Ox, bull, and strong-beast imagery uses working cattle, bulls, calves, horns, and herd animals to describe strength, labor, sacrifice, pride, support for workers, and ordered service under God.
Ox, bull, and strong-beast imagery uses working cattle, bulls, calves, horns, and herd animals to describe strength, labor, sacrifice, pride, support for workers, and ordered service under God.
A strength-and-service motif in which cattle imagery may signify productive labor, sacrificial offering, stubborn or hostile power, temple support, covenant instruction about justice toward laborers, or creaturely dependence before the LORD.
These examples show how Ox, Bull, and Strong-Beast Imagery functions in biblical language, rhetoric, poetry, prophecy, narrative, or theological imagery.
his ox, nor his ass
The ox represents valuable household strength and property that must not be coveted.
Thou shalt not muzzle the ox
Working-ox imagery becomes a principle of just support for labor.
it stood upon twelve oxen
The bronze sea resting on oxen images ordered strength serving temple cleansing.
strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round
Bulls picture fierce, powerful opposition surrounding the sufferer.
Will I eat the flesh of bulls
Bull-sacrifice language exposes the folly of thinking God depends on offerings.
much increase is by the strength of the ox
The ox images productive power that brings increase where labor is embraced.
The ox knoweth his owner
The ox becomes a rebuke: even beasts recognize their master while Israel does not.
the face of an ox
The ox-face contributes an image of creaturely strength among the living creatures.
Doth God take care for oxen?
Paul uses the ox command to teach fair provision for gospel laborers.
the second beast like a calf
The calf-like living creature contributes sacrificial and creaturely imagery around the throne.
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