In biblical times, bullocks, or young bulls, were significant in the agricultural and religious life of the Israelites. The term "bullock" generally refers to a young male bovine that has not yet reached full maturity. In the context of the Bible, bullocks were often used for sacrifices, plowing fields, and as symbols of strength and service.

Sacrificial Use

Bullocks were frequently used in sacrificial offerings, particularly in the Old Testament. They were considered valuable offerings due to their size and strength. The Book of Leviticus outlines various offerings where bullocks were required. For instance, in Leviticus 1:3, the burnt offering is described: "If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to offer an unblemished male. He must present it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, that he may be accepted by the LORD" . This indicates the importance of offering a bullock without blemish, symbolizing purity and dedication to God.

The Day of Atonement, as described in Leviticus 16, also involved the sacrifice of a bullock. Aaron, the high priest, was instructed to offer a bullock as a sin offering for himself and his household: "Aaron shall present the bull for his sin offering and make atonement for himself and his household" (Leviticus 16:11). This highlights the bullock's role in the atonement process, serving as a means for the high priest to purify himself before making atonement for the people.

Symbolism and Imagery

Bullocks are often used symbolically in the Bible to represent strength, service, and submission. In the prophetic literature, the imagery of a bullock can convey both positive and negative connotations. For example, in Hosea 4:16, Israel is compared to a stubborn heifer, indicating rebellion against God: "For Israel is as obstinate as a stubborn heifer. Can the LORD now shepherd them like lambs in an open meadow?" . Here, the bullock symbolizes Israel's resistance to divine guidance.

Conversely, in Isaiah 1:3, the bullock is used to illustrate the knowledge and recognition of its owner: "The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s manger, but Israel does not know; My people do not understand" . This verse contrasts the natural recognition and submission of the bullock to its master with Israel's failure to recognize and submit to God.

Agricultural Role

In addition to their religious significance, bullocks played a crucial role in the agricultural economy of ancient Israel. They were used for plowing fields and threshing grain, essential tasks in a predominantly agrarian society. The strength and endurance of bullocks made them ideal for these labor-intensive activities. Deuteronomy 25:4 underscores the humane treatment of working animals: "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain" . This command reflects the importance of allowing bullocks to eat while they work, acknowledging their contribution to the community's sustenance.

Conclusion

Bullocks, therefore, hold a multifaceted role in the biblical narrative, serving as sacrificial offerings, symbols of strength and submission, and essential components of agricultural life. Their presence in the Scriptures underscores the interconnectedness of worship, daily life, and the acknowledgment of God's provision and authority.

The Longbeards' Saga. AD 400
... Cloth-yarn, and rings, and beeves: Else at the raven's meal Bide the sharp bill's
doom.' Clutching the dwarfs work then, Clutching the bullock's shell, Girding ...
/.../kingsley/andromeda and other poems/the longbeards saga a d 400.htm

Psalm 69 Part 3 Christ's Obedience and Death; Or, God Glorified ...
... Shall better please my God. Than harp or trumpet's solemn sound,. Than goat's
or bullock's blood. This shall his humble followers see,. ...
/.../watts/the psalms and hymns of isaac watts/psalm 69 part 3 christs.htm

The Mutiny of 1857-58.
... What more easy than to introduce a defiling element, such as the blood or fat of
the cow or bullock, of which the Brahman or Rajpoot might unaware partake? ...
/.../life and work in benares and kumaon 1839-1877/chapter xvi the mutiny of.htm

Substitution
... The law ran, "He that sins shall die." When men had committed sin they brought a
bullock or a sheep before the altar; they put their hand on the bullock's head ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/substitution.htm

Bullock's (4 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Bullock's (4 Occurrences). Leviticus 4:4 And
he shall bring the bullock unto the door of the tabernacle ...
/b/bullock's.htm - 7k

Congregation (347 Occurrences)
... Exodus 29:10 And thou shalt cause a bullock to be brought before the tabernacle
of the congregation: and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head ...
/c/congregation.htm - 48k

Manure (4 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 4:15 And He saith unto me, 'See, I have given to thee bullock's dung instead
of man's dung, and thou hast made thy bread by it.' (See NIV). ...
/m/manure.htm - 7k

Bullock (95 Occurrences)
... 3. (vt) To bully. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. BULL; BULLOCK. bool, bool'-ok.
See CATTLE. Multi-Version Concordance Bullock (95 Occurrences). ...
/b/bullock.htm - 38k

Bullocks (50 Occurrences)
... Numbers 29:14 And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three
tenth deals unto every bullock of the thirteen bullocks, two tenth deals to ...
/b/bullocks.htm - 23k

Slaughter (121 Occurrences)
... Exodus 29:11 and thou shalt slaughter the bullock before Jehovah, at the
entrance of the tent of meeting; (DBY YLT NAS NIV). Exodus ...
/s/slaughter.htm - 40k

Bulls (68 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 18:25 And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal: 'Choose you one bullock
for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of ...
/b/bulls.htm - 27k

Entrance (190 Occurrences)
... (DBY NIV). Exodus 29:11 and thou shalt slaughter the bullock before Jehovah,
at the entrance of the tent of meeting; (DBY NIV). Exodus ...
/e/entrance.htm - 37k

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