Topical Bible: The Ox used for Food

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Topical Encyclopedia

The ox, a domesticated bovine animal, holds significant importance in biblical times, both as a beast of burden and as a source of food. In the agrarian society of ancient Israel, the ox was indispensable for plowing fields and threshing grain, but it also served as a valuable source of meat, particularly in sacrificial and celebratory contexts.

Biblical References and Dietary Laws

The consumption of oxen is addressed within the dietary laws given to the Israelites. In Leviticus 11:3, the ox is classified among the clean animals: "You may eat any animal that has a split hoof completely divided and that chews the cud." This classification made the ox permissible for consumption, aligning with the broader dietary regulations that distinguished clean from unclean animals.

Sacrificial Use

Oxen were frequently used in sacrificial offerings, which were central to the worship practices of the Israelites. In Leviticus 1:3, the burnt offering is described: "If one's offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to offer an unblemished male." The ox, as a member of the herd, was often chosen for such offerings, symbolizing atonement and dedication to God. The peace offerings, as outlined in Leviticus 3, also included oxen, where the fat and certain organs were burned on the altar, and the remaining meat was consumed by the offerer and the priests.

Feasting and Celebration

The ox was not only a sacrificial animal but also a central feature in feasting and celebration. In the parable of the prodigal son, the father orders the slaughter of the fattened calf, an ox, to celebrate the return of his son (Luke 15:23). This illustrates the ox's role in festive occasions, symbolizing abundance and joy.

Economic and Social Significance

Beyond its religious and dietary roles, the ox was a symbol of wealth and prosperity. Job, a man of great wealth, is described as having "seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred female donkeys" (Job 1:3). The possession of oxen indicated economic stability and the ability to sustain a large household.

Prohibitions and Ethical Treatment

The ethical treatment of oxen is underscored in biblical law. Deuteronomy 25:4 states, "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain." This command reflects a broader principle of fairness and care for working animals, ensuring that they are allowed to eat while laboring.

Symbolic and Prophetic Imagery

In prophetic literature, the ox is sometimes used symbolically. Isaiah 1:3 contrasts the ox's knowledge of its owner with Israel's failure to recognize God: "The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master's manger, but Israel does not know; My people do not understand." This imagery underscores the ox's role as a creature of service and loyalty, highlighting the spiritual lessons drawn from its behavior.

In summary, the ox in biblical times was a multifaceted animal, integral to the daily life, religious practices, and social structures of ancient Israel. Its use for food, both in ordinary meals and sacred rituals, reflects its importance in the biblical narrative and the cultural context of the time.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Kings 1:9
And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by Enrogel, and called all his brothers the king's sons, and all the men of Judah the king's servants:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Kings 19:21
And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave to the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered to him.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Chronicles 18:2
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 Ramothgilead.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Story of Abraham and Isaac
... The offering was generally a sheep, or a goat, or a young ox"some animal that
was used for food. Such an offering was called "a sacrifice." ...
/.../marshall/the wonder book of bible stories/the story of abraham and.htm

The Nile and Egypt
... Jewels"Wooden and metal arms"Primitive life-Fishing and hunting"The lasso and
"bolas""The domestication of animals"Plants used for food"The lotus ...
/.../chapter i the nile and egypt.htm

Further Proofs of the Same Proposition, Drawn from the Promises ...
... fructify with an abundance of all kinds of food, from the ... they had heard from him
how the Lord used to teach ... The ox and the bear shall feed together, and their ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xxxiii further proofs of the.htm

Whether There was any Reasonable Cause for the Ceremonial ...
... and: "Thou shalt not plough with an ox and an ... reason was to prevent excessive care
about food: wherefore they ... be cruel to other men, through being used to be ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether there was any reasonable.htm

Letter Xlvii. (AD 398. )
... is not guilty of homicide though his ox may gore ... thus: Either it is certain that
this food was offered ... either of the other alternatives, it may be used for his ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/letter xlvii a d 398.htm

Perseverance in Holiness
... When the winnowing fan was used to chase away the chaff ... He fed them with angels'
food; he sheltered them by day ... likened the Lord of Glory to an ox that eateth ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 35 1889/perseverance in holiness.htm

Work
... in the strength of the ox.' For the ox, in that ... parts of the world now, is the beast
used for ploughing ... more than he needs for himself, gains food, comfort, and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/town and country sermons/sermon xii work.htm

That the Scriptures are Divinely Inspired.
... For we find the expression, "Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth ...
to human power, but which the legislator forbids to be used for food. ...
/.../origen/origen de principiis/chapter i that the scriptures are.htm

Faustus Avows his Disbelief in the Old Testament and his Disregard ...
... So, although all animals intended for food are by nature ... There is no harm in joining
an ox with an ass ... is inaccurate, or the manuscript he has used is incorrect ...
/.../faustus avows his disbelief in.htm

Jesus the Bread of Life.
... is another sense in which Christ probably used the word ... physical life except by using
as food that which ... The ox finds ample nourishment in grass; we can live ...
/.../the expositors bible the gospel of st john vol i/xiv jesus the bread of.htm