing it: Then shall an oath of the LORD be between them both, that he hath not put his hand unto his neighbor’s goods; and the owner of it shall accept thereof, and he shall not make it good. (Exodus 22:10-11).
If thou meet thine enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again. If thou see the ass of him that hates thee lying under his burden, and would forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him. (Exodus 23: 4-5).
But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox. (Deuteronomy 5:14).
Oxen Used For Labor
And they brought their offering before the LORD, six covered wagons, and twelve oxen; a wagon for two of the princes, and for each one an ox: and they brought them before the tabernacle. (Numbers 7:3).
And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals. And when they came to Nachonís threshing floor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. (2 Samuel 6:5-6).
So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him. (1 Kings 19:19).
Moreover they that were nigh them, even unto Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on asses, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen, and meat, meal, cakes of figs, and bunches of raisins, and wine, and oil, and oxen, and sheep abundantly: for there was joy in Israel. (1 Chronicles 12:40).
That our oxen may be strong to labor; that there be no breaking in, nor going out; that there be no complaining in our streets. (Psalms 144:14).
Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox. (Proverbs14:4).
I will also break in pieces with thee the shepherd and his flock; and with thee will I break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and with thee will I break in pieces captains and rulers. (Jeremiah 51:23).
A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. One of the excuses was they had bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. (Luke 14:16-19).
Oxen Used Symbolically
Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that only Daniel could interpret by the will of the LORD God. The tree that he saw, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth. Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation. It was king Nebuchadnezzar that has grown and become strong; for his greatness is grown, and reaches unto heaven, and he dominion to the end of the earth. And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him. Daniel gave the interpretation, to king Nebuchadnezzar, and this is the decree of the most High, That they shall drive Nebuchadnezzar from men, and his dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomsoever he will. The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws. (Daniel 4:15-33).
And on all hills that shall be dug with the mattock, there shall not come thither the fear of briers and thorns: but it shall be for the sending forth of oxen, and for the treading of lesser cattle. (Isaiah 7:25).
Then shall he give the rain of thy seed that thou shalt sow the ground withal; and bread of the increase of the earth, and it shall be fat and plenteous: in that day shall thy cattle feed in large pastures. The oxen likewise and the young asses that ear the ground shall eat clean provender, which hath been winnowed with the shovel and with the fan. (Isaiah 30:23-24).
For it is written in the Law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that tread out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? (1 Corinthians 9:9).
Cite Article Source
MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “Oxen:.” Becker Bible Studies Library Feb 2015.< https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2324,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015, February) “Oxen:.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2324,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015) “Oxen:.” Becker Bible Studies Library (February), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2324, (accessed).
