Topical Bible: Wild Ox: Sometimes Found With Two Horns

◄ Wild Ox: Sometimes Found With Two Horns ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

The wild ox, often referred to in biblical texts, is a creature that has intrigued scholars and theologians for centuries. In the Hebrew Bible, the term "reem" is commonly translated as "wild ox," though some translations use "unicorn" or "buffalo." The wild ox is depicted as a powerful and untamable animal, symbolizing strength and majesty.

Biblical References:

1. Numbers 23:22 : "God brought them out of Egypt; He is for them like the horns of the wild ox." This verse highlights the strength and power of God, likening it to the formidable horns of the wild ox. The imagery of the horns suggests might and the ability to defend and conquer.

2. Deuteronomy 33:17 : "His majesty is like a firstborn bull, and his horns are like the horns of a wild ox. With them he will gore the nations, even those at the ends of the earth." Here, the wild ox's horns are a metaphor for the strength and dominance of the tribes of Joseph, emphasizing their ability to lead and protect.

3. Job 39:9-10 : "Will the wild ox consent to serve you? Will it stay by your manger at night? Can you hold it to the furrow with a harness? Will it plow the valleys behind you?" These rhetorical questions underscore the untamable nature of the wild ox, illustrating its independence and strength, which cannot be subdued by human effort.

4. Psalm 92:10 : "But You have exalted my horn like that of a wild ox; with fine oil I have been anointed." The psalmist uses the wild ox's horn as a symbol of strength and exaltation, indicating divine favor and empowerment.

Symbolism and Interpretation:

In biblical literature, the wild ox is often a symbol of untamed power and divine strength. Its horns, sometimes described as two, are emblematic of authority and might. The imagery of the wild ox serves to convey messages of God's power, the strength of His people, and the futility of human attempts to control divine will.

The wild ox's portrayal as an untamable creature aligns with the broader biblical theme of God's sovereignty and the natural order He established. The creature's strength and independence are reminders of the Creator's unmatched power and the respect due to His creation.

Cultural and Historical Context:

The exact identity of the "reem" has been debated, with some scholars suggesting it may refer to the aurochs, an extinct species of large wild cattle that once roamed the Near East. The aurochs were known for their impressive size and strength, characteristics that align with the biblical descriptions of the wild ox.

In ancient Near Eastern cultures, the wild ox was often associated with deities and kingship, symbolizing power and authority. This cultural backdrop enriches the biblical references, providing a deeper understanding of the metaphorical use of the wild ox in Scripture.

The wild ox, with its formidable horns and untamable nature, remains a powerful symbol within the biblical narrative, representing divine strength, protection, and the majesty of God's creation.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Deuteronomy 33:17
His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Two Talents
... her lovingly; and when the girl went wild a little ... poor ministers to us to read,
but sometimes I think ... say, "well done" than by unmuzzling the ox that treadeth ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/the two talents.htm

The Nile and Egypt
... European swallows, our quails, our geese and wild ducks, our ... short, every kind of
form is found in use ... nobles, who wore a panther's skin, sometimes thrown over ...
/.../chapter i the nile and egypt.htm

The Flight into Egypt and St. John the Baptist in the Desert
... had a golden calf, a figure with an ox's head surrounded ... I saw him, too, following
wild animals into their lairs ... I also saw Jesus going sometimes to the Jewish ...
/.../emmerich/the life of the blessed virgin mary/xvi the flight into egypt.htm

Ancient Chaldaea
... The wild boar, and his relative, the domestic hog ... Assyrian sculptors amused themselves
sometimes by representing long ... the dog"namely, the ass, ox, goat, and ...
/.../chapter iancient chaldaea.htm

the Legendary History of Egypt
... wife, the wise Horus for his son, two master-magicians ... and fighting his way step
by step, sometimes escorted by ... Generally the scene is found beneath the feet of ...
/.../chapter iii -the legendary history of.htm

The First vision "In Heaven": Chapters 4-5
... it is (...) therion), a wild, untamed beast ... would be better, but as the word is
sometimes used in ... make one Himself; especially one like unto "an ox that eateth ...
/.../bullinger/commentary on revelation/the first vision in heaven .htm

The Temples and the Gods of Chaldaea
... and in the lairs of the wild beasts, and ... Anat sometimes represented a feminine heaven,
and differed from ... which the theological classification found it needful ...
/.../chapter iithe temples and the.htm

The Gods of Egypt
... to the Egyptians the haunch of an ox placed on ... of the Pyramid texts, Sahu-Orion,
the wild hunter, captures ... extended in front of the face, sometimes the arms ...
/.../chapter ii the gods of egypt.htm

The Political Constitution of Egypt
... floor the quarters of the ox, previously slaughtered ... military expeditions, the hunting
of wild beasts, and ... council, to dispense justice and sometimes also to ...
/.../chapter ithe political constitution of.htm

Syria at the Beginning of the Egyptian Conquest
... rein to their love of a free and wild existence. ... beach to avoid a projecting spur,
and sometimes to climb ... middle of a province, would often be found to belong ...
/.../chapter iisyria at the beginning.htm