Topical Bible: Calves

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In the Bible, calves hold significant symbolic and ritualistic importance, appearing in various contexts throughout the Old and New Testaments. They are often associated with idolatry, sacrifice, and agricultural prosperity.

Idolatry and the Golden Calf

One of the most notable references to calves in the Bible is the incident of the Golden Calf in Exodus 32. While Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments, the Israelites, led by Aaron, fashioned a calf from gold jewelry and worshiped it, declaring, "These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!" (Exodus 32:4). This act of idolatry provoked God's anger, and Moses interceded on behalf of the people to avert their destruction. The Golden Calf became a symbol of Israel's unfaithfulness and a warning against idolatry.

Calves in Sacrificial Practices

Calves were also integral to the sacrificial system established by God for the Israelites. In Leviticus, calves are mentioned as offerings for sin and burnt offerings. Leviticus 9:2 instructs Aaron to "take a bull calf for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, both without blemish, and present them before the LORD" . The use of calves in sacrifices underscored the need for atonement and the importance of offering the best to God.

Symbol of Prosperity and Judgment

In the prophetic books, calves are sometimes used metaphorically to represent prosperity or judgment. In Hosea 10:11, Israel is compared to a trained heifer, indicating both the nation's prosperity and its impending judgment due to disobedience: "Ephraim is a well-trained heifer that loves to thresh, but I will place a yoke on her fair neck" . This imagery highlights the tension between God's blessings and the consequences of turning away from Him.

New Testament References

In the New Testament, the imagery of calves is less prominent but still present. The Parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:23 mentions the fattened calf, which the father orders to be slaughtered in celebration of his son's return: "Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us eat and celebrate" . This reference underscores themes of repentance, forgiveness, and the joy of reconciliation with God.

Conclusion

Throughout the Bible, calves serve as powerful symbols of both human frailty and divine provision. Whether as objects of idolatry, elements of sacrificial worship, or symbols of prosperity and judgment, they remind believers of the importance of faithfulness to God and the consequences of turning away from His commandments.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

(n.) Plural of Calf.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

CALVES, OF THE LIPS

kavz, (Septuagint: karpon cheileon): This is the King James Version rendering of a dubious Hebrew text in Hosea 14:2 (parim sephathenu). The Revised Version (British and American) runs "So will we render as bullocks the offering of our lips." Strange as the text is, it may be retained, and it admits of at least a possible explanation. The prophet calls on his contemporaries to return in penitence to Yahweh. Their worship should consist not of meaningless dumb ritual, but of "words"-hymns and prayers, expressive of real gratitude and of actual needs-or perhaps pledges of repentance and reform. The people respond and undertake that their worship shall consist of "calves or bullocks of lips," i.e. not of animal offerings, but of promises of reform or vows of obedience. But this explanation is forced and most modern commentators follow the Septuagint, which presupposes a slightly different Hebrew text, and renders peri sephathenu, "fruit of our lips," i.e. adoring gratitude or, as the author of the Epistle to the He, who quotes this verse from the Septuagint, explains it, "sacrifice of praise" (Hebrews 13:15). The same phrase occurs in Isaiah 57:19, where it signifies gladsome gratitude.

T. Lewis

Greek

3448. moschos -- a young shoot, a calf
... young bull. Word Origin a prim. word Definition a young shoot, a calf NASB
Word Usage calf (4), calves (2). calf. Probably strengthened ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3448.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew

5882. En Eglayim -- "spring of two calves," a place on the Dead ...
... En Eglayim. 5883 . "spring of two calves," a place on the Dead Sea. Transliteration:
En Eglayim Phonetic Spelling: (ane eg-lah'-yim) Short Definition: Eneglaim ...
/hebrew/5882.htm - 6k

1121. ben -- son
... 3), beasts (1), being* (1), Ben-hinnom* (7), bough (2), breed (1), brothers* (1),
builders (1), bull* (21), bulls* (5), calf* (2), calves (2), calves* (1 ...
/hebrew/1121.htm - 8k

1241. baqar -- cattle, herd, an ox
... Word Origin from baqar Definition cattle, herd, an ox NASB Word Usage bull (1),
bull* (21), bulls (9), bulls* (5), calf* (2), calves* (1), cattle (13), cow's (1 ...
/hebrew/1241.htm - 6k

5695. egel -- a calf
... Definition: calf. Word Origin from an unused word Definition a calf NASB Word
Usage calf (22), calf's (1), calves (12). bullock, calf. From ...
/hebrew/5695.htm - 6k

6403. palat -- to escape
... root Definition to escape NASB Word Usage calves (1), carries it off (1), deliver
(5), delivered (4), deliverer (5), delivers (3), escape (1), preserve (2 ...
/hebrew/6403.htm - 6k

Library

The Pharisees are the Bulls: the Roaring Lion is Herod or the ...
... "Then what is next said in the Psalm"For trouble is near, for there is none to help
me. Many calves have compassed me; fat bulls have beset me round. ...
/.../chapter ciii the pharisees are the.htm

Political Religion
... Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them,
It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/political religion.htm

And Then the Future Captivity under an Oppressive King is ...
... subjoined the evils of luxury: "ye that lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch yourselves
upon couches; that eat the lamb from the flock, and the calves out of ...
/.../augustine/on christian doctrine in four books/chapter 18 and then the.htm

And all the Methods I have Mentioned are Constantly Used by Nearly ...
... subjoined the evils of luxury: "ye that lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch yourselves
upon couches; that eat the lamb from the flock, and the calves out of ...
/.../augustine/on christian doctrine in four books/chapter 7 and all the.htm

Israel Returning
... iniquity.2. Take with you words, and turn to the Lord: say unto Him, Take away all
iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/israel returning.htm

'Fruit which is Death'
... in making a covenant: thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the
field.5. The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Beth ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/fruit which is death.htm

Fifth Sunday in Lent
... greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of
this creation, 12 nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through ...
//christianbookshelf.org/luther/epistle sermons vol ii/fifth sunday in lent.htm

The Carcass and the Eagles
... of violence to come near; 4. That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves
upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/the carcass and the eagles.htm

Jeroboam
... God. Accordingly he caused to be made two calves of gold, and these were
placed within shrines at the appointed centers of worship. ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 7 jeroboam.htm

A Diversity of Interpretations is Useful. Errors Arising from ...
... the Greek word moschos means a calf, some have not understood that moscheumata
[1783] are shoots of trees, and have translated the word "calves;" and this ...
/.../chapter 12 a diversity of interpretations.htm

Thesaurus

Calves (34 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) Plural of Calf. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
CALVES, OF THE LIPS. ... T. Lewis. Multi-Version Concordance Calves (34 Occurrences) ...
/c/calves.htm - 19k

Stall (7 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 46:21 Also her hired men in the midst of her are like calves of the stall;
for they also are turned back, they are fled away together, they didn't ...
/s/stall.htm - 11k

Lips (199 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia CALVES, OF THE LIPS. kavz, (Septuagint:
karpon cheileon): This is the King James Version rendering ...
/l/lips.htm - 37k

Lip (20 Occurrences)
... The "fruit of the lips" (Hebrews 13:15) is praise, and the "calves of the lips"
thank-offerings (Hosea 14:2). To "shoot out the lip" is to manifest scorn and ...
/l/lip.htm - 18k

Fattened (19 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 39:18 Flesh of the mighty ye do eat, And blood of princes of the earth ye
drink, Of rams, of lambs, and of he-goats, Of calves, fatlings of Bashan ...
/f/fattened.htm - 12k

Eneglaim (1 Occurrence)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Fountain of two calves, a place mentioned only in Ezek.
47:10. Somewhere near the Dead Sea. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. ...
/e/eneglaim.htm - 7k

En-eglaim (1 Occurrence)
... Eneglaim, En-eglaim. En-eg'laim . Easton's Bible Dictionary Fountain of two
calves, a place mentioned only in Ezek. 47:10. Somewhere near the Dead Sea. Int ...
/e/en-eglaim.htm - 7k

Milch (2 Occurrences)
... 6:7 Now therefore make a new cart, and take two milch kine, on which there hath
come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from ...
/m/milch.htm - 7k

Calved (2 Occurrences)
... therefore take and prepare you a new cart, and two milch kine, on which there hath
come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from ...
/c/calved.htm - 7k

Aven (10 Occurrences)
... He also calls it Beth-aven, ie, "the house of vanity" (4:15), on account of
the golden calves Jeroboam had set up there (1 Kings 12:28). ...
/a/aven.htm - 11k

Resources

Why did Jehu destroy the Baal worship in Israel but not the worship of golden calves? | GotQuestions.org

What is the sun of righteousness (Malachi 4:2)? | GotQuestions.org

When and how was Israel conquered by the Assyrians? | GotQuestions.org

Calves: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Calves (34 Occurrences)

Matthew 22:4
Again he sent forth other servants, saying, Say to those who have been called: Lo, my dinner I prepared, my oxen and the fatlings have been killed, and all things 'are' ready, come ye to the marriage-feasts;
(See RSV)

Hebrews 9:12
nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once for all into the Holy Place, having obtained eternal redemption.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Hebrews 9:19
For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,
(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Exodus 24:5
and he sendeth the youths of the sons of Israel, and they cause burnt-offerings to ascend, and sacrifice sacrifices of peace-offerings to Jehovah -- calves.
(YLT)

Deuteronomy 7:13
and he will love you, and bless you, and multiply you; he will also bless the fruit of your body and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your new wine and your oil, the increase of your livestock and the young of your flock, in the land which he swore to your fathers to give you.
(See NIV)

Deuteronomy 28:4
You shall be blessed in the fruit of your body, the fruit of your ground, the fruit of your animals, the increase of your livestock, and the young of your flock.
(See NIV)

Deuteronomy 28:18
The fruit of your body, the fruit of your ground, the increase of your livestock, and the young of your flock shall be cursed.
(See NIV)

Deuteronomy 28:51
and shall eat the fruit of your livestock, and the fruit of your ground, until you are destroyed; that also shall not leave you grain, new wine, or oil, the increase of your livestock, or the young of your flock, until they have caused you to perish.
(See NIV)

1 Samuel 6:7
"Now therefore take and prepare yourselves a new cart, and two milk cows, on which there has come no yoke; and tie the cows to the cart, and bring their calves home from them;
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

1 Samuel 6:10
The men did so, and took two milk cows, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home;
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

1 Samuel 14:32
and the people flew on the spoil, and took sheep, and cattle, and calves, and killed them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

1 Samuel 15:9
But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the cattle, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and wouldn't utterly destroy them: but everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.
(See NIV)

1 Kings 1:9
And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fatlings by the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En-rogel; and he called all his brethren the king's sons, and all the men of Judah the king's servants;
(See NIV)

1 Kings 1:19
And he hath slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar, the priest, and Joab the captain of the host; but Solomon thy servant hath he not called.
(See NIV)

1 Kings 1:25
For he is gone down this day, and hath slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king's sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they eat and drink before him, and say: Long live king Adonijah.
(See NIV)

1 Kings 12:28
Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold; and he said to them, "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Look and see your gods, Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt!"
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Kings 12:32
Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast that is in Judah, and he went up to the altar; so did he in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places that he had made.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

2 Kings 10:29
However from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin, Jehu didn't depart from after them, to wit, the golden calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

2 Kings 17:16
They forsook all the commandments of Yahweh their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made an Asherah, and worshiped all the army of the sky, and served Baal.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

2 Chronicles 11:15
and he appointed him priests for the high places, and for the male goats, and for the calves which he had made.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

2 Chronicles 13:8
Now you think to withstand the kingdom of Yahweh in the hand of the sons of David; and you are a great multitude, and there are with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made you for gods.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Job 21:10
Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.
(See NAS RSV)

Psalms 68:30
Rebuke the wild animal of the reeds, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the peoples. Being humbled, may it bring bars of silver. Scatter the nations that delight in war.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Isaiah 27:10
For the fortified city is solitary, a habitation abandoned and forsaken, like the wilderness; there shall the calf feed, and there shall he lie down, and consume the branches thereof
(See NIV)

Isaiah 34:7
And the strong oxen will go down to death together with the smaller cattle.
(See NIV)

Jeremiah 14:5
Yes, the hind also in the field calves, and forsakes her young, because there is no grass.
(WEB)

Jeremiah 46:21
Also her hired men in the midst of her are like calves of the stall; for they also are turned back, they are fled away together, they didn't stand: for the day of their calamity is come on them, the time of their visitation.
(WEB JPS ASV YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Ezekiel 39:18
Flesh of the mighty ye do eat, And blood of princes of the earth ye drink, Of rams, of lambs, and of he-goats, Of calves, fatlings of Bashan -- all of them.
(YLT)

Hosea 10:5
The inhabitants of Samaria will be in terror for the calves of Beth Aven; for its people will mourn over it, Along with its priests who rejoiced over it, for its glory, because it has departed from it.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS YLT)

Hosea 13:2
Now they sin more and more, and have made themselves molten images of their silver, even idols according to their own understanding, all of them the work of the craftsmen. They say of them,'They offer human sacrifice and kiss the calves.'
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Hosea 14:2
Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.
(KJV DBY WBS)

Amos 6:4
Who lie on beds of ivory, and stretch themselves on their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall;
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Micah 6:6
How shall I come before Yahweh, and bow myself before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Malachi 4:2
But to you who fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings. You will go out, and leap like calves of the stall.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Calves

Calves of Jeroboam were Kissed in Adoration

Calves of Jeroboam: Called The: Calves of Bethaven

Calves of Jeroboam: Called The: Calves of Samaria

Calves of Jeroboam: Called The: Golden Calves

Calves of Jeroboam: Designed to Represent God

Calves of Jeroboam: Feasts Appointed For

Calves of Jeroboam: God's People Refused to Worship

Calves of Jeroboam: Guilt of Making

Calves of Jeroboam: Guilt of Worshipping

Calves of Jeroboam: Made of Gold