Ox, Oxen (see Cattle).

Source: [Anon-Animals]

* Aurochs, or wild ox (urus, bos primigenius), is undoubtedly the rimu of the Assyrian inscriptions, and consequently corresponds to the re’em or rêm of the Hebrews. The latter word is translated sometimes in our D.V. by rhinoceros (Numbers 23:22; 24:8; Deuteronomy 33:17; Job 39:9, 10), sometimes by unicorn (Psalm 22:21; 29:6; 92:10; Isaiah 34:7). That the re’em, far from being unicorn, was a two-horned animal, is suggested by Ps., 22:21, and forcibly evidenced by Deut. 33:17, where its horns represent the two tribes of Ephraim and Manasses. That, moreover, it was akin to the domestic ox is shown from such parallelisms as we find in Ps. 24:6, where we read, according to the critical editions of the Hebrew text: “The voice of Yahweh makes Lebanon skip like a bullock, and Sirion like a young re’em”; or Is. 34:7: “And the re’em shall go down with them, and the bulls with the mighty”; and still more convincingly by such implicit descriptions as that of Job, 39:9-10: “Shall the rêm be willing to serve thee, or will he stay at thy crib? Canst thou bind the rêm with thy thong to plow, or will he break the clods of the valleys after thee?” These references will be very clear, the last especially, once we admit the re’em is an almost untamable wild ox, which one would try in vain to submit to the same work as its domestic kin. Hence, there is very little doubt that in all the above-mentioned places the word aurochs should be substituted for rhinoceros and unicorn. The aurochs is for the sacred poets a familiar emblem of untamed strength and ferocity. It no longer exists in Western Asia.

Ox, Oxen

• Often found wild Deu 14:5
• Includes the
– Bull Gen. 32:15; Job. 21:10
– Bullock Psa. 50:9; Jer. 46:21
– Cow Num 18:17; Job. 21:10
– Heifer Gen. 15:9; Num 19:2
• Was clean and fit for food Deu 14:4
• Described as
– Strong Psa. 144:14; Pro. 14:4
– Beautiful Jer. 46:20; Hos. 10:11
– Not without sagacity Isa. 1:3
• Horns and hoofs of, alluded to Psa. 69:31
• Lowing of, alluded to 1 Sam. 15:14; Job. 6:5
• Was fed
– With grass Job. 40:15; Psa. 106:20; Dan. 4:25
– With corn Isa. 30:24
– With straw Isa. 11:7
– On the hills Isa. 7:25
– In the valleys 1 Chr. 27:29; Isa. 65:10
– In stalls Hab. 3:17
• Rapid manner of collecting its food alluded to Num 22:4
• Formed a part of the patriarchal wealth Gen. 13:2; Gen. 13:5; Gen. 26:14; Job. 1:3
• Formed a part of the wealth of Israel in Egypt Gen. 50:8; Exo 10:9; Exo 12:32
• Formed a part of the wealth of the Jews Num 32:4; Psa. 144:14
• Required great care and attention Pro. 27:23
• Herdmen appointed over Gen. 13:7; 1 Sam. 21:7
• Urged on by the goad Jdg. 3:31
• Used for
– Drawing wagons Num 7:3; 1 Sam. 6:7
– Carrying burdens 1 Chr. 12:40
– Ploughing 1 Kgs. 19:19; Job. 1:14; Amo. 6:12
– Earing the ground Isa. 30:24; Isa. 32:20
– Treading out the corn Hos. 10:11
– Sacrifice Exo 20:24; 2 Sam. 24:22
– Food 1 Kgs. 1:9; 1 Kgs. 19:21; 2 Chr. 18:2
• Often stall-fed for slaughter Pro. 15:17
• Goes to the slaughter unconscious Pro. 7:22
• Young of, considered a great delicacy Gen. 18:7; Amo. 6:4
• Male firstlings of, belonged to God Exo 34:19
• Tithe of, given to the priests 2 Chr. 31:6
• Laws respecting
– To rest on the Sabbath Exo 23:12; Deu 5:14
– Not to be yoked with an ass in the same plough Deu 22:10
– Not to be muzzled when treading out the corn Deu 25:4; 1Cor. 9:9
– If stolen to be restored double Exo 22:4
– Of others not to be coveted Exo 20:17; Deu 5:21
– Of others if lost or hurt through neglect, to be made good Exo 22:9-13
– Killing a man, to be stoned Exo 21:28-32
– Mode of reparation for one, killing another Exo 21:35; Exo 21:36
– Straying to be brought back to its owner Exo 23:4; Deu 22:1; Deu 22:2
– Fallen under its burden to be raised up again Deu 22:4
– Fat of, not to be eaten Lev 7:23
• Increase of, promised Deu 7:13; Deu 28:4
• Publicly sold 2 Sam. 24:24; Luk. 14:19
• Often given as a present Gen. 12:16; Gen. 20:14
• The wicked often took, in pledge from the poor Job. 24:3
• Custom of sending the pieces of, to collect the people to war 1 Sam. 11:7
• Sea of brass rested on figures of 1 Kgs. 7:25
• Illustrative
– (Engaged in husbandry,) of Ministers Isa. 30:24; 32:20
– (Not muzzled in treading corn,) of Minister’s right to support 1Cor. 9:9-10
– (Prepared for a feast,) of the provision of the gospel Pro. 9:2; Mat. 22:4
– (Led to slaughter,) of a rash youth Pro. 7:22
– (Led to slaughter,) of saints under persecution Jer. 11:19
– (Stall fed,) of sumptuous living Pro. 15:17
• Bull or bullock illustrative
– Of fierce enemies Psa. 22:12; 68:30
– (Firstling of,) of the glory of Joseph Deu 33:17
– (In a net,) of the impatient under judgment Isa. 51:20
– (Fatted,) of greedy mercenaries Jer. 46:21
– (Unaccustomed to the yoke,) of intractable sinners Jer. 31:18
• Kine illustrative
– Of proud and wealthy rules Amo. 4:1
– (well favoured,) of years of plenty Gen. 41:2, 26, 29
– (Lean,) of years of scarcity Gen. 41:3; Gen. 27:30
• Heifer illustrative
– Of a beloved wife Jdg. 14:18
– (Sliding back,) of backsliding Israel Hos. 4:16
– (Taught, &c) of Israel’s fondness for ease in preference to obedience Hos. 10:11
– (Of three years old,) of Moab in affliction Isa. 15:5; Jer. 48:34
– (Fair,) of the beauty and wealth of Egypt Jer. 46:20
– (At grass,) of the luxurious Chaldees Jer. 50:11