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Bull

Unfortunately, bulls were also worshiped, prob. as a hangover from days in Egypt. Aaron made an image of a golden calf (Exod 32) but perhaps he did it to remind the Israelites of the strength of God which had brought them out of Egypt, much as Balaam compared God’s strength to that of the wild ox. Jeroboam likewise attributed the release from Egypt to the two calves of gold, which he set up in two provinces to be worshiped so his people would not want to go up to Jerusalem, from which he was separated. Although the ox was one of the creatures mentioned in Ezekiel’s vision of God and His throne, it was a creature serving and worshiping, but not to be worshiped (Ezek 1 and 10). Luke, one of the four evangelists, was symbolized by a bull.

Wealth was measured in cattle, oxen included. Abraham had flocks and herds (Gen 24:35), Job had 500 yoke of oxen before he was afflicted and 1000 yoke afterward. Saul failed to destroy the oxen of the Amalekites and committed grievous sin for his avarice.

Oxen were farm animals. Elisha was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen when Elijah found him (1 Kings 19:19). Threshing was a common duty (1 Cor 9:9).

Bibliography

HERE (1955), II, 887.

See also

  • Animals
  • [[Cattle